The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-09-15
EMPORIA NEWS
"REFOrRSn" AT THE SOUTH.
a SIckenIng story Of South
ern Outrage

OunOdy ~ lnQldnh pOils- Inc SAD
circumstances attending the death
OF the lady, and the horror awaken
ed in the community by a recital of
the wrongs committed upon her
family by the chivalrous people of
Louisiana, served to attract q large
attendance. The death of this lady
Is attributed to the persecution to
which her family was subjected
while in the south. Within the last
two years she has lost husband
and brother at the hands of the
ku-klux, and came north with the
remnant of another brother only to
find relief from her snfferings in a
decease. The funeral address was
by Rev. DR.. Bayliss, who spoke as
follows:
ADDRESS OF DIR. BAYLIss.
We are standing to-day at the
culmination OF q tragical personal
history. 1t Is not often, in times OF
peace, that a funeral service brings
us face to face with facts at once SO
melancholy and appalling. And
feel that, though we were strangers
personally to her whose sad end we
contemplate, as we are to the solita-
ry mOurner who follows her TO the
burial, there are In the case circum-
stances which will interest us all,
and will fully Justify q departure,
in some measure, from the usual
form of funeral addresses.
Mrs. Helen Il. Willis was a native
of Townsend, VT, was 81 years OF
age, and q sister of Marshall H
Twitchell, who ia here TODAY, the
only relative who is permitted 10 be
present on this sad occasion. She
WINS making her way from the in
hospitable neighborhood in which
she had suffered for years, in Louis.
lana, to her native place in New
England. She stopped here to rest,
and If possible to recuperate. But
she had suffered too much to rally
and after q few days of delay death
came yesterday morning, and with
a grateful heart to those who have
ministered to her SO kindly and as.
siduously during her brief stay in
this strange city, she fell gently
asleep and is at rest.
AT the close of the war Captain
Twitchell, 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 afterward became his wife. HI
bought land and settled there, de
termining to become q citizen anC
devote himself to the improvement
of his fortunes and the development
of the country of his adoption. IL
this end he built saw mills and girls
mills, opened stores, did what could
be done to establish schools, and il
every possible way earnestly labor
ed to promote the prosperity of tint
country about him.
His energy and economy led Il
business success, and his brothe
and three sisters, with their hus
bands, at length joined him in hi
southern home. His mother alst
became q resident there, and thu
his entire family, with ali his inter
ests, were transferred and establish
ed permanently, as was supposed
In Louisiana.
In 1874 there were various riot
In the parishes adjoining that il
which these families lived. Senator
Twitchell was himself absent in New
Orleans, and brother-in-laW nam
cd King was sick. as thought unto
death. AS disturbances continued
In the surrounding country, q mum
Der of Democrats went to those VIII,
were we'll and at home and said {,
them: 1--WE are sure that you ar
here as permanent residents, and W
are satisfied with you and you
principle. But some of your neigh
bors are not so satisfied and Their
will perhaps be danger to you uu
less you put yourselves under GU
protection; but If you will pu
yourselves into our hands we wi
vonch for you to the rioters and 20
shall be protected"
After some conversation Home
Twitchell and two brothers-in-lal
concluded, with some northern me
in the neighborhood, to accept th
offered protection of their Demo
cratic neighbors, and accordiDgl
put themselves under their protet
ton.
They were led away into an az
joining parish, far enough to oil
struct the process of legal prosecl
ton, and then, with q treachery
which we have supposed none bl
Indians 10 be capable, their prote
tors turned them over to the mo-
and Homer Twitchell and tW
brothers-in-law were murdered
cold blood. 1t seems incredible
is almost too diaboIical to be belle
ed. Even after all we have hear
of Fort Pillow, Andersonville ar
Belle Isle, this is so horrible as
make us hesitate before believiL
it. We were in the heat or WI
when the Fort Pillow massacre w,
perpetrated AndersonvilIe was Il
offspring of passion and fury, b
this was calm enough to be simp
malevolent, and horrible enough
be fiendish.
One of those who fell in tn
treacherOus massacre of August 8
1874, was Mr.. Monroe Willis, hu
band of her whose weary heart
last stands still, aud how much
the disaster of yesterday is trac
able to the catastrophe of 1874, it
impossible for any human being
tell.
Still the remnants of the broke
prosecuted household remained
the south. There was their prope
ty and there were the graves of the
beloved dead. Aud so, in spite
the malice which had given the
such startling proofs of its fierc
ness and unscrupulousness, thG
still trusted to their own conscioV
rectitude and their peaceful spir
to protect them.
But, alas! there Is q diabolism
the south which no goodness CT
propitiate, and a maleVolence while
no gentleness can subdue. The IA
is beyond question.
In May last Mrs. Willis was br
ken in health by her great suffe
ings, and Mr.. Twitchell and M
King, who were absent in New q
leans, were sent for. They start,
Immediately. aud, as they we
crossing Red river in q small boz
on approaching within four or fl
yards of the shore q horseman a
peared on the bank, and unbutto
u =. l.. n