The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1879-09-03
Points of Interest Concerning the
Late Tragedy at Yazoo City.
THE PERSONAL AND POLITICAL CAREER
OF HENRY NJ DIXON
Correspondence Of the St Louis Republican. I

T may read that the deceased, Dixon WAS one of
the worst, the vilest, and most corrupt the most
lawless and the most dangerous of men.
: To most persons, even in this State, outside
OF Yazoo county IL has been a matter OF surprise
that Dixon, having been prominent leader in
I 1879, should IN 50 short time be by the best
1 citizens the most detested man in the county
r and yet the explanation is easy how this angel
= fell from his high estate" In January. 1870,
. the county treasury robbed of the sum of
about $4,000. All the facts pointed to Dixon
E as the robber, but IL 50 well concealed that
not enough proof conld be had for legal convic-
{ ton He was, by all familiar with the facts,
5 the man universally suspected. For further in
I formation in respect to this interesting matter
the GlObe-Demoerat Is referred To Mr.. Pearson
r OF the detective police of New Orleans
? 1t was intended to present Dixon with tes-
tlmonlau Tor hls spirited conduct in 1873, and a
E subscription was started for this purpose to
; purchase fine gold watch or something of that
: sort After the treasury robbery the matter
PLAYED out. About so had been collected and
! with this amount silver pitcher was bought
! for Dixon. This presentation was very generally
{ condemned by the community, and that a
2 present made at all under the circumstances
only illustrates the old Scotch adage, that
there some fools in every clan
Probably it will suit the Globe-Democrat and
il also comedies with my wishes, TO present
facts. The preceding TO the robbery is sus-
pieion, but that this MARTYR ''so-ealIed . was
thought 10 be a robber, is a fact. In the high
toned and moral North know that wisdom
is thought TO be better than weapons OF war y
and TO show what ground Dixon has 10 their
sympathy let lew facts Illustrate.
In 1872 Dixon, in Benton. Iaz0o county,
shot and wounded Ferd. Bostick colored man
BoStiek at the time distant about one hun
dred yards, and was running away from Dixon.
This illustrates the skill OF the deceased
martyr marksman, but is rather wanting
in the usual elements OF martyrdom. In 1873
or 1874, Dixon shot and killed Hiliard Green
leaf, a colored man. 1t occurred in the store of
f. Barksdale Of this place. billiard Greenleaf
was asking Dixon to pay for work he had done,
but this so-called marty would rather shoot
a than pay him what due. Probably
he belonged to that class of martyrs who would
/ rather die than pay. Hon. James +. Everett
/ formerly Republican State Senator and now
! resident here, states openly that Dixon escaped
punishment even Indictment, by subornation
of perjury. Perhaps this in the opinion OF the
/ Globe-Democrat is one of the principal consti-
tuted elements of the modern martyr" and if
+ So then the claims of this martyr" such,
cannot be gainsaid.
I During the campaign of 1875, Dixon rushed to
the front eagerly and monopolized his exclu-
siye privilege the performance of the work of
the Democratic party. In murderous cruelty
/ he exceeded the demands of the hour and the
necessities of the occasion. The first victim was
/ Dick Mitchell, whom Dixon claimed to have
shot, but in this case it in riot and the +
life of every present in danger. The /
next was Horace Hammond, a colored man; he +
was neither a leader of influence, but 4
he was an enemy of Dixon, and under cover of /
political excitement he was hung by his antago- +
mist. Albert August, a colored man, was also /
hung; he also enemy of Dixon, but there !
was other for his death. James G. /
Patterson, colored man. was State representa-
tive; he resided III portion OF the county in 4
which the blacks outnumber the whites one \
hundred to one. Among these ignorant people I
he was thought to be power in the land. He /
became infatuated with the Dixon policy and
/ killing appeared to be craftsmanship he pro
posed to take whack at it, He hired man to
kill the husband of female friend. Patterson
Radical imported from Ohio; perhaps
ma anfIt h..
called martyr in the sanity Globe Democrat
But there is a good deal more of the Patterson
affair. Patterson had on him when he was hung
by Dixon's band about 81 800. Some of il was
thought by the bilks to be "a Radical corruption
fund. 1t came into the hands of Dixon; it can
not be traced further. Dixon said he spent it
in the campaign, but he could show how. Pat
terson, in his last moments, requested that this
money should be sent To his sister in Ohio.
