Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-12-15
kEmpER COUNTY.

KEMPER COUNTY.
Judge Chisholm's Canvass for Congress,
and What 1t Cost Him.
Correspondence of Cincinnati Gazette.
Jackson, Miss, Nov. 3O-I had intended
to go to Kemper county yesterday, but
Kemper saved me the trouble by coming
to jackson. They were all here: William
Gully, Virgil Gully, Jesse Gully, Houston
j. A. Swanzy, chairman Of the Kemper
county democratic committee, and several
others. Among the accused is Richard
Mccall, very black man, who talks =
lingo that can scarcely be recognized as
English. He is negro of the Guinea-:st
type. and his offense consisted in Masking
music for the "bulldozers" when they broke
up republican meetings. The parties are
charged, under the enforcement act, with
having conspired, by force and arms, to
prevent Judge Chisholm from advocating
lis claims as candidate orcopgress.'' He
was nominated by the republicans of that
district in 1876, and was one of the few re-
publicans who had the hardihood to can
vass his district He made his appoint
ments and went to speaking. Such can
vass as related to me by men of all parties
has few parallels In the history Of politics.
Nearly all the meetings were attacked by
armed democrats, who constantly interrupt
ed the speeches, and used all means short
of actual shooting to scare the negroes
away. Still the republicans persisted,
and as last resort, the killing began.
At Macon, colored procession was
fired into and number killed,
for the alleged provocation Of 4" making
too much noise with DRUM" Still the
blacks refused to give up the canvass, and
then a reign of terror was inaugurated
Judge Chisholm was twiceIdriven from the
stand and his audience scattered by armed
democrats, after which he abandoned the
canvass. On election day, armed democrats
took possession of the polls in most of the
preciucts. and excluded the republicans. It
is needless to say that the judge was defeat.
ed These offenses being notorious, the
grand jury of the United States district
court summoned several witnesses, among
whom we're Judge Chisholm and John W.
Gully.
Indictments were found against those
mentioned. and the trial set for the spring
term, 1877. By way of preparation, the
democrats of Kemper commenced driving
away the witnesses. Four If them refused
to 60, viz: Chisholm, j. P. Gilmer, and the
brothers Hopper As laet resort, CHS
holm and Gilmer we're killed, and the dem.
ocrats are now waiting to see if the Hop
pers will not leave It is to be presumed
that they will.
am much pleased to notice that the
democrats of this vicinity do not look kind.
" on their Kemper county brethren. 1t is
freely admitted that they are hard lot, u
and could scarcely conceal my pleasure
-hom oor <hnsr
bed by prominent man here.
The Hon. r. Fl. Hill, United States cir
cult judge, set the trial for yesterday, hav.
ing, as he told us. forgotten that it was
Thanksgiving day; but the accused came
up with pile of af1davits for continuance,
and the same was granted. So it goes over
till the last Monday in January
Having waited only to be disappointed,
called upon Mrs. Chisholm, widow of the
murdered judge found pleasant-look, :,
ing lady Of middle age, with dark brown
hair and clear blue eyes, dressed in black
silk, with rather more Of gold ornaments
and jewels than 10 customary In the
north. She is much younger-looking
than the pictures of her would indicate, but
the events Of the last year have left their
traces in her countenance. Of the two
hours' conversation, in which her entertain
ers, Mr.. and Mrs. D. Fisher, took part, the
reader will only probably care to hear what
relates to facts not hitherto published. Not
only have the minutest incidents of the
murder been published, but Mrs. Chisholm
has had written out, once for all, circum-
stantial account, which is soon to appear in
book form, and she naturally avoids refer
ence to the painful details. But the more
the case was examined the more utterly
without excuse does it appear. No circum-
stance of horror was lacking. 1t was At
once cowardly, cold-blooded, and causeless.
"They were al old residents," says Mrs.
Chisholm, aand, what may strike you US
strange, Ill religions were represented.
There were Catholics, Presbyterian elders,
and most of all ] noticed two Methodist
class-leaders that were very active all
through the matter. One Of these very
men was . great exhortsr, and had often
labored with Us for the good Of our souls.
At the lest camp-meeting I attended, this
man got 20 happy he shouted at great
rate. and came up to Mr.. Chisholm, and
tsok him around the neck, and begged him
to 70 Sorvard, and said 1t il all you lack,
Judge, to be frst-rate man-all yon lack is
religion. And that man helped kill my
husband"
aThey were al nsighbor1, then?"
20 yes, and many Of them in debt to Mr..
Chisholn for the very bread they ate for
breakfast that dsy-if they took time to eat.
The nsxt oaadidats As sh1sif sAve ~.