Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-08-03
How Whole Family Were
Sacrificed.
PLAIN Recital of Internal Atrocities

| PIaIn heclCal OF In16rnal ACrOc1CleS
Such as Make the Stoutest
| Shudder.
The following is the funeral discourse
of the Rev. DR.. Bayliss, pastor of Trini.
ty M. E. church at indianapolis, de-
livered before q large assembiage of
people on the 10th inst, over the re-
mains of one of the victims of the
Coushatta fiends:
We are standing to-day at the cul-
| minatiOn Of a tragical personal history.
1t is not often, in times of peace, that a
funeral service brings men face to face
| with facts at once so melancholy and
appslling. And feel that, though we
! were strangers personally to her, whose
sad end we contemplate, as we are to
the solitary mourner who follows her
| to the burial, there are in the case cir
eumstances which will interest us all,
and will fully justify departure, in
some measure, from the usual form of
funeral addresses.
Mrs. Helen E. Willis was native of
Townsend, VT; was 81 years of age,
and sister of Marshall II. Twichell,
who is here to-day, the only relative
| who is permitted to be present on
THIS SAD OCCASION.
She was making her way from the in
hospitable neighbOrhood in which she
has suffered, in Louisiana, to her ma
tive place in England. She stopped
here to rest and, if possible, to recuper-
ate. But she had suffered too much to
rally, and, after few days of dely,
death came yesterday morning, and
with grateful heart to those who have
ministered to her SO kindly and assidu-
ously during her brief stay in this
strange city, she fell gently asleep and
is at rest.
At the close of the war Captain
Twichell, brother of the deceased, was
on General Sheridan's staff, and was
assigned to duty in the Red river
country in Louisiana, where he became
acquainted with the lady who after
ward became his wife. He bought
land and settled there, determined to
BECOME A CITIZEN
and devote himself to the improve
ment of his fortunes and the develop
ment of the country of his adoption.
To this end he built saw mills aud
grist mills, opend stores, did what
could be done to establish schools, and
in every possible way has labored
earnestly to promote the prosperity Of
the country about him.
His energy and economy led to busi-
ness success, and his brother and three
sisters, with their husbands, at length
joined him
IN HIS SOUTHERN HOME
His mother also became a resident
there, and thus the entire family, with
all his interests, were transferred and
established, as was supposed, in Louis
lana.
In 1874 there were various riots in
the parishes adjoining that in which
these families lived. Senator Twichell
was himself absent in New Orleans,
and brOther-in-law named King was
sick, as was thought, unto death. AS
disturbances continued in the surround.
ing country, y number of Democrats
came to see those who were we'll and at
home, and said to them: 1--WE are sure
that you are here IS
PERMANENT RESIDENTS,
and we are satisfied with you and your
principles. But some of your neigh
bors are not so satisfied, and there will
perhaps be danger to you unless you
put yourself under our protection; but
if you will put yourself into our hands,
we will vOuch fer you to the rioters,
and you shall be protected"
After some conversation, Homer
Twichell and the two brothers-in-law
concluded, with some Nothern men in
the neighbOrhOOd, to accept the offered
protection of their Democratic neigh
bors, and accordingly put themselves
under their direction.
They were led away to an adjoining
parish, for enough to Obstruct the pro-
cess of legal prosecution, and then, with
treachery of which have supposed
none but Indians to be capable, their
protectors turned them over to a mob,
and homer Twichell and the two
brOthers-in-laW
WERE MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD.
1t is incredible-it is almost too in |
credible to be believed. Even after all |
we have heard of Fort Pillow, Ander-
sonville and Belle Island, this is so |
horrible as to make US hesitate before |
believing it. We were in the heat of |
the war when the Fort Pillow massacre |
was perpetrated; AndersOnville was |
the offspring of passion and fury; but |
this was calm enough to be malevolent |
and horrible enough to be tiendiSh. |
One of those who fell in that treacher-
ous massacre of August 81, 1874, was
Mr.. Monroe Willis, husband of her
whose weary heart at last stands still;
and how much of the disaster of yes
terday is traceable to the catastrophe
of 1874 it is impossible for any human
being to tell.
Still the remnants of the broken,
prosecuted household remained in the
South. There was their property, and
there were the graves Of their beloved
deap. And so in spite of the malice !
which had given them such startling
proofs of its fierceness and unscrupu.
iousness, they still trusted to their own
conscious rectitude and their peaceful
spirit to protect them.
But, alas! there Is q diabolism in parts
OF the South which no goodness can
and malevOlence which no
gentleness can subdue. The fact is bey.
Ond question.
In May last Mrs. Willis was broken
In health by her great sufferings, and
Mr.. Twichell and Mr.. King, who were
absent in New Orleans, were sent for.
They started Immediately, and as they
were crossing Red river in small boat
on approaching to within four or five
yards of the shore, horseInan appear
I'd on the bank, and
UNBOTTONING HIS LARGE COAT
took from 1t Henry repeating rifle,
from which he discharged fifteen shots