New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-05-26
The KEMPER COUNTY HORROR
* sad .SSO4s as AOid by Mrs.
Chisholm.
THE CLOSING soENEs

rect, inasmuch as the narrative was writ
ten out after repeated conversations With
Mrs. Chisholm. This is the story of the
wife and mother, of her whose heart strings
must have stretched in agony as she re-
cited the story of the brutal butchery Of
her loved ones.
In order that our readers may know the
origin Of the difficulty which resulted in
the recent death of at least six of the citi-
zens Of Kemper county, we Rrs compelled
to 90 back at least eleven years in the his
tory of the principal actors in the late
tragedy.
+ In the year 1866, B. F. Rush and John
w. Gully we're partners in q general mer-
camille business It is said that their
business was conducted very loosely;
that they sold largely TO creditors who
never paid, and as in many other similar
instances we'll known to amateur mer-
chants of that day, Rash & Gully failed.
This failure caused much elimination aud
recrimination between the partners, Gully
charging that Rush had appropriated
money to his own use, while Rush alleged
that the failure was brought about by the
large indulgence given by Gully to his
special, but irresponsible friends. An
open quarrel soon ensued between them,
ana in few days Bush was informed that
Gully was looking, for him, armed
with a shotgun, with which to take
his life, whereupon Rush armed him.
self, and taking position near the court
house, awaited the coming of Gully, who
soon appeared accompanied by Peter
Gully and another friend on horseback,
Peter Gully rode up to Rush, and attempt
| ed to disarm him by wrenching the gun
| from his hands. In the struggle the gun
was discharged aud Peter Gully instantly
killed. John W. Gully then fred upon
Rush, putting two loads of buckshot into
his body, and left him for dead In the
course Of time, however, to the surprise
of everybody, Rush recovered from his
desperate wounds, was indicted, apd sub
I seauently tried fof the killing Of Peter
Gully, and acquitted upon the grounds
that the killing was accidental This for
time ended the controversy, which up
to this period was of purely personal
character. So far as we know John W.
4 Gully was never molested for his attempt
to kill Rush.
In 1867 John P. Gilmer, one of the vic
tins in the late tragedy, engaged in a
general mercantile business at Scooba, a
railroad town in Kempsr county, and en-
ployed clerk by the name of Davis.
In 1868, w. w. Chisholm, the princi.
pal character in the late massacre, assist
ed by Judge McRes, w. B. Gamble, and
B. +. Rush organized the Republican
party in Kemper county. Gilmer and
Davis who were late Confederate soldiers,
were Democrats at that time, but were
liberal and generous in their views, and
permitted Chisholm and their friends t.
make headquarters at their store for po
litical consultations. The indignation
which had already been aroused agains
Chisholm, McRea and others soon extended
J to Gilmer and his clerk, Davis, for permit
ting such an ''outrage" and they werefreel.
threatened with a withdrawal of public
patronage. AS time wore on, the politica
and personal prejudice against CLINE
and Davis became more and more In
: tensifed, until in that spirit of indie
pendence which always charaeterizes brav
men when their Independence Of though
and speech are assailed, Gilmer and Da
. Wis, who had heretofore not taken al
active part in politics, in defiance OF al
ungenerous criticism, openly declares
E themselves the friends and supporters Q
Chisholm.
In 1871, one Hal Dawson, a citizel
of Alabama, and one of that elias
who have SO frequently given trouble
! the eastern border of our State-a man 3
u dissolute habits-visited Scoobs, an
learning that Gilmer and Davis were Re
' publicans, declared that "no damns
8 Radical ought to be allowed to live i
a Kemper county" and that he intended
take upon himself the task of drivin
them out of town. Gilmer and Davis haV
ing been informed of his threats, pre-
a pared themselves for his reception. In
. short time Dawson, pistol in hand, wen
y to Gilmer's store. Meeting Gilmer, at th
f door, be asked him if he was looking 70
1 him. Dawson replied that he wa not
e that it was Davis he wanted. CLINE
Cd warned him not to enter the store, bu
II the warning was not needed. Upon er
tering he met Davis, armed with a sho
gun, and raised his pistol to fire. DaVi
/ fred first, and Gilmer also fred two shot
8 killing Dawson.
l. Gilmer and Davis we're duly ARRESTED
Q taken to DeKalb and placed in jail, 500
@ after which body Of masked men wer
to Gilmor's store, and taking his good
9 burned them in the streets, and threai
i were made to take Gilmer and Davis oil
Q Jail and hang them.
n Judge Chisholm, who at that time We
II sheriff of the county, being notified OF Il
Q threats, autographed to Captain Shaugl
o messy, United States marshal at jackson
d who went to Meridian, and with Capital
, Yates, of the Seventh United States Ca
% airy, and squad of soldiers, proceede
l. to DeKalb, where they arrived just
l. time to save Gilmer and Davis from IL
clutches of threatening mob. Thel
l. officers and soldiers remained at DeKal
until Gilmer and Davis were tried and a
quilted. The parties who burned Gil
mer's goods were indicted by the Unite
States grand jury, arrested, brought b
fore the court and pleaded guilty to Il
charge. They effected q compromise wit
Giimer by paying him for the goods, an
the case was dismissed.
John W. Gully was an extreme
bitter Democrat, intensely hostile
all Republicans, and the local lead
Of his party in the county. About th
time he engaged in personal quarrel wi
Judge McRea, and as he was passing b
II (Gully's) store fired both barrels of q sho
L gun full in his face. McRae returned Il
b tire with a revolver but being blinded
. his wounds failed Of bis mark and miss
Gully. McRae fingered some time al
Is finally died Of his wounds. w. j. Gar
g BILE, who had been elected to the Sta
II Senate as q Republican at the aeneE
d election in 1871, was also assassinated,
q is supposed, by acolored Democrat WI
U had been hired to do the killing, and at
T. special election held in November, 1877
n John P. Gilmer was elected to fill the '
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