The weekly clarion., 1877-09-26
He FIees from the Consequence
Of "a IurderOu. Assault and
Rushes Into "a Republican
Newspaper.
How Ghe Democratic BWIIdOzcrs
Worried the Independents i'm
Old Jefferson.
..In~GructiOns IEeIurninG 40 PIa-
gue the HnVenGOr.''
some of the NIen Who had Taught
IIIe Boys. DOsed with Their
Own Lessons.
Jefferson not "a Healthy County
for strife Makers.

ST. Louis GLOBE DemDc RepuDllcan-
Mr.. j. 4. Ellis, of Fayette, Jefferson Coun-
tv, Mississippi, arrived in the city, saturday
morning. and makes "A statement which goes
far to show that the bull-dozer of that
Southern region is neither dead nor slum-
bering, and that in spite of paciticatiOn and
conciiiation, the Mississippi plan" of cou-
Quoting political campaigns is not yet IA
thing OF the past. Mr.. Ellis was born and
reared in jefferson County, Miss ami his
father has resided there nearly forty years.
The Eliises were Union men during the war
and had to flee to the Federal lines 10 cs-
cape rebel violence. Since the war they
have been Republicans. The senior Ellis
occupied Il place on the bench six year', be-
ing now a practicing lawyer 10 Fayette.
j. G.. Ellis was District ClerL for four years,
and also an attorney, but, a week ago, was
compelled To leave the country to escape
the violence OF Il Democratic mob. He is
now a refugee, aud does not dare return for
fear his life will be taken by a mob A re- !
porter of the Globe Democrat interviewed |
Mr.. Ellis, who makes Il statement rs follows |
y cam paign is now in progress in Missis- |
sppi for the election of county officers and /
members of the Lcgisatu Z. Under the |
bull-doZing process the Republican party |
of the State las become so disOrganized and |
disintergrated that few straight party nom
nations are being made. the Republicans 4
generally giving their support To indepen-
dent, olserVative candidates. The Repub-
licans of Jefferson County, feeling assured |
that in spite of the fact that they had
be permitted to install their nominees even
If they were elected, concluded TO make no
nominations, but to support Inde pendent !
candidates for the Legislature and for local
offices. Some o. the Independent cAndi-
dates were Republicans and others Demo-
cratic. The first grand rally of the cam
paign was announced to take place Satur-
dap, Septem ber :. at a school -hOuSc five
the speakers who were to address
the meeting were: Mr.. Ellis, Mr.
Hicks, and Mr.. Truly, the two
latter candidates Tor the LEGISLATURE Ellis
ieit Fayettc on horseback, for the place Of
meeting. When half way there, he met
number of cOlored people considerably eN-
cited. He askt d them why they were leav- !
ing the schoOl-house. They stated that "A | .
Democratic Clubs had made their appear | .
ance on the ground and warned them leave,
as there would be boodshed if the lndepen- .
dents and Republicans ATTEMPTED to hold "A |
meeting. Ellis appealed to the colOrcd men 3
to return with him To the schOOl-hOusc and
IN the meeting that they had a
right as American citizens to hold political I
gatherings and that the Democrats care not
offer violent interference. The majority OF
the men turned with him, but the others
being afraid OF trouble, went home. When
Ellis and his party arrived on the ground "A
few cOlOred people were still there, and
there were present about seventy five !
Democrats in club uniform, and armed with 4
double barreled shot guns. The lndepem- 4
dent candidate soon arrived, and had "A =
conference with j. ID. =. DaVenDort Chair Il
man of the Democratic Executive Commits II
tee, no was there armed. They asked if 4
the Democrats were there for the purpose {
Of preventing the Independents aud Rebub-
licanS nom speaking. Davenport reDlied {
that they were there 10 preserve the peace
md did not intend thar any IL tdical, incen- 1
diary speeches should be made; that Ellis &
who was particularly obnoxious TO the Dem {
DCratiC party, would not be permitted 10 &
address the meeting. Ellis insisted that he 9
had right to speak, and would do so at {
any cost, but, after consultation with his :
friends, he aSrced, for the sake Of avoiding u
Doodshed, that ne would take no part In .
