The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-05-04
Riot in Mississippi.

A fearful state of excitement exists in
Kempcr county owing to the assassina-
ton of Mr.. Gully and the retaliatory
murders. A feud began several years
ago in DeKalb by Benjamin Rush,a ma
tive white Republican, firing at John
w. Gully, a Democrat, missing him, but
killing his brother Samuel. John there
upon fired, desperately woundiDg Rush.
The latter finally recovered. Last De-
cember Gully was waylaid, shot and Sc
riously wounded by Rush, so Gully
said, and Rush disappeared and has not
been seen since. The assassination of
Mr.. Gully on Thursday last is believed
to be his work. The tragic death of
Mr.. Gully, who was personally known
to everybody, having once been sheriff,
brought together many persons seeking
information and to attend the funeral.
AT the funeral much excitement pre-
vailed, and it was with difficulty that
an orderly burial was had.
On the same day, upon aflldavits by
two colored men, warrants were issued
for the arrest Of Judge w. W. Chisolm,
who ran for Congress on the Republic
can ticket last fall, j. L. Gilmer, G.
Rosenbaum and Hopper. Gilmer had
just returned from Jail in st. Louis,
where he had been taken by requisition
or several charges of fraud. Chisolm
aided in making his bond there. On
Sunday morning Chisolm was arrested
and placed under guard at his residence
in DeKalb. A crowd demanded that
he should go to jail, where he was ac-
cordingly taken, hi, wife, daughter, and
young son accompanying him inside. He
retained brace of revolvers, while at
his own request guards were stationed
outside and also in the hall up stairs,
where he was placed, the persons COM
posing the guard being designated by
himself and armed with double barreled
guns.
Hopper was also arrested and placed
in another part of the Jail. Then Gil
mer, appearing OH the street, was arrest
ed. He was soon surrounded by Il
crowd, and seeing another crowd near
the Jail and feeling alarmed, fled; he
made n sudden effort tn escape, dashing
through the crowd and running; but as
he was passing between two houses
persons in the crowd fired, killing him
instantly. Roscnbaum, who was taken
with Gilmer, was lodged in Jail.
At about three O'Clock p. M, several
Of the inside guards becoming wearied,
requested the sheriff to relieve them.
He told each TO bring the particular
person named to relieve him. Four or
five retired together, leaving their guns
leaning against the wall. Directly sew
eral persons came up the stairway n, re-
lief guards, of whom il is thought, DR..
David Rosser, who was foremost, was
one. Before the door could be secured
behind them a crowd rushed in. Judge
Chisolm seized all the guns left by the
guards. retired to the rear end of the
hall, and fired, killing DR.. Rosser. One
account snys he was killed by Miss
Chisolm. While in the act of firing q
second shot, the Judges Young son
John ran across in front of him, receiv-
ing the charge, which killed him in
stantly. Firing now became general.
Judge Chisolm's. wife and daughter
chung to him, the latter receiving a
wound in the wrist and Chisolm himself
fell, desperately and it is supposed NOR
tally wounded, but he still survives.
Mcclellan, an adberent of Chisolm and
one of the inside guards, who remained,
somehow escaped from the building,
but was killed Immediately afterward.
Virgil Gully, a nephew of John, the de-
ceased, received a ball in the jaw and
spit it out Of his mouth. 1t is said he
was wounded by Mrs. Chisolm. Sever.
al others were grazed with balls or had
their clothes perforated. Hopper and
Rosenbaum were not harmed. Chisolm
Gilmcr, and Mcclellan were white Re.
publicans; Rosser and Virgil Gully
Democrats.
Several persons just from DeKalt
concur in the above statements. Moth
ing nearer accuracy is possible.