New Orleans Republican., 1877-05-05
THE KEMPER TRAGEDY
Another Mississippi County 'Rs-
deemed"


We had hoped before this time aDEs
able to give full particulars conceEni2g
the awful tragedy enacted at DeKalb, thB
county seat of Kemper county, on Snn-
day last, but there is isapparent, from P1zoe
cause, disposition on the part sss fhs
people of Kemper to keep their Affairs N
themselves.
If Kemper county were alone concerned
we should not complain, but the hoD5I OF
the State must be vindicated, and every
citizen of Mississippi is interested m
full development of facts, to the Ead
that the guilty may be punished, fhs
supremacy of law established, and xio-
lence and murder suppressed.
So far as we have yet been able to gaaTl-
the account printed in the Times OF MNs
l, which was appropriated by the enbsT-
prising agent of the Associated Press and
telegraphed over the country, is suhSkan-
TALLY correct.
1t is possible, however, that w W,
Chisolm has not yet died from the efEsDts
of his wounds, and the name of A. Me-
Clellan may with certainty be added TO
that list of victims.
Even the Mercury published at MeXs-
dian, comparatively near the sse1s ID
slaughter, prefaces an improbable reEital
were there hardly know how it was. ,"
A statement Of few prominent facts
concerning the parties to the tragedy
and of circumstances which tBrmiEatsd
in the horrible death of at least six per
sons may not prove wholly uninteres1Ing.
We shall not attempt to argue that Pn2l-
tics were the immediate cause Of the
murders, but it can not be denied ta&t
they were the result of enmities growing
out of bitter partisan strife.
John W. Gully, who was assassi3ste6
Thursday preceding the Sunday massacre,
was chairman of the Democratic County
Executive Committee and the most prona-
nent Democrat in Kemper county He
was active in the last political cannP1fgn
of fraud and violence, and was ene OF
those indicted by the United States gIAnd
jury for violations of the franchise 8RWss
in hindering w. W. Chisolm from sayo-
eating his election as member of GDR-
gress, for which position he had been
nominated by the Republican pnIey-
The cases were pending before the Unitsd
States court and Chisolm was the y1aZ-
cipal witness. John P. Gilmore. was
Chisolm's fast friend, and also witDass,
end leading Republican Of the county.
Rush, Rosenbaum, Hopper and A1oGael-
Is
Rosser, who was acting as guard Dgsx
Chisolm, probably self-sppointe6 OF S.
leeted by the mob, was a Democrat and
the only one who was killed in the 1ight
at the Jail.
1t is supposed that it was chiefly due
to Ohisolm and Gilmer, that the in6igs-
ments heretofore referred to were tounS.
and they also testified before the Senate
| Committee on Privileges and ElectRuas,
at Washington, in the investigation Of
Mississippi affairs.
To show that it was political saEife
which eliminated in this horrible tragedy
| it is only necessary TO quote the following
from the Meridian Mercury:
'Gully, killed. Thursday evening, WIS
not buried until late on Saturday evening.
By that time large crowd of people hAG
assembled; for he was man who was re-
spected and held in universal esteem by
the great mass of the intelligent and re-
spectacle people in the country. The
people in attendance upon the funeral
were in such state of evaporation that
they could hardly contain themselves SD
as to conform to the usual solemn OBJ
| servances of such an occasion. The
wrongs the people of Kemper had long
suffered at the hands of this clique IN
setting at naught the laws for the pro
lection of life and property and commit
ting the most shocking crimes with im-
punity, and then, if they lifted finger
for their own protection, in setting upon
them United States soldiers and maxshals
and harrassing them with prosecutions IN
I United States courts, as Was done Al the
last term of the United States District
Court, ct jackson, the deceased, then
being put away in his last resting place
being one of the victims Of their hsIisl,
malignity and vile perjuries, came trHsh
in mind and maddened them. Their per.
jured ISLANDERS of the body of the good
people of the county before the SanAts
committee in Washington, last wIntsr,
came vividly to their minds, and tended
then and there to arouse O strong feelinf
to avenge the foul murder of frienG
whose dust they were then consigning q
the tomb.
But there are other alleged Causes, Set
Rush, who is suspected of the ass8sginR
,, ton of John W. Gully, a few years sg'
shot at him on the streets Of DeKalb. baa
] killed Sam Gully, his brother. JOHN "
Gully then shot Rush, and he was snp
: posed to be mortally wounded, but Snail
recovered.
Since the unsuccessful attempt TO mn
der Jo1n w. Oully IN QSceInDet AASt - 7
said that Rush has disappeared from IA
I I country. This, however, is not to b
. wondered at, for he knew that he yOul
u be suspected of the crime, because of Oh
: ancient feud, whether guilty or not al
= that his life would be in constant peri
: even if he were not hanged by mob.
1t is not safe even 10 be suspected
, Kemper county.
Rush was an associate Of CAisolm an
Gilmer, and therefore it was that the su
picion that they and their friends Wel
priyy to the assassination of Gully vi
aroused Chisolm and Gilmer we
e known to be desperately brave men, an
- "a personal rencontre with either wns gel
&c orally regarded as a thing to be dreads
A few years ago Gilmer killed a man
Scooba and was charged by Peter Crosbl
the colored sheriff Of Warrep count
:. with attempting to assassinate him, 3
though he did rot make en- af66Ayit
that effect, and Gilmer was never pros
, cuted for the alleged offense. Govern
- Stone departed last evening for the sea
y of the tragedy, and we may therefore Se
:. sonably expect reliable information up'
20 ~ the subject ut no very distant day,
u If the Governor is able to see ''tlmt {
laws are faithfully executed" in kenE
~ county, md that guilty parties !
AZ brought 10 justice, the honor Of the ST
will be vindicated, and the effcisnnH
40 / bts a 9r,f,,icf1.o Nor, damon afrofad