Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-09-10
THE YAZO0 BUSINESS.

Just after the war o man named
Morgan, who had some connection with
the Federal army, settled in the county
of Yazoo, Miss, and married u mulatto
woman, engaging in politics as an avo-
cation. The population Of the county
of Yazoo, at that time, was four.ffthB
black, and Morgan, by thoroughly
identifying himself with the negroes,
became their leader, His word was
law. He found no difficulty, in being
elected to any Office he chose, and fin
ally, after trying number, selected
that of Sheriff as being the most profit
able. His reign was reign Of terror.
Things went on from bad to worse,
until every white man who did not
profit by an association with Morgan
found a refuge elsewhere, One day a
man named Dixon, who had been a
Confederate soldier, and was we'll
known as desperate character, sent
Morgan an unsealed letter in which
he tersely informed him that he DIX.
on) was tired of tho way things had
been going on, and that he wanted him
(Morgan) to "get out of there" In
order that he might know just what
was meant, Dixon added a postscript to
the effect that if he met him after the
receipt Of his letter he would shoot
him on sight Morgan was desperate
man himself, but in Dixon be recog-
nized his master. Within the time
prescribed he found himself a new
abiding place. Dixon Immediately sue.
ceeded to his lordship and tyrannical
domination.
The negroes feared him, but they
obeyed him. He ruled them as mer.
cilessly as Morgan, and by the same
means. One day he chased an offend.
ing colored man to cotton field where
thirty or forty other negroes were at
work. The hunted man saw him com
ing and fed to the river. Dixon rode
up to the gang unattended and forced
them by his willpower alone TO cap.
ture the runaway, put rope around
bis neck and hang him to the limb of
a tree without any more ado than il he
bad been q mad.dog. Two years ago,
Dixon met a gambler who had won
some Of his money and shot him down
without a word of warning. His next
job was to pack jury with negroes,
and obtain an acquittal By this time
he had become as great terror as
Morgan bad ever been, and finally the
white citizens Of Yazoo and the sur
rounding country made common cause
and drove him out of the State. Two
months ago he returned and announc-
cd himself as an independent candidate
for Sheriff. That meant, if il meant
anything, a renewal Of the old scenes
violence, murder and ruin. In sheer
self-delence, just as they would have
united against an insane man with a
torch in his hand, or a wild animal,
the citizens of Yazoo county-without
distinction of politics or color-came
together, and informed Dixon that he
would not be allowed to turn their peace
ful community into another hell. In
most countries such a man would have
been hung to the highest tree or near
est lamp.post, and but little note would
have been made OF it. Here, however,
a quiet but determined suppression of
him has been tortured into proscrip.
ton of the worst grade, and Northern
papers have printed columns of denun.
citation of what they style "the Missis.
sippi method" Citizens who have
combined merely TO protect their fire
sides from rapine and riot, are assailed
as bull.dozers and Yahoos.
The telegraph now brings us the
news that Dixon has been shot in
personal encounter. There was dis
pute, pulling of pistols, one or more
shots, but somebody was too quick for
him and Dixon fell dead. Perhaps
this will be the end of the troubles aud
consequent notoriety of Yazoo. Posi-
bly, not. These statements, however
have been made to us by one who had
every opportunity to know that they
are true, and we print them to show
to our readers. the kind of creatures
on whom the Republican papers fthe
North have been wasting tones of
sympathy Washington Post.