Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-10-01

A WOmau's Sad Story.
The New York Tribune of September
, Goth contained in full the statement of
Mrs. Chisolm, left with that paper be-
fore she went to Mississippi to testify at
the trial of the nlurderers of her husband,
daughter and son, giving an account of
the affair which cannot be read without
narrowing ones soul. 1t is so much fuller
! than any report of testimony sent by tele-
graph (and yet exactly in accordance
herewith that the reader seizes upon it
with avditv, as being the first circumstan-
tial and connected account of the inhuman
atrocity with which the public has been
favored. 1t is too long to be copied into
the local press of the country. but will
probably be issued as n Tribune extra.
OF course the public is familiar with the
leading facts, how Judge Chisolm had be-
come obnoxious TO the democrats Of
Kemper county, Mississippi, on account of
his ardent republicanism, his prudence
and circumspection, and his influence as a
man of means and knowledge of affairs.
They determined to dispose of him, and
sought for an excuse. Fortunately for
. their purpose an old man named John
Gully, who had been at enmity with Judge
Chisolm for many years, was killed one
night in drunken street brawl, and the
suspected person fled the country. But
the Gully family and other low politicians
of the neighborhood got out warrant for
the arrest of Chisolm us an accessory be-
9 fore the fact, and this was founded only
. upon the testimony Of a negro of no char
acter, to the effect that just before the
shooting he saw the suspected man leave
Chisolm's premises, or come from near
his gate. Of course this is no evidence at
0 all, and especially when taken in connec-
s ton with the further fact that on that very
= night Judge Chisolm was in Mobile. But
it was all they could get, and it was
u enough for their predetermined purpose.
Accordingly Chisolm was arrested and
s before he could prepare TO accompany the
" sheriff to Jail, armed horsemen from the
village and country had surrounded his
=. house and were threatening TO lynch him.
y He protested his innocence, his entire will
), ingness to submit to authority, and his
anxiety for an immediate preliminary in
IS quiry, but they professed to believe that
10 there was danger his friends would rally
5 and rescue him, and finally he was allow
20 ed to choose guard and be taken to jail,
., only across the village green from his
Is house. But of his guard, only two could
}, be relied upon, and the others exchanged
e their rifles for some that were loaded, us
~ it afterwards proved with blank cartridges,
''SS which e''eh""Ge ava kened the gravest
- apprehensions in the breasts OF inc Cl,ls-
s. olm family and caused the wife and chill
i dren to accompany the husband and father
to Jail. Notwithstanding he was placed in q
10 strong upper room, and strongly guarded
}, the crowd lowered about and before long
began to fire into the windows. The in
55 efficient old sheriff did nothing to resist
them, showing, rather, in many ways thai
he was in accord with them, but must Of
VO course appear to be overpowcred by &
~ mob. Finally, Judge Chisolm persuaded
W. his wife and son Willie to go home ant
% feed the horses, thinking tney might have
80 need of them.
50 When she started to return to the jai
% % she saw the crowd pursuing and shooting
=, II man who was running away from them
IS and after he fell dead, she discovered thai
"O he was one of her husbands friendly
.. guards, both of whom were taken out and
- shot. When she reached the grated door
90 eo at the head of the jail stairs, she fonnd ;
81 man endeavoring to chop out the lock
and her daughter and young sons wert
GO GO holding the door together on the inside
She plead with the man to desist, and trie'
90 to stay his arms, but in vain. Soon, how
ever, the infuriated iiends began rushing
s. up the stairs, one after another, and firing
'' through the door. One, named Rosser
10 came up and tried to pry the door oper
>, before firing. Here let the story be told il
Is Mrs. Chisolms own words
~ Johnnie was at the lock side of tn
:, door, Rosser's strength outdid Johnnie
" and he stuck his gun through the opening
10 which was kept open by half doze
wretchcs, and fired both barrels. | di'
not know whether or not both barrel
" struck Johrnic's wrist, but his hand wa
90 literally shot off save n narrow strip {
skin on either side of the wrist. He threN
.o up his arm and gave one scream, looEin
''0 pitifully into my face. But before tn
surging tide of wretches had time to Sc
-. or know, his fair young forehead and hi
'" right shoulder and arm were against til
door, and Overstreet had once more press
ed against it so that only the time it too
Rosser to fire his gun was it open. | ia
my hand through the miserable CRATES
the door and patted his shoulder, an
smoothed and rubbed his face. Said
'a Johnnie, my precious darling son, 9
back, the next load will kill YOU II
only answered by tender look.
Meantime Clay, his brother older, ,caugl
Johnnie in his arms and ran around b.
hind the corner of cage with him, say
ing, Bud Johnnie, stay here, l will hol
Sd. where you were holding, you will be xii
ed.' Corneia and Overstreet were no
! all who were holding the door, and st
was broken down, the streams of bloc
running from her face, bits of broken lea
from the striking of the bullets again
pic, the sharp bars reboundng to her fac
to which was burnt and blackened by til
ws: powder-even the inside of her lips wa
Oai' shot full of the burnt powder; her strengt
was fast failing and the rush from the ou
side was increasing. Rosser was provide
with fresh gun, and the wretches frol
the outside were pressing up and shootin!
and fresh guns were handed in by tho:
in below. All this was happening MOI
of quickly than thought can take recogntio
Tho of. The door again gave way, and JOIN
ra- ME, having escaped from Clay, ran bac
of lust as Rosser had leveled his gun Mt IN
to husband, and cried out, Oh, my father
! is and rushing between them stood up in h
di- spirit of sef-sacritce, and Rosser, wit
The the same demoniacal spirit he had man
ich tested all day, stuck the gun to Johnnie
en- heart and fired both loads into it, the loa
mp going clear through his body and comm
ties out on the other side. When Clay ran c
ter with Johnnie, he happened to have M
ces McLellan's gun. This he placed in n
md husbands band and with that gun
a killed Rossor. l did not know Johnn
, is was dead, but saw Cornelia fainting, nj
re- leaving everything else ran once aga
A my hands through the CRATES of the doc
ing and taking hold of my baby-girl with OF
We hand, / stroked her bleeding face.
alls rubbed it and chafed it to restore her
of animation. Already was she faliir
ted against the wall. cried out, My da
.act ling" said I, if you are only my bra
hus daughter little while longer, may be '