The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1876-11-03


barbecue, were met By the sheriff about
two miles from town. They were
armed, rnd had been going through the
manual After consolidation With Page,
the latter agreed ~ disOanJ ais men, and
to conduct them, without their arms, to
the speaking While We" say the
above witness, we're hiding our guns,
DR.. Sprott, carrying his gun on his
thigh, rode up and said: Boys, / am
Marshal, and if you do not carry your
guns to the grounds with you, | will not
act. ," We then took our guns and
started a second time towards town. DIR.
Sprott picked twenty.six men, and sent
them forward as an advance guard, with
instructions t. fire on any white man
who interlerel with them. About one
mile from town we met Ell. jones, who
told US that if we carried our guns into
town we would be cut 10 pieces; Jim
Page advised Us to lay aside our arms;
without saying word, Sprott rode off
towards his house; we went on to the
barbecue grounds, where Lynch told us
he would not speak; Thomas Richardson
made fe" remarks, advising US to reg
lister promptly, and then we started back
to the place where we left our guns. The
sheriff was the only white man on the
grounds, and he told US he could and
would keep the peace; we all had buck
shot, aud our guns were loaded with the
same; we took the buck-shot out Of our
pockets and threw them away, as we
were going to jail; we were not in the
ambuscade."
1t now appears how much truth there
is in DR.. Sprotts communication to the
Times-"When they" says he, CARVED
on the grounds Lynch was refused per-
mission to speak, unless under Democratic
direction was repeatedly called a liar,
etc" Who was there to forbid his speak
ing? Who was there TO repeatedly call him
n liar?
Surely Sprott does not pretend that he
remained to hear either the one or the
other. According to witnesses more
capable of telling the truth than w. ID.
Sproti, ignorant though they are, no
white man except the sheriff was present.
Whence then, came these aggressive
measures?
With the same regard for veracity
this vile slanderer says "Those taking
the direction Of Grand Gulf were ur-
sued at first by some ten or fifteen red
shtrted gentry, who amused themselves
| by firing at tAem with their pistols, etc. :"
The above is truly Mortonim. The
facts are as follows After the negroes
left the barbecue grounds they repaired
to the spot where their guns were hid
den. Some of them went Immediately
home, while the more turbulent gathered
about the farther end of the suspension
bridge between Port Gibson and Grand
Gull, Two brothers, living near the
latter place, were returning home, wien
they were halted at the bridge, and sub
jectod to insults. They Immediately re-
turned to town and informed the Sheriff.
With a posse, consisting of Neve or
fifteen men, he rode down to the bridge
to apprehend the culprits. Meanwhile,
they had secreted themselves in the
bushes, near the western end of the
bridge; and, as tho Sheriff and posse
were passing within thirty feet of them,
discharged ut them voley of fifty or
sixty guns. The men composing the
posse instantly sprang from their horses,
returned the fire, aud plunged into the
ambuscade. The negroes retreated
and one Of them was heard to say
" Load up, boys, and give them another
round"
The sheriff dispatched to town for re.
Inducements. Twenty men were ordered
to report to him. They were marched
down with the utmost precision, display
ing wonderful subordination to the orders
of the peace officers, who commanded
them. The negroes, after firing, took
refuge in the Bayou Pierre swamp. BY
making detour this was partially sur
rounded, and some six or eight negroes,
with discharged guns in their hands,
were captured. The white people dis
played remarkable forbearance. Not
one act of violence, or outrage, was com.
mitted no blows with clubs were ever
inflicted as asserted by Sprott. The wri-
ter was ON the ground, and an eye.wit.
ness had the white citizens been under
military discipline they could not have
behaved better. There was no =" Skin.
mishing over the fields of James Page"
The writer, in company with Mr.. Ellis, !
a constable, and Mr.. l.. ID. Magruder,
called at Pages house and asked for him
and his sons. His wife informed them
that they were not at home, and invited
a search of the house, which was de-
clincd.
In the morning, Messrs. Harris Bur.
net, Leach McLaurin, S. Humphries
and Dishroon brothers passed the ne.
groes, numbering about one hundred IN
der arms, with several ladies who were
anxious to reach home, The negroes in.
solently ratified their guns, frightening
the horses and endangering their riders,
One of them stepping out of line, in
lulged in language of the utmost
'bscenity, and exclaimed that they had
waited long enough, and now is the
ime to commence the thing"
Mr.. +, f. Myles, who happened to be
II Grand Cult, witnessed the distrihp. i