The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1877-12-21
TIE HANGING or MuMFoRD.


In commenting upon the hanging OF
Mumford, in con nection with the re-
cent claim of Prof. b. w. Burgess that
he pulled down the flag, the Marshall
Herald says:
at is said that one Prof. b. w.
flag on that occasion, which he now,
after all danger mas passed, regards as
deed that entities him to special hon
or. The truth is, that when it was
done, no great Importance was attach
Ell to the act, aud no one supposed that
death would follow. OF all the FEEDER
al commanders not one except Butler
was capable OF the outrage of hanging
man, during such excitement, tor
such u cause. Burgess was silent then,
and he ought to have kept silent for
all time. The merit of Mumtord was
not in pulling down the hag-that was
rash, foolish act-but it was in suffer-
ing death rather than yield his patrio-
tic convictions, and refusing to perjure
himself. For this, we repeat, he deser-
YES a monument, and if an effort was
made for that purpose, thousands Of
dollars would be subscribed. Every
man that loves virtue and appreciates
true manhood would cast i'll his offer
ing"
1t will be remembered that Mumford
was offered his life he would humble
himself before Butler, renounce his al
ltgiance to the Coniederacy, and take
the oath of allegiance to the United
states government. The Herald justly
remarks that this act of brutality was
the most cold-blooded and diaboliC.-i
~ 10
alone as Il monument Of undyiuy and
ineffaceable infamy." 1t was said that
the murdered mamie was hung from
u staff in front of the mint-Ieft behind
him dependent family.-.Shrecepo
Times.
The question of Mumford's guilt or
innocence was settled several years ago
in his favor. In "Recollections OF
Henry w. Allen" written by Mrs. S.
A. Dorsey, page ll2, Mrs. Dorsey says /:
1t was known among US that Num-
ford was not guilty of this sscrime" of
taking down the United States flag,
which was done before the city was
and not done by him.
Gen. Buffers court of military COM
mission found him guilty. 1t must
have been on circumstantial, if any,
evidence, because the flag was removed
by a young lad of sixteen, AdOlphe
Harper, who was hurried out Of the
city by his alarmed friends immedi-
ately after the commission of the daring
act, before Harper was aware of Num-
ford's capture. Harper was sent up the
river near Natchez. Learning after
wards of Mumford's summary execu-
ton, young Harper, in an agony of
distress, tried to get back to New Or
leans, in order to surrender himself to
the United States authorities, in Il vain
thought of expiration to the martyred
Mumford. But his friends about
Natchez prevented his mad, boyish act
prompted blythe lads sense of honor
and st last succeeded in convincing
him that it would be a useless sacrifice
Of another life, which could be made
valuable to the South. Harper then
Joined Bradfortl's scouts, and was killed
in a skirmish about ten miles from
Natchez. Harper's friends say he was
always "under a cloud" after Mum
ford's death. He was very handsome,
and a very brave, reckless soldier. /
hesitated AS to the eXpediency of writ
ing this fact of history; but l have cast
expediency aside in the presence of
truth, and ] write it.
The boys and girls are happy now;