he speaking. L
The Democrats stated that they had no G
objections to r. ii. Truly and Hicks speak &,
ng, and gave the assurance that they ~
should be protected. Truly was the first ! II
peaker. When he took his pos ition on The | II
tand a uniformed Democrat, with shot
,dn in hand, was stationed "A few feet be- II
ma MN, Tor the manifest purpose of in ),
lmldating the speaker aud to prevent him ! "
rom giving expression to bold or agsrcs-
i've sentiments. The armed Democrats
TODD in front OF the speaker, and he hardly ia
nIShed his first sentence when they broke ia
ut in shouts. These derisiye demonsta- Je
ions were repeated at the end OF almost
very sentence, and it was with the great. 10
st difficulty that Truly could speak in a r.
way. The Republicans present IL
lere thoroughly intmidatcd and remain -
d quiet. Truly preserved in his efforts 10 La
peak and appealed for quiet hearing
lis appeal was met with the most bolster Ia
us applause and clapping of hands nm lie
meant TO turn the occasion into a l.e
Ircc. The remarks that he did make were Ill
| an extremely moderate character: he 10
ad no violent abuse for the Democratic
arty his utterances were not incendiarv. 10
was simply an effort at a temperate Ma
atement OF the reasons why the Deople
lthout reference to party, should vote tbe Ma
dependent ticket. lie told the armed Ma
emocrats that he was not there to stir up
ld blood, but to present his own claims Mo
ld those OF his fellow candidates and that
an Old citizen of the county he asked Mo
r respectful attention. Finding that the Ne
emOcrats were determined to DENY him Ne
e right of free speech by punctnatine No
cry remark by deafening shouts and thai
was useless To continue, Truly descended Ok
pm the stand. lie was followed by Mr.
cks, independent candidate for the eO Hal
aturo, man who had previously voted
r the Democratic ticket. Hicks was sub Per
;ted to the same indghities that had been Pix
Aped on Truly The mob was upToaTi- POI
5 in It's applause, the effect being so con Pre-
sing that it was Impossible for tie speaker Rar
proceed. Hicks made direct appeal Ia SEQ
!. McGinty, leading Democrat present Sha
use his efforts TO keep order, and his an Sim
a! was met with a shout. All through Smi
cks effort to speak. the crowd INDUCED
hoots. Jeerin2 remarks and insults II
: impossible tor any man to crate under Sun
"a circumstances, and Hicks, finding his sun
Ill.
No other Republicans or Independents at TatC
lpted to speak. Upon q CONSULTATION il TlsL
$ declueI Ia disperse, and the meeting ! -
: accordingly dismissed. The Democrats
re enthusiastic over their success in pre-
ting free speech, aud returned to town TipI
lIgh glee. Ellis also made his way back
Fayette with his friends. The streets
re IhiI OF boisterous Democrats, who in. Iun
ged IN the most violent language towards lniC
)uollcans, aud thcatened certain obnox- War
; men with dose OF mob law they did
keep quiet. There seemed to be a par Was
lar aversion to Ellis on account of his
We opposition to the Democratic ticket Way
ms DoId support OF the opposing candi- WIN
2, lie was advised not to 90 on the
cts, but having business with one or two Wins
he went out 70 find them. While en- = alo
ed IN a conversation with "A young man aHo
led Dudley Stewart. a violent Democrat
later remarked: We'll Ellis, the BOYS FLoA
ia nt let you speak to day" Ellis re-
|, es- and It was a very cOwardly
ms brought on an alteration, which
nlnated IN Stewart striking at Kills
: struck back, when Stewart gathered Z"
K and threw il at Ellis, the corner Of
missile grazing the head Of Ellis Ellis g
IN bis hand heavy stick, with which
-ruek his antagonist a blow, telling him {"
e ground. DR.. Rembert, brother-in-
y oteWaft' ran with a pistol, cursing
fiourshing his weapon. but did nor
The crowd began to gather, and Ellis WI
1rgw crowd snort distance up the street. attac
b law all the time. A eoIored .n1eS'S man U1 Hind
rom ron. the crowd to where Ellis was, and so.caI
ypu.n Eilfs retreated np the street, amou
pennty t%e CTr o%ri niousei ne appealed to cipan
to use his authority as a CONSERVATION thing.
peace To prevent the mob from f,l -