The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1880-10-13


| II has been thought by some that the cali
lousness attributed 10 " A Fools Errand . to
the murderers of John Walters. in admitting
his murder but indignantly uenying the inn
pntation Of having stolen money from his
person for their personal benefit and boldly
claiming that It was used solely and sacredly
to promote the interests Of the party with
which the mnsderers acted, was beyond the
limit aud range Of even The most hardened
and distorted human nature. The incident II
closely paralleled 10 the noted case of the
Yazoo election for sheriff.
The facts of that case are briefly these In
the campaign of 1876 there was an extensive
'sWhite League raid made upon the Repnb-
licans of Yazoo county, Mississippi, some of
whom were killed and others driven off.
Among those who were killed was member
of the Legislature named Patterson, who was
seized and hung by a Ku- Klux gang, having
on his person ut the time of his seizure u
large sum of money, which was never recov-
cred by his family or heard of in fact until
1879, when one of the leaders of this murder
GUS band became candidate for sheriff,
against the regular nominee of the Democra tic
party. As soon as he did so, Dir. p. j. Nc
Cormick, who was chairman of the Demo-
cratic Committee of Yazoo county in 1915,
published a card declaring that Dixon was
the leader of the mob which hung Patterson,
and that he converted to his own use the mo-
ney which was ON Patterson's person when
seized To this charge Dixon replied through
the columns of the Ydsoo Herald, in which
it appeared as an advertisement, by the fol-
lowing card
A CARD TO THE PUBLIC.
Owing to certain reports now in circula-
tion that Patterson, member of the Repub-
lican Legislature, who was hanged Ia the
eventful campaign of 1875, had considerable
N m IF mn IN nd thaf eaiI
money was used for my own benefit feel in
honor bound to yindicate myself although
deplore to refer to the past, as it will bring
before the public many of our best citizens.
| will briefly state that said money, and larger
sums, were raised aud used to deiray the cur
rent expenses of the campaign, and to, stuff
the ballot boxes, if necessary; to purchase
certificates of election for two officers now
holding offices of trust and emoument In our
county. have in my possession the neces-
sary proof, and If called on will furnish it.
6 H. M. DIXON"
| To this DR.. p. j Mccormick responded
evasively declaring that /" the constituted au-
thorities of the Democratic party had nothing
| to do with the raising of said money or the
use made of said money!
| To this Dixon again responded by another
advertisement in the same journal on the 9th
of June, 1879, as follows:
EDITOR HERALD I'm response to the
card of DR.. T. j. Mccormick, that appeared
in the Sentinel, win state that | did not as
sert IN my card that the constituted Demo.
cratic authorities had any connection with the
Patterson affair, nor did | charge that the
ballot boxes were stuffed.
8 again say that the supposed Patterson
money was used to defray current expenses
of the eventful campaign of 1876.
further state that SO, 900 was paid as a
bride to have the ballot boxes stuffed, If ne
cessary and to issue certificates of election to
the Democratic candidates I; that Dir. p. ].
| Mccormick WAS chairman of the Democratic
Executive Committee at the time, and was
party to the contract. | have in my posses
sion the necessary receipt to show who re-
ceived the $1,000 also the false key to the
ballot.box
:. consider that my conduct throughout
the canvass Of 1875 was fully Endorsed by all
Democratic citizens, and | do not fear that
my character will suffer by any cowardly at
tack made for political purpose.
"Respectfully, II. M. DIXON"
1t will be observed that the charge of mur-
der is treated as of very little moment that
the taking of the money from the body of the
murdered man is politely termed . raising
money by both, aud that the charge of hav-
| ngsappled it to secure unlawful and corrupt
election returns is openly made and ony
evasively answered.
| The result of the Yazoo affair is another
good illustration of the spirit pervading South
ern society, which will not permit dissent from
| its views nor tolerate the presence of any man
of any party who appeals to the colored voter
for political aid. Dixon, as will be remem-
5ered, was shot down upon the streets in open
| day by man who had previously declared
his intention to do so, and after having been
threatened by an armed mob who demanded
his withdrawal from the canvass on the ground
that any one who asked the support of color
ed men as against Democratic nominee was
precpitatipg a race conflict. Upon the mat
ter being laid before the Grand Jury Of the
county. the bill was promptly ignored upon
what ground IL would be hard to guess, unless
it was that the gentlemen composing the
Grand Jury thought it praiseworthy act to
assassinate any one who dared 10 appeal to
colored voters for political preferment against
the win of the white voters of the county.
--~s-so 49, ------- r. -