The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-11-20
[ NUMBER Is
WASHINGTON. Nov. 9th. 1879.

-dii EDIToR-The startling and
moutnf0l news of the death of Senator
Iac5aflah Chandler threw a gloom
over the entire community and tbe
feeling Is universal that by his death
the country sustainS an irrepairable
loss. There is no one TO fill his place
IN the United States Senate TO watch
and denounce those who iaud and up-
hold those who tried to DESTROY the
Government. His political opponents
highly respected him for his street in
tegrlty, while they feared MS honest
mt gna'ion and denunciation.
All loyal people rejoice at the result
OF tbs elections On Tuesday last, as it
shows tina, there is 10 be solid North
against a solid South. AS another
illustration Of the manner in which the
Confederate Democrats obtain q solid
South, | give the statement of Judge
kells as published in tde NeW York
Tribune:
Judge keil's, Of Alabama, who now
occupies position III the Treasury
Department, has related TO the Tribune
correspondent a story which has never
been in print. Judge Kell's was born
and for fifty years lived in the State Of
Alabama. He Was educated in the.
law, and having obtained some local
prominence he was elected by the Re-
puhhcans 10 the judgeship Of the City
Court OF Euf0ula, a court which had
jurisdiction throughout Barber county.
He filled this position nearly i've years,
and III 1874, at the Con ressional cleo
ton, he became a candidate for re-elec-
ton TO the same place.
Terrorism was rampant in the South
at that time, and at the Spring Hill
Precinct, in Barber county, the Confed-
crates had threatened to kill any one
who should go to the polls to "inter--
fere' wi h the election. That was one
Of the Republican strongholds. and it
was suspected that mischief Of some
kind was intended in order to invali-
date or destroy the vote. During his
canvass in Barber county, Judge Kells
had been accompanied by his son, a
plucky little fellow of sixteen. and on
election day this boy, who fully appre-
ciated the danger which threatened
his father, sought and obtained leave to,
be present at tie polls. Judge Kells was
a Supervisor at Spring Hill Precinct.
On election day, about II A. M. a sim
Gle gum was fired All the white men
started at once for an empty store
where guns were stored, and they re-
appeared fully armed, in which condi-
ton they remained during the day.
Notwithstanding their ferociouS de-
me3nor, the col0red men came out in
force, and when the polls closed there
WAS known to be a Republican majori-
ty OF about $50 votes in the bailOt-boX.
The Supervisors and election officials,
then retired to- room for the purpose
Of counting the vote. The door was
barred and lamps were lighted The
Democratic clerk in charge of the tally
list-;l man named Swanson pretend
ed to be intoxicated and unable to make
out his list for time, but when it was
fully dark he started up saying, Now
[ have got it, and proceeded to unbar
the door.
The mob poured into one room; one
of the leaders blew out the lights. Up
on this they began firing guns and pis-
tolls, proceeding which they kept up.
for several minutes. Judge Kells and.
his son had crOuched down behind q
high counter. when the firing began.
The firing was suspended at last, but
only long enough to enable one man to
run across the room and pull over the
counter. During this suspension,
young Kells said to his father: 81 am
going to try and get out, for [ am shot.
al to pieces The firing was at once
renewed, but only for a moment. At
last one man, Il leading Democrat, came
into the room, and calling to Judge
kells, said that he came as a friend,
and commanded the firing to cease. 4
light was brought ana young Kells
started for the door, but dropped dead
upon the threshold. He was carried
away by some COlOred men. The mob
then destroyed the ball0t-boX with its
contents, and by that means secured a
Democrotic victory in the county y,
a majority Of about fifty votes.
After the funeral Of his son, Judge
Kells procured the Indictment Of a
number of men whom he knew to be
in the riot. The trials
udVo never ttthell pldce, DIS every VIII
ness Of the riot has either been intim-
idated or driven away. A Republican
State official having presented the case
before d Grand Jury Of the County
Court and summoned a colored man.
named Hillyard Mills as the first wit
ness, this man gave his testimony. He.
had not left the Court House, however.
before one of the members of the Grand
Jury, himself one of the rioters, moved.
chat Mills be arraigned for perjury.
lie was so arraigned and tried, and
sentenced to term Of FIVE years in
the penitentiary. The rioters have,
never been punished to this day..
#**