Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-06-08
TEE MIssrss1Ppr MURDERS.

4
a full and reliable statement OF facts con-
nectcd with the late horrible tragedy In KEN
pcr County, and the following, kindly tur-
nished us by Mai. e. II. McMichael, may be re-
ceiyed as absolutely correct, inasmuch as the
narrative was written ont after repeated con.
versations with Mrs. Chlsolm. This Is the
story Of the wifu aud mother-of her whose
bcartstrings must have stretched In agony
as she recited the story OF the brutal butch
cry 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 citizens OF
Kemper County we are compelled to go back
at least eleven years In the history OF the
principal actors of the late tragedy.
In the year 1866, b. +. Rush and John W.
Gully were partners in a general mercantile
business. ft 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 well known to anna
tour merchants Of that day, Rush and Gully
failed. This failure caused much elimination
and 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, and In a few
days Rush was informed that Gully was
looking for him, armed with a shotgun, with
which to take his life, whereupon Rush
armed himself, 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 attempted to
disarm him by wrenching the gun from his
hands. In the struggle the gun was dis
charged, and Peter Gully instantly killed.
John W. Gully then fired upon Rush, putting
two loads OF buck.shot into his body, and
left him for dead. In the course of time,
-. - N.a.N.r NNsU.N.
recovered from his desperate wounds, was
indicted, and subsequently tried for the kill
ing Of Peter Gully, and acquitted upon the
grounds that the killing was accidental. This
for a time ended the controversy, which, up
to this period was of apurely personal charac-
ter. So far as we know, John W. Gully was
never mOlested for his attempt to kill Rush.
In 1867 John P. Gilmer, one of the victims
In the late tragedy, engaged in a general
mercantile business at Scooba, railroad
town in Kemper County, and employed
clerk by the name of Davis.
In 1868 w. w. Chisolm, the principal char
acter in the late massacre, assisted by Judge
McRea, w. B. Gamble and B. f. Rush, or
ganized 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 Chisolm and his
friends TO make headquarters at their store
for political consultations. The indignation
which had already been aroused against
Chisolm, McRea e. Co. soon extended to Gil
mer and his clerk Davis for permitting such
an outrage, and they were freely threatened
with a withdrawal of public patronage. As
time wore on the political-personal prejudice
against Gilmer and Davis became more and
more Intensified, until in that spirit of indc-
pendeuce which always characterizes brave
men, when their independence of thought
and speech are assailed, Gilmer and Davis,
N.I-s -
in politics, in defiance OF en- ungenerous
criticism, openly declared themselves the
friends aud supporters of Chisolm.
In 1871 one Hal. Dawson, a citizen OF Ala
bama, and one of that class who have so fire.
queHtly given trouble to the eastern border
of our State--a man of dissolute habits-vis-
tied ScoOba, and, learning that Gilmer and
Davis were Republicans, declared that "no
cursed Radical ought to be allowed to live
in Kemper County" and that he intended to
take upon himself the task of driving them
out of town. Gilmer and Davis having been
informed of his threats prepared themselves
for his reception. In short time Dawson,
pistol in hand, went to Gilmer's store meet
ing Gilmer at the door, who asked him If he
was looking for him, Dawson replied that
he was not, that it was Davis he wanted.
Gilmer warned him not to enter the store,
but the warning was not needed. Upon en-
tering he met Davis armed with a shotgun,
and raised his pistol to fire Davis fired first
and Gilmer also tired, the two shots killing
Dawson.
Gilmer and Davis were duly arrested, taken
to DeKalb and placed in Jail, soon after
which a body of masked men went to Gilmer's
store, and, taking his goods, burned them In
the streets, and threats were made to take
Gilmer and Davis out of Jail and hang them
Judge Chisolm, who at that time was Sher
1T of The county, being notified of the threats
teiegraphed to Capt. Shaughnessy, United
States Marshal at Jackson, who went tC
Meridian, and with Capt Yates, fthe Seventh
United States Cavalry, and a squad of sol
diers, proceeded to DeKalb, where they ar
rived just in time to save Gilmer and Davis
from the clutches of a threatening mob
These officers and soldiers remained at De
Kalb until Gilmer and Davis were tried and
acquitted. The parties who burned Gilmer'S
goods were indicted by the United State;
Grand Jury, arrested, brought before the
court, and pleaded guilty to the charge
They effected a compromise with Gilmer by
paying him for the goods, and the case was
dismissed.
John w. Gully was an extremely bittei
Democrat intensely hostile to all Republic
aus and the local leader of his party in hit
county. About this time he engaged in {
personal quarrel with Judge McRea, and as
he was passing his (Gully's) store fired botl
barrels of'a shotgun full in his face, McRat
returned the fire with revolver, but being
blinded by his wounds failed of his mari
and missed Gully. McRae fingered somt
time, and finally died of his wounds. w. b
Gamble, who had been elected TO the Stat,
Senate as Republican at the general elec
tiOn in 1871, was also assassinated, as is sup
posed, by colored Democrat who had beer
hired to do the killing, and at a speeia
election held in November, 1872, John P
Gilmer was elected to fill the vacancy caused
by the death of Gamble. At the same gen
eral election in 1871 B. F. Rush was elected
to the office of Circuit Court Clerk, and ont
night soon afterward was shot while goinl
from his Office to his home, and left for deaC
in the road. He again recovered, however
and said he recognized son OF John w
Gully as the would-be assassin.
Falling to kill Rush in two attempts-a,
above detailed-the Gully clan next assalet
the good name of Rush's wife, thus adding
insult to injury, in that peculiar way so ag
gravating to a man of delicate sensibilities
hi December last, 1876, John w. Gully wa
waylaid and shot from the roadside. He sooI
recovered, however, and, although he neve
gave the name Of the person who shot him
many circumstances pointed TO Rush as tn
guilty party Rush, knowing that he was ac
cused of the attempted assassination, ant
feeling that his life was In constant danger
left the county, ana has since lived at Rus
selville, Ark. On the 26th of April
last, John w. Gully was again waylaid anC
this time killed. And when found his bod,
had been robbed Of boots, watch and pocket
book. 1t was again charged that Rush wa
the assassin. Inasmuch, however, as Rus
had not been seen In the county for severa
months, and, further, that letter had beef
received by Mrs Rush (who still resides il
Kemper County,, dated and postmarke,
about the time Of the killing Of Gully, and /
having been since ascertained that Rusl
was In Russellyille at the time of the killing
it is clear that Rush could not have been tn
murderer.
In order that suspicion could not reasona
bly, attach to Judge Chisolm, 1t is in proc
that for several days prior TO the killing o
Gully he had been in the city of Mobile, max
ing arrangements to send his boys to col
lege, and attending TO other business. II
arrived at home the same day the assassina
tion was committed, and at the tim
the news came that Gully was killed CHS
olm was sitting on his gallery playing wit
his children. 1t is equally clear that John I
Gilmer had nothing 10 do with the killing o
Gully, he had been absent at st. Louis 70
some weeks, and had only returned on tina
fatal day, Thursday morning, when Gull
was shot.
On Saturday, April 2S, at the burial OF GU
lythere was an unusually large assembly o
excited men. Very soon after the buria
a "A.