Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-09-24
cHIsHoLMl oHIsHoLMii

bloody shirt moro vigorously than
ever, for the purpose of begetting
hatred and malice between the two
sections, North and South, This, to
us, is a queer "moral idea" method for
Christians TO follow; but the Radical
journalists seem to grab at every fault
committed by the felo, and then blame
II on the many
General Woodford. one Of the Radi-
cal leaders in New York. and who &C.
companied the widow to Mississippi,
has this to say in the Washington Re.
publican, of the 10Th inst;
General Stewart L. Woodiord, ar.
rived here to-day from Mississippi,
where he went with Mrs. Chisholm to
attend the trial of Henry J. Gully for
the murder OF Cornelia Chisholm. Mrs,
Chisholm is at present in East Tennes-
see, where she will spend few days
with friends before returning TO Wash
ington. The following is the inter-
view.
Question-Gen. Woodford, so many
stories have been told in the newspa-
pers about your visit to Mississippi
that, with your permission, l wish to
ask why you attended the recent CHS
holm murder trial
Apswer-Certainly, sir. When |
learned IRON the press that Mrs. CHS.
holm had decided to obey the subpoena
OF the local District Attorney and at.
tend the trial, | thought she did Justly
and wisely. Her husband was killed
while he was a prisoner and in jail, af.
ter he had been arrested by the Sheriff
and while he was under the theoreti.
cal protection of the Mississippi law.
Her daughter and little boy were kill.
ed by the same mob at the same time
and place. She had appealed to the
law for redress. She could not as.
sumo to decide for herself that such
appeal would be idle and the trial a
mere mockery. If it was the duty Of
this widow woman to 20 it was not
decent for a Republican North to let
her go alone. | happened to be SO
situated all the Federal courts at New
York being in recess, that could go
and so | went.
Odd you anticipate any danger
in attending the trial? A.--(emphat
ically). No, sir The common sense
of the country was pledged to let Mrs
Chisholm go and return in safety. Th'
result showed that the indicted parties
stood in no peril, either from her OF
indeed from any testimony that coulC
have been given on that trial by any
one As for myself, received during
this visit, as have always received
on my several visits to the South sine,
the war, entire civility and courtesy
from every person / met.
Q.-But, General, one Of the dis
patches sent to the New York Herdl
during the progress of the trial state,
that there was fear of riot in case Q
, conviction. Was this fear well found
ed? Al cannot tell, but there wa
never enough danger of convection t
justify any intelligent fear The tria
was dreary farce from beginning t
end.
, Q.-What do you meanY A.-Prt
cisely what | say.
Odd not Judge Hamm, who trie
0 tho case, do his dutyY Ale die
fearlessly and justly, If he erred .
all in his rulings he erred in favor {
A the prosecution and against the d,
fense. 1t is not the fault of Judg
Hamm that wholesale murder sti
r walks unpunished in Kemper county
Q.-What ia the name Of the DR.
trict Attorney and what about him
A.-Thomas 5. Ford, and he did b
duty well and bravely. Istuded cri
ically his conduct of the case. He ha
goou -sehse '-aifu soma pfolcHsf0hi
T. judgment. He was assisted by Judg
t Ware, an ex.Chancellor of one of th
Mississippi districts, and by Joshua ]
" Morris OF Vicksburg, who is certainl
}. one of the most logical and forcIbl
n criminal lawyers whom ] have met {
any bar. ] think the prosecution mad
out clear and complete case of mu
der. The charge of the Judge WI
distinct, direct aud positive, and y,
Is the jury were only out long enough
take one ballot and write their verde
which, under the Mississippi law, hi
l. to be written and signed by tn
g jurors.
II Q.-How do you, then, account f
the verdict2 Al do not know ho
d to account for it on any grounds thi
are not discreditable either to the il
telligence or the moral sense of u
jury, and ] do not think that the mir
"a white men on the Jury were lackin
y in intelligence. The three negroes G
r. identity possessed neither brains nj
d courage. The whites were very ia
average Of the white men on the iur
y panel as well as of the entire whi
s. community.
"a Odd you ascertain the politi,
~ of the jurors2 Al did. The whit
70 were all Democrats, 80 were two n
!, groes; at least ! was so informed
one OF the counsel for the defense. I'll
X remaining negro was probably q r
publican, but evidently q man withol
sense TO form or courage to mainta
n. any intelligent opinion on any subjeC
!, Q.-Was the jury fairly drawr
" Alt was. OF the seveniy-five nam
d. drawn for the special vcnire, fiity.ol
were served and presented themselv
y in court. OF these twenty-five we
re black and twenty-six were whit
10 Whatever else may be said of Kemp
county, ii must be frankly admit,
IT that the jury list Of the county W
IS fairly made up. Two-ffths of th
number are blacks and three.fif
u whites. The officers charged wi
to making this list have done their du
impartially, and the special pan
drawn from this entire list was no
estly drawn.
Q.-Do you think the verdict fair
'r represents the feeling of Kempor cou
h tyr Alt does not represent Il
:, feeling of the great mass of the n
!" groes, nor of the white Republican
I. nor yet of small minority Of sch
Ia and law.abiding Democrats. All the
three classes combined constitute
Id clear and decided majority of the ci
At zens and legal voters of tho count
But | am sadly and reluctantly col
'h PEELED to say that | believe the verdi
q truthfully and honestly represents Il
~ present judgment and wishes of d
" great majority of the white men of h
county. tried to observe careful