The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-05-24
THE MISSISSIPPI TRAGEDY.

umbia, South Carolina, to the Cincinnati
Commercial: 81 Ail.'9 ii''Ni'i9i sAi q a7t'
The news Of the massacre Of Republicans
in Kemper county, Mississippi, made me
heart-sick. The thought that there is nc
remedy for the like of this, under our feeble
system Of government, and no punishment
for the murderers, is, indeed, distressieg. ]
knew Judge Chisholm well, and had some
acquaintance with Gilmer! / saw them last
In Washington in February. They lold me
then that IL the Electoral Tribunal decided
in favor of Tilden they would have to get
out of Mississippi. Twas 10th to believe it.
I told them that the Democratic party North,
hostile as it was to Republican doctrine,
would never consent to such prescription as
that for opinions sake. Mr.. Gilmer told me
Of having stopped in Ohio on his way to
Washington, to visit one OF the most promi-
nent Democratic citizens Of that State, who,
i'll mistake not, was distant rela zion. He
told thislcitizen what the feeling was in
Mississippi, and that raden was inaugu-
rated they would have to leave.e The Ohio
man, who had been stumping for Tilden,
could not believe it--could not believe that,
in this enlightened day, prescription for
opinions sake could be carried to that de-
gree. Il The conversation comes fresh to my
mind, now that Gilmer is dead, shot down
like aidog in the streets, as he was trying
| to escape the merciless mob. tisisiiTt%4
Both Chisholm aud Gilmer were soldiers
in the Southern army, and very brave men.
Gilmer was worth 800, 200, and nothing
was, the matter with his responsibility ex-
cept his Republicanism. Chisholm was from
Georgia, and moved into Mississippi since
the war. He was Republican candidate
for Congress last year in the Third Mississip-
ri district. His experience then led himto
fear that he would ultimately be killed;
but, said he, elf they give me fair fighting
chance I'll take some of them along, too"
He once cursed mob, calling themselves
a delegation, away from his house. He told
them that they were towards and sneaks to
to attack him all at once, but that If they
would come one at a time he would try and
accommodate them.
The story that these men having 'instigated'
the assassination Of Gully, which was their
alleged crime, / do not for nomenclature.
They appreciated the dangers which sur
rounded them, and were only anxious to be
permitted to live in peace. The Republican
policyis not and has not been that of MUIR
der. These men had no thought of opening
war; they were only concerned about their
own lives, and as to whether they would be
permitted to- live in peace. Under the cir
cumstances the story that they instigated
the assassination of Gully, a prominent
white Democrat, is too absurd for belief.
From my knowledge Of the men not do be-
lieve they would instigate assassination I'M
der any circumstances, and certainly not
Iwhen they knew SO well that the 'ruflans by
whom they were surrounded would take adj
Vantage Of disturbance and the excitement
II which the assassination Of Democrat would
cause to make short work Of them. The ques-
Ition with them was not how shall we at
ltack, but how shall We protect our lives and
Iproperty while the community is bitterly
Ihostile TO us. ~ Hii1i27ai' t2e '..t
II jsspecial Dispatch to the New-York Times. FL
II WASHINGTON, May 15.-Immediately fol-
flowing the published reports of the coward
lly and murderous attack by white Demo-
Icrats upon Judge Chisolm and his family,
Ilwhile they were confined in Jail at DE kalb
County, Miss, lady of Washington wrote
| "a letter of coincidence to Miss Nellie Chiso-
lin, the braye girl who was severely wound
/ ed while heroically assisting to defend her
i father. Miss Chisolm caused the following
reply to be made to this letter, which was
received here to.day.YiIt will be observed
! that in addition to the gunshot wounds re-
ceived by Miss Chisolm she was struck in the
/ face by one of the cowardly ruffiaas who
| murdered her father and brother. Judge
Chisolm died since the following letter was
written: ilt lilI al i3atiil e.7
DE KALB, Miss, May II, 1877.
/ Madam: At the request Of Miss Nellie
l Chisolm, whose wounds render it impossible
i for her to write, I serve as her amanuensis.
1 She takes great pleasure in acknowledging
4 the receipt OF your kind letters which have
come to hand since the De Kalb horror took
place.. and let me assure you that your kind
ness is appreciated. have had the pleasure
j Of opening your letters and reading them to
i her, and from your writing Judge that you
i do not know that the brave and devoted lit
tie daughter was shot, beaten, and mangled
equally with her father. Her right arm was
Il shot through and through while endeavor-
I to shield her father. A whole charge OF
/ buck-shot, which first struck the flat iron
bars of cell, struck her full in the face, fill
i ing it with chips of lead and burnt powder.
She was struck in the face by some brutal
i hand which has blacken ed and disfgured il
in a fearful Mariner. She was also shot in
the leg below the knee, and is now lying
i PROSTATE and helpless as an infant, and moth
insbu the tenderost care and best surgical
| aid can save her arm and precious life. Hel
4 father is still alive but suffering intensely,
vet we have some hope Of his final recovery
| The houseis being guarded by few faith
i full friends and relatives, but we do not know
n at what hour the savage barbarans may re-
II new the aLCdCks Il Ou w Us oil Ho iAois
4 good at present than to lay the enermitie'
4 Of the massacre before the people OF Wash
/ ington and especially the President. t~9
70 the above was added the following
postscript, in the handwriting OF Mrs. CHS
II olm: Sour son, this heroic little Johnnie
q. was shot to death because he persisted il
II getting before bis father for his defense 4.
III Dispatch to the Associated Press. 4i
Il MERIDIAN, May 15.---Miss Cornelia CHS
n olm, who was wounded in the Kemper al
Fl fray, died to-day Of gangrene of the arm
;, resulting from lack, of prompt surgical atten
8 ton. ,,...s,,., .,.,,,ea ans s,isg /.
9 a., (From the Baltm ore Americana atis
: The last of the victims of the DeKalb mas
III sacre has gone to rest. A dispatch from Me
n ridian, MISS. announces the death OF Neie
vi Chisholm, who was MORALLY wounded Will
t clinging oher father in the prison cell whel
+ he was attacked by the Infatuated mob !
g was hoped that she would recover, and he
e mother was trying to make arrangements
bring her away from the scene OF the horrlbl
IA tragedy, but death has taken away from tn