The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-05-29
THE CHISHOLM TRAGEDY.
A Terrible Story Of Partisan
Murders in the South.
A Devoted ScOtChInan aud u
Brave uuu Heroic Girl.

"uIu0IS w lllS SOulUs
A Devoted ScOtChInan aud IL
Brave uud Heroic Girl.
From the files Of exchange papers
that have come to hand, we extract the
details Of the so.called Kemper County
(Mis.) Massacre, in which Judge CHS.
holm and John p. Gilmer were slain,
apparently for no reason except that
they were Republicans. The events
which wC condenso are mainly from the
story AZ told by Mrs. Chisholm, wife OF
the principal victim, and we tell the story
less for any political bearing than because
it is a terribly exciting and dramatic
tragedy, full Of romance, heroiSm and
pathetic scenes. II is a case that calls
loudly for investigation, and the crimi.
mails ought to be brought to Justice.
THE SOURCE OF THE TROUBLE.
To go back to the beginning, in 1866,
at the close Of the war, b. +. Rush and
John W. Gully, owners Of store, be.
came bankrupts and quarrelled, Rush
being wounded and brother OF Gully
killed in a melee which ensued, and which
seems to have been wholly personal.
BEPuBLICAN PARTY ORGANIZED.
Two years later the Republican party
was organized in that county by Judge
McRac, Rush, Chisholm, Gamble, Gil.
mer and Davis. The two latter had been
Confederate soldiers, and in 1871 m Rt'
tack was made on them for being Repub.
licans by the Democrats Of that county,
and one Of the assailants was killed. Gil.
mcr and Davis were arrested, tried and
acquitted, but they were only saved from
the fury Of the partisan mob by the pres.
ence OF United States troops.
JUDGE MCRAE KILLED.
Gully, who had nearly killed Rush, is
represented ns being an extremely bitter
Democrat. About this time he engaged
in personal quarrel with Judge McRae,
whom he shot through shutter, full in
the face, killing him instantly. Gamble
was also killed, and negro il charged
with having been hired by the Democrats
to DO the work.
RUSH FIRED on AGAIN.
The Republicans had attained to an
ascendancy in the county, and they elect.
cd Gilmer to fill the vacancy caused by
the death Of Gamble, and made Rush
Clerk Of the Circuit Court. One night
soon after his election Rush was shot
while going home from his Office, and left
for dead in the road. lie recovered, how
ever, and recognized son Of John W.
Gully as the assassin. The Gully family
now asSai!cd the good name OF Rushs
wife, and did all they could to make the
neighborhood intolerable to the family,
Last December Gully was waylaid aud
shot from the roadside, but not killed
Rush was believedto be the guilty party,
and fled TO Arkansas, where he has since
resided.
GULLY KILLED AT LAST.
On the 2Gth Of December Gully was
again waylaid, and this time killed and
robbed Of his boots, watch and pocket
book; no particular suspicion attached
TO anybody. When the news came that
Gully was killed, Chisholm was sitting
Oh his balcony playing with the children,
and GilmCr was absent Mt St. Louis. But
the funeral OF Gully collected large as.
tCmblage OF excited men, who seemed to
have resolved upon resentment. \ SON.
in.law Of Gully, aCilizen OF another Coun.
ty, made an affidavit, charging Rush,
Chisholm, Gilmcr and two others with
the murder. When Mrs. Chisholm and
her daughter heard Of the excitement and
the affidavit they Cntreated the Judge 10
ny from the danger; but he refused 10 10,
insia!isg that Eis leaving would cause
the community to believe him guilty.
A CONSPIRACY TO CLEAN OUT THE RgrrB.
ILCANs.
The next morning the sheriff appeared
at Judge Chisholm's country residence
with warrant. The Judge called atten.
Iionto the excited crowd gathering in
town and requested to be permitted to
remain at home under guard. This re.
quest was complied with. Chisholm
wrote 10 the other parties implicated
requesting them 10 come to DeEalb and
surrender.
TIE MURDER or SENATOR GILStER.
Upon the receipt OF Chrisholm's note
Gilmer shaved, dressed himself in his
best clothes, it being Sunday, and deliv.
cred his watch and his papers 10 his wife,
10 whom he said: "Eaie, ii anything
should happen and l should be killed, |
don't want you TO bury me Immediately,
but keep my body for few days" This
alarmed her, and she insisted upon &C.
companying him to the Jail. Gilmer con-
scented finally, but no conveyance being
available, he promised to send Judge
ChIsholm's carriage for her the next
morning saying that he feared no danger
that night.
He thenstarLed toward DeKalb, meet.
ing Deputy Sheriff on the way, who &C.
companied him back. While passing
GulIy's store, Gilmer was shot in the
back with load of buckshot, when he
cried, "For Gods sake don't shoot! am
unarmed and have surrendered" Turn
ing 10 the Deputy Sheriff he said, "You
promised to protect mo-" Then he was
fired Mt again, but without effect. He
staggered into IN alley between two
stores, where he received n shot full n
the breast. Falling TO the ground, and
attempting 20 crawl under the house, a
man stepped up to him, placed gun at
the back OF his head, and literally blew
the top OF hia head of, killing him in
stantly.
Mrs. Gilmcr, late in the evening, wait.
ing anxiously for the conveyance 10 take
her TO her husband, hearing the approach
Of a vehicle, went 10 the door, and in.
stead Of n carriage found wagon con.
tanning the bloody remains of her muir.
dCrcd husband wrapped in bolt OF
Shceting. This startling spectacle was
the first inlimation she had received Of
the killing. Without friends, with a
young babe in her arms, the terror
stricken widow had tho remains OF her
husband buried as best she could, and as
soon rs possible went TO DeKalb 10 assist
the distressed family Of Judge Chisholm,
where she became Frustrated, and now
lies in critical condition.
THE ATTACK ON CHISHOLM.
Meantime the crowd that had killed