The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-05-26
rHE cHIsoLM AFFAIR
What Gov. Stone Says About it.

MEMPHIS, May Z0.-Ile Avalanche OF
tomorrow will contain lengthy interview
of correspondent with Gov. Stone, of
Mississippi, in relation to the Kemper
county massacre, in which the governor
states that he has done all in his power TO
bring the guilty ones to trial by requesting
Harmon, circuit judge. to call an extra
session of his court for that purpose, and
that under the laws of the state the exc
cutlYe has no power to do in the matter.
He had gone TO Dekalb as soon as he
heard OF the riot but when he arrived the
rioters had dispersed and nothing was left
for him to do except to go and see Judge
Hauom and ask the judicial officers to take
steps to bring them to trial. The COVER
nor thought it exceedingly doubtful if
jury in kemper county would convict the
riotors, who are old residents.
Republican newspapers have been
trying hard for some weeks to make
a little bloody shirt capital out Of this
mat er, but they have very pocr success
Hon. John Z. Irish, Of the Iotoa City
Press, gives the following brief, pointed
and truthful review Of the facts iu the case:
Chi>oim was the leader Of one of those
tax robbing gangs ct Republicans, such as
Mr.. Hayes has overthrown in South CARROLL
na and Louisiana His power was Le
fen and defeated by reputable citizen
to whose standard decent people of all
parties rallied, The citizen was pur
sued by Chisolm's assassins, shot and
left in the road for dead. He recovered
and cautioned his friends against retail
iatiou, from which they anxious for
peace, refrained Chisolm and his
gang were bent upon revenge for their
| loss of power and plunder and were in
no mood to lay down their arms and re-
spond to the pacific course of their VIC
tim, so at last they compassed his muir
der under foul and cowardly circum-
stances, and in killing him cut off their
own safety, for with the pacific adviser
dead, the people rose. arrested Chisolm
and cast him into the Jail His family
went. with him to confinement. Afraid OF the
storm he had raised he asked Tor arms
to protect himself, and SO an arsenal was
granted him, Still fearful hc demanded
a guard placed between him and danger
Out Of these precautions inside the jai
arose the final dismal scene. The hour
had come for relieving the guard and a.
the off watch passed out the relief came lu
Chisolm was taken with sudden panic
and fired at his ol0n guard killing one o
them. Mr.. Rosser, and mortally wound
ing his own son. who soon died. Then al
the furies broke loose. The shots were
heard By the few people around the jail
Word passed out that Chisolm had mur
! dered his guard. the storm broke aDC
: when Its fury was spent the Jail was cram
5 med with dead and wounded These ar,
the facts. 1t is true Chisolm was a Re
publican aud his opponent was a Demo
crat and that the germ of the affair lay il
the political plundcring Of the tax payers
but the attempt to fling the bloody shir
r over the affair and make it appear symp
; tomato of southern feeling toward Repub
licans is as unjust to the south as it wou
: to argue that the erotic assaults upon We
7 men in New England followed by thei
murder. are symptomatic of the set pul
= uose and deliberate Intentions of all Nc,
): England men toward all New Englan'
Il women.