Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1879-04-24
CHISHOLM MASSACRE.
A Letter from the Widow Recalling
the Brutal Crime.
Over Two Years Have the Murderers
Gone Unpunishsd-The Funeral
in Pennsylvania-ReGOllec
tiOns Of the Massacre
A CRY for Justice.
A Cry for Justice.

A Cry for Justice.
Mrs. FL. G. Ingersoll, Secretary
of the Chisholm Monument Asso'
citation, has sent the following letter
to the New York Tribune:
WASHINGTON, D. g., March ~.
My DEAR FRIEND One month
from to-day and two years will have
passed since the terrible 10Th OF
! April.. 1877, which those who black
ened with crime that sunny Sabbath,
iestingly or threateningly, accord
ING to their mood, call the "blacI
| Sunday" In answer to your kindly
request that | should write you
when l succeeded in bringing away
the remains of my husband and
children, who on that day fell mar
tyrs to the unhallowed hate of the
two hundred so called "best citi~
zens of Kemper County," [ now
address you.
For weary months I have planned
and been disappointed in my hopes
till my heart grew sick, but on the
4th of the present month, l received
from our true friend, Mr.. Charles
Rosenbaum, a telegram telling me
they had been sent by express.
Three days later came letter CIV
ing me particulars. When they
were disinterred, the collins were
found in so perfect a state. they
were not even soiled. These collins
were inclosed in boxes lined with
zinc and soldered, and the name of
each dear occupant was written
thereon. These details were very
grateful to me.
left Washington the morning of
the 9th of the present month, pass
ing through Harrisburg, where my
son, Clay, joined me, and we pro
ceeded to Lock Haven, the county
seat of Clinton county, Pa. Here
we were met by Mr.. J. G. Sigmund,
of the town Of Salona, which lies
in a rich valley between two noun
tain ranges, about five miles from
Lock Haven. My kind friends ad-
vised me not to attempt the meeting
with those, my beloved, who are
called dead but with me, in my
thoughts awake and in my
dreams asleep, they are al
ways present, and [ felt
that next to meeting them in HeaVa
en-, | desired to be with them once
more on earth. All nature was robed
in spotless snow, as if in emblem of
their own purity. The mountain
tops on every side pointed upward,
and the evergreens on their sides
reminded me that heaven is eternal.
l need not tell you of the graceful
welcome extended by Mr.. Sig
mund's family and the friends of his
household who were there. You
can easily perceive that those who
had SO generously profrered me for
my friends the hospitality of grave
among the grand scenery of their
mountain home, knew how to make
it acceptable. | can not tell you of
that night. l wonder that even [,
who have lived through so much,
did not die before it was over. And
yet, 0, my God. the delightful hap
piness CT once more being assem-
bled an unbroken family circle under
the same roof-my husband, N.Y.
self-Cornelia the first to awaken
parental love in our hearts, John
ME the first sacrifice on the altar of
fiiial love-Clay and Willie. Truly,
dear madam, amid all my sOr-
rows l always remember l am
his wife and their mother
/ hug it ever to my heart
as the sweetest, most comforting
memory, giving promise that the
Father will not forget me altogether,
however much | may be called to
endure. In the last hours Of the
night l lived over the beautiful
twenty years of my married life to
the last; and over and again could
| hear Johnnie, my brave, delicate
boy, the last words he spoke to me
/" Mother, if L leave father they
will kill him !" He did not leave
him, and true to his words, the vile
demon killed anybody who gets
in the way of my shooting Judge
Chisholm" killed him, first shoot
ing off, with elaboration, his hand,
and then piercing his heart. l
heard my husbands last whisper,
"Jesus, Father-wife, precious
wife" Cornelia's last words as l
gave her a white lily: Mamma,
you've a sick baby this morning"
Again l saw her little white fingers
hold it up and whisper, Mamma,
how fine p Yes" said l, sit is
the emblem of purity" and over