The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-09-05
A "HUMAN HORNET"
A sketch OF Dixon, OF Yazoo, by . Republican
Refugee History Of the Troubles
in Yazoo County.

in Yazoo County.
Col. A. T. Morgan, late sheriff OF Yazoo coun-
ty Mississippi, but now resident OF was ,iSs,
ton. has given to reporter OF The Nstionai
Republican long history OF the disorders IN
Ysloo county. Morgan said: Il first met DIX
ON in 1867. he was then introduced to me %
a gentlemen from Virginia who nad recsntIy
come TO our county and married. knew MN
as anita wealthy planter. lie was small,
Slim man. with angular physical trait. When
angry-and this was q sure sgn-he could pun
b,s scalp toward his tace by muscular power
nnhl hls ears pointed forward like an angry
dogs. The best description or him that can
be given is that he was human hornet. 'hs
the saving is, lie was quicker than Hash OF
. Dixon was nothing at all, If not democrat
and bull-doser first, last, and all the time. In
1879 he shot an unarmed colored man In the
back in broad daylight on the steps OF barks
dale's store. was retained as one Oh .ne plos.
eentIpg counsel. For this he expressed some
feeling against me, but We never had any per-
sonal difficulty. lie was finally released on
bopds. and nothing further was done about 1t.
Barksdale and other wealthy citizens were his
sureties. At later period l rendered hun
timely ana important personal favor, Tor which
he thanked me III the warmest manner, ana AZ
terward sent me note repeating his express
ions OF gratitude. / have that note now.
now MORGAN AND THE REPUBLICANS RULED IN
YAzoo
Yes the democrats excuse Dixon and his
murderous crlmea now by charging me ana
ether republicans with corruption and ROBBERY
IN office. All these charges are baseless nes
When the republicans came into power In 1869
there was county debt OF about S10,O00. Inc
court house had been burned during the war.
We built new one costing about $SO,OOO. We
made and repaired roads, and built and repaired
bridges which had heretofore been neglected
And, where there had never before been q pub
lie school building, We erected sixty school
houses costing from $500 to $4,000 each. For
four years we maintained more than one hun :
bred free public schools, nearly one-half OF
which were for white children, and the others
for colored children.
1--WE had in the county treasury in January,
1875, $4,000 in government bonds and other
securities, belonging to the pubic scnooi iund,
and several thousand dollars belonging to the
county school fund. AL the improvements
had been paid for, and the total indebtedness
OF the county was less than $4,000. During
this time the total rate OF taxation for oil pur-
poses had never exceeded pa per cent and at
times it had been as low as Ia per centum.
The strlctest and most minute democratic IN
yestigAtion has never resulted in the charge
that any republican official IN Yazoo county
ever mlsappropriated one dollar; at least /
never heard OF such charge.
while the proportion Of colored to whites
we're filled by white men. By white men 1 do
not mean northern white men, but southern
white men. There were never more than four
northern white men In Office at one time, to
nv knowledge. or my fourteen deputies twelve
were white men, and all but one southern
born. You see the charge that L was ruling the
country by the use OF the negroes, and that
they held the offices and plundered the tax
payers is false from beginning to end.
nx1r KC-KLUx-- ENTER "BULL-DosERs AND
sHoT-GUNs.
The loss OF Ohio IN 1873 and the general re-
action of 1874 was windfali OF success to the
Bourbons The mask Of the ku- klux was no
longer needed. Troops could no longer protect
republican governments. The bull-dosers
swarmed everywhere. In our county, In 1874,
nine companies were formed. They procured
The best OF repeating rifles, needle-guns, or
breech loading shot-guns, with fixed buckshot
cartridges. The latter, for cunning for men at
short range is one OF the surest and most
deadly weapons known.
DIXON AND HIS SCOUTS
Dixon was made captain Of band Of TWEEN
tv-fiye armed and mounted desperadoes. They
did the work. The other companies simply
backed them up. The history OF his murders
and raids IN Yazoo county fill many pages OF
committee reports. his band deliberately Set
out to kill. run out, or lose leading republi-
can IN each precinct IN the county. They did
their work 30 well that the republican party
disappeared. So successful were they that they
made grim Jokes over their deadly work. Here
is an instance:
DIxoNs' JOKE on HORACE HAMMOND.
He was nigger' They hanged him about
mile from Yazoo City. Dixon sent IN for 9
magistrate. who acted as coroner. de wal
shown the hanging body by these men. A cor
oners Jury was summoned from this band Of
scouts They held their sitting, and under
their oaths rendered their verdict that ham
mond came to his death by hanging ut the hands
of parties TO the jury unknown, and then, &c
complete their pleasantly, the\ sent n pills lol
their services as jurors In the CASE, aud they
were audited and paid by the county.
PATTERSON HANGED AND ROBBED.
u can not begin to tell all OF their murders
but they hanged member of the state leglsla-
ture by the name OF Patterson He had about
81 500 ou his person. Dixon and his Grove
solemuly pledged their words as southern gen
tlemen to send this money 10 hs two young els
tiers in Ohio, whom he was supporting at hool
They never saw q cent Of It is was ussd. Dixon
has sInce said, in card which recently appeared
ia The National Republican, that 1t was, with
other money used by the democratic party &c
pay the expenses OF stuffing the ballot-boxes
III 1875. IN one place they tied mans hands
ana feet, fastened stones TO him. and threw him
IN the river. AT Brannon Ewing's plantation a
number were driven into the river and drowned.
10 use the words OF one OF the actors, who
described the scene in letter, they jumped
IN like irogs. And said this man, Judging
from their cries and groans there must have
been bushel OF them But why go on with
this sickening detail 1t was for these services
that the democrats got up the massive silver
pitcher and presented it 10 the bravest OF the
brave, Capt. Henry NJ. Dixon etc. To be con-
sistent they should now steal or force it from
the widow and present l. to Barksdale for kill
ing Dixon.
IHREATs-MIDNIdHT WARNINGS.
I'VE knew that the democrats we're organ
lied and armed. Threats were openly made
against leading republicans. We advised our
people not to try to arm, nor TO do anything
that would provoke q collision. The canvass
must be made A series Of republican meetings
was planned, the first OF which was to BIO held
in the courthouse OF Yasoo City, Sept l.
was to make the speech and open the campaign.
Some time before, | had been waited upon at
night by one Of the wealthest planters and
most honorable gentlemen in the county, who
solemniy and impressvely warned me of the
fate that was in store for me II l remained in
politics. He said: Colonel, we have resolved
TO carry this county at the coming election,
peaceably IL we can, forcibly il we must and
those who stand In the way must take the coli :
sequences. His interview was long one.
The time for the meeting in Yazoo City
came. Threats OF trouble had become so fire.