The New York herald., 1879-09-09
THE CHISHOLM MASSACRE.
Testimony Of the Widow on tas
Trial of Gully.
A DRAMATIC RECITAL.
How Johnnie and ComeIia Fell in Shield
ing Their Father.
[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

DE KALB. Miss, Sept. 8, 1879.
On the reassembling Of the Court at eight A. NJ
Judge Hamm reminded the immense crowd that
there danger of the floor falling in. owing to
the age Of the building. About seventy wit
hesses were called on behalf Of the State and the
defence Judge Morris requested that they be called
to the bar OF the Court and put under the rulo.
Three witnesses failed to answer to their names.
Mrs. Chisholm was led into the court room by her
eldest son. Clay. The counsel for the defence ara
Thomas H. Woods. of Meridian; s. NJ. Meek of
Columbus and W. s. Watts OF De Kalb; for the State
Judge j. s. Morris of vicksburg and Distriot Attor-
ney Ford. esp af sfsa "
MRS. cHIsHoLM's TESTIMONY. 80 w
Mrs. Chisholm was in deep mourning. but firm
and collected After the indictment had been read.
Mrs. Chisholm testifed:-I Cornelia's mother;
she's dead she died the 18th of May. 1877. at my
home in Kemper county; she was shot on the 10th
Of April in the Jail of the town of De Kab her
shot; she trying to shield her father from the
bullets Of assassins; Henry j. Gully shot her;
him (pointing to Gully) there is the man who shot
my daughter; on the Saturday evening before the
killing saw quite crowd of excited men in towing
called the attention of my daughter to the fact that
there danger that her father would be killed;
did not see any arms thas evening in the crowd.
THE ARREST. \ 1896
MY husband was arrested in the morning BY
Wlilap olncialr, then 5ner1u, ana George Hanp-
tons Sinclair to the house and presented
document, which he read; my husband demanded to
remain in his own house. under guard of honor
able men, rather than go to jail he wanted rnsgis-
trate. and begged my husband to 60 away because.
from former demonstration, thought IT only an
attempt to murder him, he stayed under guard At
the house till ten or eleven O'Clock A. M; the mob
made hostile domonstrations; many men
whom knew. and among them n J. Gully; large
number had Runs-I mean double barrelled shot
guns; my husband taken INTO lumber room
in the yard; there blinds and no lock;
men coming in and out; Mr.. Sinclair told ma
that he had estimated the number Of hostile mon
at less than two hundred; person called Jerry
Watkins rode up several times a horse supposed
to belong to John w.iGully Mr.. Sinclair left my
husband and went to converse with them; Mr. Sin.
clair sad "They say the guard must be increased;"
it seemed to me dozen or more men came to the
gate with guns In their hands; my husband told
them he thought they had come to kill him; he said
to Sheriff Sinclair 1.-THE cowardiy scoundrels will
down will colors flying. and when do some Of you
will bite the dust;" Sinclair replied, 'They say you
must 60 to jail"
My husband was accompanied to Jail by Mr.. Angus
Mcclellan. myself. Cornslia. johnnie. Clay and
Willie; had hold of Johnnie's right hand and my
husbands left; Corneia walked on the side of her
father. with one hand holding his and the other
around his neck; Clay and Willie walked near by,
with arms around each Others necks they went
thus because they thought my husband was in
danger; quite number Of men started in pursuit
OF us across the common; one Of the guards alone.
Mr.. Mcclellan, volunteered to go into Jail with US
Beeb Moseley was req uested by my husband to act
also acted as guard; all the family went in; the
front door was locked after we got in; didn't
defendant till he was on the stairway shooting,
hour or 40 after; saw william. jesse Houston ana
Virgil Gully saw Phil. Gully; he was with the
crowd around our house first; the next time saw
him he was in the Jail.
+ THE MASSACRE BEGINS.
The first hostile demonstration the Jail was
the firing of guns inside the jail; while at my house.
where was sent by my husband on errand, hoard
guns fired near the jail: saw an old man with gray
hair fired on by the mob; as returned toward the
jail only saw two men firing; one was McWhorter;
saw him as passed him going to the Jail. and after
when saw Mcclellan fall went into the Jail and
some guns thrown mp toward the upper WIN
dows; when ran round to the front of the Jail
great many persons met the lower steps
leading to the upper story, where my family were;
the third step from the top OF the stairs two
stood.
BREAKING DOWN THE DOOR,
One man was chopping at the door; they called
brought another; Overstreet was holding the door
on the inside; Johnnie and my daughter
ssting him; several men came up stairs and fred
through the grates my daughtar's face began to
bleed; they shot the loop in two where her bonnet
have time to faint. to think Of the danger of OF her
father. and ran my hand through the grating and
chafed her face; she begged Rosser to spare her
father; he replied, damn your soul. IL you don't
get out of my way I'll shoot your damned brains
out;" "Will you shoot womanY' asked a voice;
"Yes. will shoot any one who stands between me
and Judge Chisholm" Overstrect acted gallantly
while they were forcing open the door; before the
the stairs; Rosser called back the crowd
''Must do this work by myself?' he said; Rosser
fired through the hole made BY the wrenchng of Of
the lock- then the door was forced open Rosser
first fire severed Johnnie's arm from his body. 1.
JoHNNIE's DEATH.
Johnnie in the heart; heard my children's AMI
husbands voices mingled in cries OF distress then
q shot from the inside blew out Rossers brains and
he fell at the top of the stairs; then two drag
ged Rosser's dead body down stairs; my husband /.
liza said, Poor little bud is murdored tie sleeve Of
Johnnies coat was ON fire; wet my fingers In his
blood and put out the hre I now asked my
husband to go into one Of those cages
and change clothing with me- he seemed to
be bcwildered; called out. ''The jail is
frei" negro asked me 1t was going to lot the
prisoners burn up; rushed down stairs; in the
hall below, crouching near the door. was Bill Gully.
THE DAUaHTERs sAcRrFICR.
ran back, picked up my dead boy and we went
down the stars heard parties tearing down pickets
to fro the jail saw another party. led by H. J.:
Gully, cone in at the front door; saw my husband
coming down with gun in his hand, the butt OF
the gun in front. accompanied by my daugh.
meY / ran; H. j. Gully came forward
with his gum raised It, turned 1t toward the grato
and fired; my daughter was casping her father
round the neck; she screamed, 81 am shotl"
DEED COMPLETE.
Judge Chisholm opened the door and as he
stepped out Henry Gully came ont OF an adjoining
room with another gun and fred again ut him and he
foil. Clay and assisted my husband in reaching
home My daughter bleeding In the
face her eye was blackened by biow che was shot
In the wrist. In tho ankle and In the heel; she was
shot by Henry Gully; she died on the 18th OF May;
she died from the effects OF her wounds. Mrs. Chis-
holm produced Cornelias bracelet which was
broken and driven into hor arm Five buckshot
taken out OF her body.
On cross-ex examination she stated that she begged
Rosser by the God that made him and tho
mother who bore him and the wifs
whom no loved to DO satisfied with tho
blood of Gilmer and McLelan he re.
Piled John Gully had wife and he
would shoot any woman who stood between himself
and Judge Chisholm" The defence asked IL she did
not know Cornes died from the effects of the opera
tion, sc.
witness replied that she did not know It,
While describing the scene of her son Johnny's
death Mrs. Chisholm tainted When asked IL
sheriff Sinclair was not ovcrpowered by the mob
she replied that she could not tell whether tho
Sheriff commanded the mob or the mob commanded