St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-10-17
Shooting Southern Postmasters.
REPORT TO THE GOVERNMENT BY sPE-
CIAL AGENTS ON THE ATTEMPT TO
KILL POSTMASTER NIX.

CIAL AGENTS ON THE ATTEMPT TO
KILL POSTMASTER NIX.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-The report
of Special Agents Long, Redmond and
Frey, who were sent by the Postmaster
General to investigate the recent at
tempt to shoot the postmaster at Black
vile, S. c., was received this morning.
1t fully confirms the original report of
the affair, and is valuable for the
glimpse which it gives of the condition
of public sentiment in one Southern
community. The report embOdies the
results of an investigation to which
several days we're devoted by three
cool, ear-headed Government officials,
two of whom, it may be stated, were
born and bred in the south; and it will
be generally accepted as IN impartial
and trustworthy showing of the events
and circumstances of which it treats.
The report, which is written by Spe-
cial Agent Frey, states that before the
y, s.nS. vH UwU occasions received pub
lie testimonials from the ladies. When
the reign of terror began, the agent
says, 'NiX not being the man to desert
the camp in time of danger, stood by
his cOlors in a simple, frank and manly
manner" After describing the incident
of the attempt to assassinate Nix in the
post office, Official Agent Frey says:
From all the facts and attendant cir
cumstances of the case, it would appear
that the shooting was the result of a
well understood arrangement to mur-
der an officer of the United States Gov
eminent simply because of his color as
well as his politics, which were objec-
tiOnable to most of the leading spirits
of that community. Since his appoint
ment Nix has proven himself fully COM
petent, and has shown commendable
fidelity to his duties, and has displayed
more than ordinary judgment in the
selection of an assistant, who, it is gen.
orally conceded, is an efficient and
courteous official. A bitterness of par
tisan feeling has been fomented by in
tolerant spirits, not only against Nix,
but against all other leading colOred re-
publicans in the county /; and it was this
feeling, this deep-rooted prejudice, that
led Williams, either with or without
the connivance and assistance of 9th
ers, to murder Nix simply to get rid of
him.
On the day of the shooting Williams
was generously piled with liquor, and
was seen frequently engaged in private
and mysterious conversation with little
knots of two or three men, but more
frequently with a lawyer of the ,wn,
named James Thompson, who, it is
claimed, holds high position socially
and at the bar, and who, only about a
week previous, was discovered by the
postmaster writing on the slide of his
delivery window the following friendly
piece of advice: "You had better get
out of this Office, London Brown, Cap
tain of the K. K. X When asked by the
postmaster what he meant by it he al
lodged that he wrote it in spirit of
genuine fun, that it meant nothing, and
was only intended as joke, etc. This
man Thompson Immediately preceded
Williams to the post office, and from
his manner and critical examination of
Nix's person, the postmaster is satisfied
that he had knowledge of the affair,
and undoubtedly visited the office to
try and ascertain if possible whether
Nix was aimed. When the shooting Oc-
CURED Thompson was seated directly
in front of the office, engaged in CONVEX
sation with another party. When Will
liams made his appearance Thompson
hastily inquired if both shots had been
fired simultaneously, while the man he
was talking to afterward acknowledged
that he clearly recognized the pause be-
tween the shots, and that it was at
least ten seconds if not more.
Subsequent to the shooting Williams
rode up and down the main street in
front of the post Office, pistol in hand,
in highly demonstrative and threat
enlng manner, and on one occasion,
seeing Nix standing in the doorway of
the post office, rode up to him, and,
dourishing his pistol, said: cd
you, we have sworn you never should
be postmaster here,n and this was wit
messed by the Marshal of the town. 1t
is singular but remarkable fact that
with two or more newspapers in the
county neither of them has taken any
notice of or made any comment on the
affair; and strange, too, that no action
was taken by the Grand Jury of the
county court, which was in session at
tiae time of the shooting and no effort
OF any character appears to have been
made to apprehend Williams, who lives
within short distance of town.