The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-07-05
Eliza Pinkston's Story.
ANA swEARs THAT HER TESTIMONY
WAS FALSE.

W AS faioEs
A correspondent of the New York Herald
has Just finished successful search for Eliza
PinkstoD and procured the following sworn
statements
State of Mississippi, County of Madison
Personally appeared Eliza Prichard, wo-
man of color, residing at Canton, Miss who
being duly sworn, ,deposes that her name has
been Eliza Pinkston, as wife of Henry Pink
ston, deceased that she has since married
Wayman Prchard, and is now residing at
Canton, Miss. that as Pinkston she did APP
pear as a witness before the Louisiana re-
turning board at New Orleans, La in the
month of November, 1876, and as such she
give testimony that her former husband.
Henry Pinkston, had been killed and she
herself had been seriously injured and
wounded by certain democrats of the parish
of Ouachita because of and on account OF
the republican politics of herself Depon-
ent further deposes that she wHe induced TO
gave said testimony by certain republicans,
namely, q. II. Brewster and Dnkgrave, by
promises Of reward, and she was, in fact,
paid therefor the sum of $780, as per said
PROMISE which she received, and after TAX
ing therefrom the sum of $50, she allowed
the remainder to remain with said Brewster
on deposit, but has failed to obtain said
amount from said Brewster, although she
has frequently demanded the same. Depon-
ent alleges that at the time of giving said
testimony she was in weak, nervous and
PROSTATE condition, induced by suffering
from wounds and by having her fears played
upon by intimations that the democrats were
intent upon numbering her that she was
| ignorant and uneducated, and was readily
induced by these persons of superior intelli-
gence to give her testimony coloring, SO as
to show that her husband, Pinkston, was
killed and herself wounded on account of
political opinions, when the facts were that
her husband, Pinkston never took any part
in politics, and had in no way given any of.
Tense to any person on account of politics !;
| but deponent believes. and did believe then,
that said murder was in nowise connected
| with politics that she did not then know,
nor does she know, who were the persons
engaged in said murder and wounding but
she believes that there is every reason to
| think that a colored man who had twice
| fought with her then husband and had been
| by him worsted and who had made threats
to take his (Pinkston's) life, was one of the
persons in said killing that she was told by
her said husband (Pinkston) shortly before
his death of the circumstances of said fights
| while at dinner at one time, and said Pinks-
ton pointed out the said colored man one
day as he passed their home on the road
| that deponent cannot at this time recite the
name of said person, but knows that he
lived in the neighborhood of Ouachita City.
Deponent further deposes that she was per-
suaded and prevailed upon to testify that
Tom Lyons, a colored man, was with the
party who killed her husband and assaulted
her, but deponent had no personal knowl.
edge of the fact other than being inform ed
by Cora Williams that said Lyons was at
her Cora Wiliams') house on the day of
the murder. Deponent further testifies that
she was brought from her then home in
Ouachita parish and conveyed to New Or
leans, and she was instructed to testify and
lay all the blame of said killing and assault
on the democrats; and that she was further
instructed and induced to pretend that her
wounds were more serious than they were,
and that she could not walk, when in fact
she had walked each day considerable dis
tances and assembled long flights of stairs
such as the custom house stairs in New Or
leans without assistance and on the day
she was carried in the room of the return
ing board on lounge or sofa, she was con-
veyed in carriage, but was able to walk
part of the way up the stairs to the room
in which the returning board was sitting and
gave out, but she was induced to allow her.
self to be carried in on said sofa or lounge
in order to produce the impression that she
was worn out and could not walk. Depon.
ent further deposes that previous to her
giving testimony before said returning board
she was visited by Mr.. John Sherman and
Others of the visiting statesmen, as she was
informed, and introduced to them as SUCH
and that she walked before them and they
lad ample opportunity to see what her con-
dition was and that she could walk about.
Deponent further deposes that during the
time she was in New Orleans attending the
said returning board she was constantly Civ
en- money by different republicans and was
promised a support for life, which last has
not been given as promised. Deponent
makes this affidavit without fear from any
cause and without any promise of reward or
other consideration than desire to have the
whole truth known in the interest of truth.
her
ELIZA = PINKsToN.
mark. Now Prichard.)
Sworn and subscribed before me this 23d
of June, A. D, 1878, after the same had been
read over twice to deponent in distinct and
audible voice in my presence, and that of
the foregoing witnesses and her husband.
SINGLETON GARRETT,
Justice of the Peace.
EllZa s huspahu corroDorates her by swear
ing that her affidavit agrees with what she
has always told him. r. II. Hoffman, of
Canton, Miss, one of the attesting witnesses
to the signatures of Eliza and her husband,
swears that he knows them both, and that
the allegations contained in their affidavit
were read and explained to them before they
signed.
The most important confirmation of Eliza S
story, however, is that given by j. w. Mos
by, the owner of the land upon which she and
her husband reside, who is also an attesting
witness Mr.. Mosby, who has been jeweler
in Canton, Miss, for several years, and still
resides there, is well known to reputable firms
In New York, who have done business with
him. The head of jewelry firm, and known
as bearing high character, says of Mr.. Mos