The Globe-Democrat will please inquire of
of Pattersons sister, whose address can be
given by A. I. Morgan of Washington, ID. C.,
whether she ever got this money from II. NJ.
Dixon.
To close with comments on the political cam
paign of 1876 in this county. if crimes, as al
legged, were committed, it is also true that all
the bloodshed and most foul was done by this
man Dixon. Those who were concerned much
regret those evil days, and hope their return
is impossible Butt who are safe and secur
in the bosoms of their families and among civ
ilized people should not judge too harshlY of
others, surrounded by ignorance, superstition
ana maleN0Ience- Inc people mere nave not
done more than is advised by Sidney, and
which is boldly presented to the world in the
banner OF puritan Massachusetts, ense petit
plactddTn sub hbertdte quietem.
In january, 1878, Dixon shot Samuel s. Har-
rison Of this place, brother-in-law of State
Librarian Kerr of Ohio. Dixon posted
behind some barrels and killed Harrison as he
his way TO dinner. In this case he
twice refused bail. There is no doubt but
that he ought to haYe been convicted The
cause of the killing of Harrison that Har-
4 =. IL IL Il.
Treasury and giving what assistance he
could to the detective to ferret the matter out.
He also in debt to Harrison in the sum of
800 Dixon was fine pistol shot and always
carried one of the largest size. He was the
most vulgar and abusive of men; no man
character escaped his attacks, and not only /,
this but for the first time in this county ladies
were Wiley abused. Not content with plotting
the assassination of young Barksdale he de-
famed in the vilest manner the pure innocent
and exemplary ladies of his family and left
the latter alternative but to visit retribu-
tion upon the foul-mouthed slanderer.
Dixon was killed in a fair open and honora-
Bile fight; he fired five times and his antagonist
only twice. He to get into hallway to
get the advantage. Not even the cold hand of
death could wiring the truth from his mendaci-
Gus spirit. In his dying declarations he stated
that he did not hear Barksdale hail him. Every
one in the vicinity, even four times the distance
of Dixon, heard him plainly.
The turn given to our local affairs by distant
Republican politicians is exquisitely ludicrous
their wishes the father TO their thoughts.
That the movement of the people here and
their violence against Dixon was not political
but personal in its origin, IS shown by one fact
too well attested to admit of any doubt, and of
too decisive a nature TO leave room for any re-
ply and that is, the Independents Of Yazoo
county, since the withdrawal of Dixon have
met IN Convention and have nominated full
ticket. 1t is in the fild. No intimidation
is thought of and none will be practsed.
Dixons canvass was such as no man ought to
make be allowed to make. 1t consisted
of two things-lying and abuse. His abuse of /
Barksdale vile; and not content with this,
he villifed his female relatives-all without
truth, and merely to provoke a difficulty Wand
kill his adversary under the pretenee of self
defence. But Barksdale was not the only one
il is thing TO find person this has
not abused. To give a sample of his method Of
electioneering with the cOlored people Dixon
promised the colored servants about town that
he would make money plentiful and would have
laborers that he would make cotton bring Is
cents per pound, and would have stripes sold at
five cents per yard, and pork az four cents per
pound, and many other tales of the game sort.
1t is a painful duty make the statements
above. | would gladly act in accordance with
the maxim that requires to say nothing but
what is good of the dead but that is impossible
in this besides it Is a cruel and living impu-
tation upon the people here that Dixon was
killed because he was a friend of the colored
people. On their necks he wished to ride into
office, and that is all the use he had for them.
If he has ever benefited any of them it is not I
known here.
From Boston, from New York or from Chi
cagO such false assertions made in the
Globe-Democrat would have passed without t
comment, but that such should come from ST.
people in ST. Louis who have visited this place,
and who could, upon inquiry, have better in
formed that paper. KY.