Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-04-17
An Unpublished Crime.

An OQpuQl6n6Q CrlmS.
Two years ago the country was
shocked by accounts of the murder
OF Judge Chisolm and his son and
daughter, in Kemper County, Mis-.
sissippi. One year ago Bishop Ha.
ven preached memorial sermon in
Washington, and at about the same
time Mary Clemmer wrote to the In,
dependent, both telling a thrilling
story of the noble father, and the
brave children who fell victims of a
savage mob. Both of these writers
are masters of a trenchant rhetoric.
but neither of them used other than
the simplest language in describing
this outrage +; for the plain, unvar-
nished tale was enough to stir the in.
dignant blood of every lover of jus.
tice. Again this subject has been
brought before our notice by a let
ter recently written by Mrs. Chisolm
to the secretary of an association
formed for the purpose of removing
to loyal soil and raising a monument
over the remains of the martyred
man and his children. The former
design has just been accomplished.
Mrs. Chisolm's letter, written on
this OCCASION, is most earnest and
touching. She says:
at is hard TO perceive why the
bravest and grandest of men; the
fairest, gentlest, most fearless of bows:
the most delicate, winsome rosebud
OF girls, should, in time of peace be
called on to die by the brutal hands
of those incarnate demons who were
styled men-to die for a country
which does net see the legal means
to punish the guilty murderers'-hard
for the wife and mother of those
three to comprehend. May that God.
who has justice as well as mercy
among his attributes, environ with
Ills direst curses the apologlsts, the
'nstigators and the foul perpetrators
of the murder of the five persons who
Tell victims to their hate on the 29th
day of April, 1877"
1t will be remembered that Judge
Chisolm was first imprisoned and
then killed by furious mob who at.
tackled the Jail; that his boy, Johnny,
was shot through the heart by one
ruffian, after another had shot off the
hand with which he was endeavoring
to protect his father; and that the
fair daughter, Cornelia, throwing
herself before her father, was shot
again and again before, dying, she
would relinquish her grasp. And
the "best citizens of Kemper Coun.
ty" still go unpublished and unre-
proved by the authorities of the State.
We are shocked and Mortified by such
tragedy at first, and it becomes a
nine days. wonder, and we forget all
about it again until reminded by such
q letter as that from which we have
quoted that such wounds do not heal
at once, aud such crimes can never
be forgotten by the sufferers. What
is the remedy? State sovereignty
may be the ideal government; but
where States prove themselves weak
and wicked, men sigh for a central
government strong enough sc make
itself feihcc in every corner of the land.
Only the other day, when Mr.. Single
ton, member of Congress from Mis-
sissippi, was eItolling the Democrat
ic party Of his State, Gen. White, of
Pennsylvania, asked him if Judge
Chisolm was not killed on account of
his politics. Mr.. Singleton confident.
ly declared that the killing was the
result of a family feud, and would
have occurred just the same had the
Judge been a Democrat. But, on
being asked if the crime would have
then gone UNPUBLISHED, the MISSISSIPPI
pi Representative was silenced. Ev-
cry thoughtful man must subscribe to
the sentiment recently expressed by
the writer who said that while the
Democratic party contains some no.
bic men, their work as party is lit
tie short of devilish No wonder
Mrs. Chsolm desired the removal of
her dead to another State. To quote
again from her letter:
ct was not that the place where
they were already resting was not
endeared by many ties. Sweet mem.
cries rose to bid me lst them sleep
on undisturbed. But no, could not
let them rest in the soil of the State
which for two years has failed even
to put the seal of her dlsapproval on
a crime which appalled, Satan him.
self, and caused his lesser demons to
cry out and hide themselves in hor.
ror."
Is it strange that Republicans are
growing more and more "stalw art?"