Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-12-28
The coplah County Murder Once More.

The murder of j. =. Matthews at the polls
in Copiah county. Miss, on election day, at
tracts more attention rather than less as time
goes on. The Democrats involved are not in
the defiant and self-gratulatory mood which
animated them at the time, but are talking Of
making a defensive statement. Mrs Mat
thews an educated woman of an old and good
Mississippi family, has published an account
of the affair, in which she states that for the
week preceding the election the favorite
southern practice Of night riding, whipping
and killing negroes, aud turning them out of
their homes was in full exercise, and she in
stances the case of an excellent colored man,
20 years old, who was called out one night
and shot dead, while his aged wife was seri-
ousy wounded, his only offence being that
he had said he preferred the ant. bourbon
ticket The Saturday before the election
Matthews received letter threatening his
life Monday there we're 800 men in line at
Hazelhurst, armed with the favorte shotgun,
who proposed to go to Matthewss house and
fetch him out. He was taking care of q sick
daughter, and the doctor went to the mob
told them that she was in critical condition
and implored them to stay away. Neverthe-
less a deputation Of 100 visited the house
with a hasty notification to Print Matthews"
to keep within his own Enclosures to NOR
row" Matthews answered that he was a
lIoo Llhl huu huOulu tAtlNlht liz llkuN "
vote. That evening Congressman Barkadale
made a speech in which he is said to have
told his hearers to carry the election if they
had to do it at the muZzle of their guns.
Mrs Matthews never saw her husband alive
after he left the house the morning of cleo
ton day, but she gives this narrative from
the lips of faithful and truthful friends -
When the polls were opened my hush and went to
them with a handful Of tickets, where he found
~ hall
and the officers Of the election. Very few others
were visible He a gun setting in Fun-box.
As my husband came into the room he and Wheeler
III ct and had conyersaton, aud all say they were not
only friendly but pleasant. In a few moments my
husband said, well, have always voted last but
this time viii vote hrst and wheeler said, Print,
would not vote II l you The reply was, II
have a right to yote-as much right as any Of you
and Intend to do so;" and taking ticket in his
right hand he approached the polls. one OF the OFF,
received the ticket dropped II in the box, called
his name and said "Voted," and as my husband
turned from the box Wheeler hred both barrels Of
his gun, the charges striking him in the neck aud
breast, and killing him instantly As he sunk to tue
the fall and fell to the Aoor In a moment number
Of armed men came into the room through the trap
door from the cellar aud surrounded Wheeler. The
front door was then locked and Wheeler and his
friends passed out of the back door.
This story indicates that the killing OF
Matthews was intended from the irst, and it
is not at all difficult to believe so when we
consider what followed, concerning which
there is no dispute. Wheeler Immediately
took command of the mob at the municipal
election which followed he was candi-
date for the Democratic nomination for may
or and only failed of it by three votes; be
has since been appointed town marshal, and
may hope, as a Washington correspondent
observes, for higher political honors in a state
where the murderer of Judge Chisholm and
| his daughter was sent to the Mississippi leg
| islature, and Barksdale, who killed Dixon, is
| a member elect of the same body.