The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-07-09
THE CHISOLM MASSACRE.
Report to the Attorney
General.
Angus Mcclellan a British
Subject.

WASHINGTON, July IA report on the kill
ing of Angus Mcclellan, a British subject, in
Kemper county, Mississippi, at the time of
the Chisolm massacre, has been presented to
the Attorney General, and will be given to the
Secretary of State to-day. The evidence con-
firms the reports heretofore published, and
deveIopes some new facts, which show the
murder of Judge Chisolm to have been the
result OF deliberately planned conspiracy and
intended to include other parties arrested with
with him. The killing was not the result of
any sudden outburst of popular frenzy, but
was deliberately planned, cold-blooded muir
der. The purpose of those perpetrating the
crime was to remove the victims of their con-
spiracy in order that they might not be wit
nesses against them for offences for which
they were indicted in the state and federal
courts.
The parties directly concerned in the killing,
and those who aided and abetted them, did not
number over fifty persons Of this number
over twenty-one were indicted for offences
against the election laws in November last,
and CT these twenty-one, six were members of
the Gully family. During the Presidential
campaign large number of outrages were
committed upon Republicans, black and white
in Kemper county, and for these offences
twenty.one persons were indicted. As stated
above, indictments were found against them in
the state courts and also in the federal courts.
The trials in the state courts were to have been
held prior to the massacre but the indictments
were all stolen from the clerks Office, and in
consequence the proceedings could not take
place. The trials in the federal courts were to
take place in May last, and the witnesses
against the parties to be tried were Judge
Chisolm, Rosenbaum, the Laprer brothers and
Gilmer All these indictments were against
democrats, and the witnesses were Republl-
cans. 1t was to prevent these trials that the
conspiracy was Matched, its deliberate purpose
being to kill all the parties named above as
witnesses. The assassination of John w.
Gully on the 26th of April was used as pre-.
text Tor the action of the cOnspirators against
Judge Chisolm and his friends.
The report states that Mcclellan, who was
with Judge Chisolm as friend in the jail.
while the mob had surrounded it, was called
down by the sheriff, who did NOS pretend to
protect the prisoners. AS he came down,
Mcclellan gave his gun to young Chisolm.
When he reached the bottom Of the stars, the
Lellan could not return. After vainly trying
to return Mcclellan went away. After he had
turned the corner and while he was walking
towards the shop, several of the mob fred on
him, three bullets penetrating his back to his
chest and bowels, and he fell forward and died.
Mcclellan was born in Scotland in 1917 He
came to Nova Scotia in 1919, and in 1848 ar
rived in Maine where he staid about year.
In 1849 he went to Alabama, settling in Mobile.
In 1850 or 1856 he went to Remper county, Mis-
sissippi. and in 1857 he purchased some town
lots in DE Kalb. At the time of his death he
owned considerable property. During the war
he was workman in the rebel ordnance de-
partment. While working at Mobile he refused
to perform any kind of military duty, claiming
that he was British subject and exempt He
applied to the British consul at Mobile for pro-
lection, and informed him OF his enlistment
with the sixty days troops of Mississippi The
consul, however, refused to grant him protec-
ton, alleging that by English law he had for
feited his right to the protection of the crown.
In speaking of this action of the consul's, Nc
Lellan always charged that his judgment was
biased by reason of bis sympathy with the
confederacy. At the close of the war, McLel-
Ian returned to De Kalb, and resided there nm
ne was killed. He always tclaimed to be
subject of Great Britain, and persistently alb
stained from performing any duties peculiar to
American citizens. He never had himself reg
istered, never voted, and never served on a
Jury. AS a question of fact it is clearly es-
tabllshed that Mcclellan was not citizen of
the United States, and that he never yoluuta-
rily renowned his allegiance to the British
crown. Whether he forfeited his rights as a
British subject by reason of his connection
with the Confederate military service. is for the
British authorities to determine
-. A copy OF the testimony will be furnished to
the representatives, of Great Britain by the
State department. Mcclellan was a bachelor.
and the legal disposition of his property will
require decision upon his citizenship. His
service In the Confederate army was in the lat
ter part of 1861, when the Governor of Missis-
sippi called into the field for sixty DAYS hodv
OF military known as State troops. They were
all volunteers, and were sent Bowling Green,
kentucky. Mcclellan Joined this force. which
was not engaged in active hostilities, no occa.
SION Tor active service arising during their short
term,