Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-06-02
THE MISSISSIPPI TRAGEDY.
A SAVAGE AND THRILLIN G
STORY.

of the New York Tribune, has visited
De Kalb, Mississippi, and gives with his
customary accuracy aud fairness al ac-
count of the shocking tragedy which
was recently enacted in the Jail at that
place. Gov. Stone, the Chief Magis-
tra.e of the State, visited De Kalb at
the same time, and Mr.. Smalley speaks
favorably tor him az "a conscientious,
fair-minded man of very conservative
views, whose administration has been
marked by determination on his part
to preserve the peace and enforce the
laws without respect to persons or par
ties" After examining into the facts
Mr.. Smalley gives the following ac-
count of the tragedy:
Last Thursday evening, the goth, as
John w. Gully was returning home to
his plantation, few miles north of De
Kaib he was assassinated by some per-
son in hiding by the roadside, who sent
charge of buckshot through him aud
robbed him of his boots and money.
Intense excitement was created by the
murder. 1t is believed that Rush bad
returned aud had committed the crime,
but as no trace of him could be found,
the revengefnl feelings of the relatives
and friends of the murdered man cen
tered on the powerful personal and polltl-
cal friends of Rush. A story flew
about from mouth to mouth that the
Gullys had some evidence that Chisolm
and Gilmer were accessories to the
crime. 1t cannot be ascertained, how
ever, that there was the slightest ground
for this report, and it probably grew
solely out of the suspicious OF the Gul-
Tvs. John w. Gully was buried on
Saturday, and about two hundred and
ftty men attended the funeral. So
much engaged was this throng in plan
ming the scheme Of vengeance which
was executed next day, that there was
difficulty in getting anybody to fill up
the grave.
On that day warrant was sworn out
for the arrest of Judge Chisolm, Gilmer,
c. Rosenbaum "a friend of Gilmerl, the
De Kalb Postmaster, but living in
| Scooba, and two brothers named Hoop
or, one a merchant and the other a sa-
loon keeper in De Kalb. All these
men were Republicans. There seems
to have been a plot to get them togeth
er and murder them all. The Sheriff al
rested the two Hoopers and Chisolm
and placed them all under guard in
Chisolm's house, and despatched a de-
putty to Scooba for Gilmer and Rosen-
baum, but they had heard ct the war-
rant and were met coming to town TO
give themselves up.
About 10 o'clock that morning (Sun-
dayl armed men began to ride into De
Kalb First small detachments came,
and afterward large body numbering
about 100. Before noon over 2OO men
had congregated. They were sober
cool and determined. Tying their hor-
ses to the gallows-like hitching bars
around the Court House, they sur
rounded Judge Chisolm's house and
| insisted that the Sheriff should take the
prisoners TO the Jail. This was done,
and a guard Of six men, selected by the
Sheriff, was placed over them. Then
the mob hung two of Chsolm's negro
servants up to trees with bride reins,
and tried TO make them confess that
they heard something to implicate the
Judge in the murder; but the poor fel-
lows knew nothing, and were finally al
lowed to run to the woods.
AT 3 o'clock in the afternoon Gilmer
and Roseubaum came into the village
with the Deputy Sheriff, dismounted
and started TO walk down the main
street to the Jail. They had not gone
dozen rods before shot was fired at
Gilmer from the crowd of armed men
standing about the store doors. lie ran
down narrow passage to the rear OF
buildings, only to find himself penned
in by another detachment of the mob
Escape was impossible, and the defeLce-
less man was killed like rat in trap.
Two balls were shot into his head after
he lay dead on the ground. When the
firing began Rosenbaum clung TO an
acquaintance in the crowd named Hull,
begged for protection. This man iu-
terceded for him, aud he was allowed
escape unharmed.
W hen Judge Chisolm went to Jail all
the members of his family-his wife,
daughter eighteen years old, son of
sixteen, and two younger boys-know-
ing that his life was in danger, and hop
ing that their presence might soften the
hearts of the mob, went with him. AZ
ter ,hey were locked in, the daughter
Cornelia found that the guns of the six
guards were not loaded, and that they
bad no ammunition. Under pretence
of going to procure food for the family
the courageous girl left the Jail, passed
through the crowd OF angry men, and
returned home, where she hastily
secreted powder-fask, a bag of shot,
and some newspapers for wadding un-
der her dress. Then taking some bread
and meat she went back 10 the Jail.
The mob, leaving the stores and saloons,
now began to press around the building
and clamor for Chisolm's life. Among
the guards there was but one Repnbli
can, cool, courageous Scotchman,
named McLelland, who was a personal
friend of Chisolm. This man stationed
himself at the door of the Jail, and told
the mob that if they killed the prisoner
two of them should die for every life
they took. While expostulatiDg with
the mob, and threatening them, he fell,
shot by FIVE pistol balls. Three of tie
guards. now deserted their
post, and leaving their guns and taking
with them the two Hoppers, they went |