The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-08-10
AN INCIDENT OF LAST FALL S
ELECTION IN MISSISSIPPI.
An Illustration of the Means That
Were Used to Overcome the
Republican Majority.


hemently declaring in the presence o
the widow of Mr. Haffa, the Republican
martyr, that he would not believe hel
story under oath. He never even saw
her.
/ possess her affidavit made in Missis
sippi; / have read her testimony before
the committee, and l heard the story
from her own lips, in her home in Phila
delphia
/ will give il in her own words, for no
skill and no genius could tell the sad
story so well, nor could any story show
in a more lurid light the fendish temper
of the Mississippi banditti.
Let me first introduce il briefly.
William p. Haffa was a man of spotless
character. OF singularly mild and inof.
fensive manners, he was beloved by the
colored people, and respected by all the
unprejudiced whites He was not fight
ing man. He did not 60 to Mississip-
pi for office, but to raise cotton and corn.
Six years ago last February, he leased
a plantation near Auburn, in Kinds
county. After Mr. and Mrs. Haffa and
their children had lived there, quietly
working, never interfering" in politics,
the owners of the land called on them
and asked them whether they were
friends of the white man or the - mig
ger. He said (as any honest Northern
man would have said to such a question: }
that he was a friend to every one who
was worthy of friendship, whether white
or black.
1--WE understand you" they said, "you
are friend of the - niger"
After this interview he was threatened
more than once. The colored people
soon afterward nominated him for JUS
tice of the Peace. Governor Alcorn
made the appointment, and refused to
eject him when the Democratic leaders
asked that he should be removed, on the
ground that mo Northern man should
come down and rule them" The major
ity OF the people-the blacks-desired
his appointment. and no one of either
order could complain of his character.
He served out his term Of two years. He
was renominated and again elected.
The local Democratic leaders then
waited on him, and took him out of
the house and lashed him without mer-
cy with a cowhide; and when his wife
besought them for mercy, and clung to
him, one Of the rufiians, who was a joint
owner of the plantation. threw her off SO
that she was laid up for a
month from the injuries she received.
She has never to this day fully recovered
from the shock. Mr. Haffa remained;
he was threatened again; his boy was
shot at; his own life was put repeatedly
in peril. He disarmed one would-be as
sassin, a member of one Of the families
in the District.
After these occurrences. both Mr.. Haf-
IA and his wife taught colored schools.
A 81 81 I. -,
huence over their votes. This was the
head and front of their offending. They
also taught the blacks in Sunday Schools
The Ku Klux were suppressed, and
there was peace in Mississippi until last
summer, when tue campaign Of intimida-
tion and assassination was inaugurated.
Bound to carry the State at any costa
boast made everywhere and openly-the
fate of Mr.. Haffa was sealed. He would
not leave. He could not be driven off
He must die.
And now stand aside to let the wild
ow speak.
1--WE were aroused by the barking of
our dog furiouslv on the morning Of the
9th of September.
hollered, Who is thereY and no an
swer. l repeated it, and there was no
answer.
And then Mr.. Haffa got up and said,
no is there?
They said, We will let you know who
is there, or something to that effect.
And i said, My Cod they have the
yard fall of men
presume there were from fifty to sew
e1Gy-five men barricading the whole of
the house. And they had not only arm
ed themselves with one or two weapons,
but they had some of them half dozen.
They had them buckled around them,
besides the musket that they carried
They tried to unfasten the door to get
in, but put my foot between the door
and the sill, and kept the door closed
Ny daughter helped me. Finding they
could not get in, they finally took one Of
the fence rails and broke the door down,
and part of the furniture.
And we were hollering all the time
'Murderl Murderr No one came to
our assistance. They could hear me hol-
Ter murder for about two miles, as the
neighbors told me afterward.
Finally, Mosely, the agent Of the Sing
er sewing machine, came up to me and
choked me and held a revolver close to
my head Before he choked me / SAID:
81 am not afraid, if you will choke me
and spare my husband-that is all"
Mosely said to me, when | called his
name several times: 'Sh-shl
had a nursing baby then, and it was
lying on the bed screaming. After was
choked SO that could not holler any
longer, my daughter came, and she left
me and went to her father.
The men outside broke q shutter off
the window and fired at Mr. Haffa, and
my little boy told me yesterday-he said
he would take oath any time-that it was
Jimmy Whitehead who fired one of the
shots at Mr.. Haifa, and Sid. Whitehead
the owner of the land that we rented
He had threatened Mr. Haffa's life sever
al times, which the children know Of
They fired twice, and i went TO him,
and he asked me to take him to bed; so
my daughter and / assisted him TO bed.
We had no light. 1t was utter darkness
there, and says he to me, Mamma,
want water. AS soon as ! could get a
light ! gave him water and laid him
down, and ran out for assistance, and
sent my little boy over to some colored
people, and they came rushing over.
Finally, Sid. Whitehead came along
and refused to let me have a physician
He said it was no use; that he would die
anyhow.
Mr.. Haffa said: Mamma, am goinl
to die, and he asked God to have mercy
on his soul, and he laid his head on my
shoulder and expired.
After the colored people had laid hin
away, said to Sid. Whitehead: Nose
ly is the one that choked me and he hac
a revolver at my head, and Sid. White
head said, You know Mr. Mosely wa
not here said, Yes, sir, he was Sid
| Whitehead snolxe ont that | had To rs