The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-05-23

Tragic Ending Of an Old Feud in De Kalb,
Miss.

Miss.
Several years since, in De Kalb,
Miss, Ben. Rush, a native white Repub-
lican, fired at John W. Gully, q Demo-
crat, missing him, but killing his broth
er, ISam Gully. John thereupon fired,
desperately wounding Rush, who finally
recovered, since which, and previously,
it is said, q deadly feud existed between
them. Last December Gully wa way
laid, shot and seriously wounded by
Rush, SO Gully said. Rush disappeared
and has not been seen since. The assas-
sination Of MI. Gully recently is be-
lieved to be his work. The tragic death
of Mr.. Gully, who was personally
known to everybody, having once beeh
sheriff, brought together many persons
seeking information and to attend the
funeral, which occurred several miles
from De Kalb. At the funeral much
excitement prevailed and it was with diff
ficulty an orderly sepulturc was had: On
the same day, upon affdavits by divers
parties, warrants were issued for the AZ
rest of w. w. Chisolm, j. P. Gilmer, D:
Rosenbaum and Hopper. The reported
threats by Chisolm aud Gilmer grew as
they flew anu inlamed the white people,
who regarded them as almost public
enemies. Gilman had just returned
from jail in st. Louis, where he had
been taken by reGuisition on several
charges of fraud. Chisolm alded III
making his bond there. Chisolm was
arrested, and placed under guard at his
residence in De kalb. A crowd demand
ed that he should 60 to jail where he was
accordingly taken, his wife, daughter
and young son accompanying him i'll
side. He retained a brace of r%evolvcrs.
At his (Chisolm's) request guardsl were
stationed outside, and also in the hall
upstairs where he was placed, the per-
sons composing the guard being deslg-
mated by himself. Six or eight of them
were inside, armed with double barreled
guns. Hopper was also arrested and
placed in another part Of the jail.
Then Gilmer, appearing on the street,
was arrested and soon surrounded by @
crowd. and seeing another crowd near
the Jail. and doubtless feeling fearful, he
made a sudden effort to escape, dashing
through the crowd and running, but az
he was passing between two houses some
persons in the crowd fired. killing him
Instantly. Rosenbaum, who was taken
with Gilmer, was lodged in jail. At
about three o'clock Pm several of the
inside guards, becoming wearied, re-
quested the sheriff to relieve them. He
told each to bring the particular person
named to relieve him. Four or five re.
tired together, l~eavingtheir guns leaning
against the wall. Directly several per-
sons came up the stairway, al relief
guards, of whom, it is thought, DIR. Dave
Rosser, who was foremost, was one.
Before the door could be secured behind
them a crowd rushed in. Chisolm seized
all the guns left by the guards, retired
to the END of the hall and fired, killing
Rosser. While in the act of firing a
second shot, his young son John ran
across in front of him, receiving the
charge, which killed him instantly.
Firing now became general and pro-
miscuous. Chisohm's wife and daughter
chung to him, the latter receiving a
wound in the wrist. Chisolm himself
fell desperately, and it is supposed
mortally, wounded, but he still survives.
One Mcclellan, an adherent of Chisolm,
and one of the inside guards, who re-
manned, somehow escaped from the
building, but was killed Immediately
aftcrward. Virgil Gully, a nephew of
John, the deceased, received a ball in
the jaw and spat it out CT his mouth.
Several others were grazed with balls or
had their clothes perforated. Hopper
and Rosenbaum were not harmed.
Chisolm, Gilmer and Mcclellan were
white Republicans, Rosser and Virgil
Gully Democrats.