National Republican., 1884-01-22
rrE.LEnIrAwED NLuNDEN.

pUE1IEDITATED MURDER.
Nor, OF che Horrible Details OK tie
Mathews Assugslnution Coming to
Light.
Mr.. s. w. Burnett will ho remembered as
the chairman Of the republican committee Of
Cop!ah county, Mississippi, who was driven
from his homo IN Hazlchuray and from tho
state, after having been once shot, by tho
democrats who threatened to murder him IL
ho remained. These events happened ina
hodatcly after tho last election and tho
murder of Print Mathowa by E. j. Wheeler
leader of the bourbon mob of 100. Mr.. Bur.
Lett has been in Washington for some weeks.
Some remarks madu by him to EHi urLI'AH
reporter yesterday provo that the spirit
which caused the assassination OF Mathews
has not died out in Copiah county,
"i have lately received some letters from
Print alathcw55 brother" snid Lo, 'iniotm-
ing me chat the democrats had burned tho
NatucwS'5 gin house with lOrty-tWo bales
of cotton, NIL put up and ready for market
After She election the negroes began 60 muyo
out of CDpiah county 10 places where they
had some show FOR life. That made the DOM
ucrats mad, for it loft thom without men to
work the ground Thoy threatened shat II
the negroes went away the Mathews family
destruction of thoir property means
The same letters which brought this in
formation stated that Gao puuot5 in that
county refused to publish any article written
/ by u republican, though paid ipJ NJ adyur-
| Using ratus. Another lottcrdgtod Jan. e, gives
the particulars of q shooting a.ltay between
/ Hans PEN, ono or tho democratic mob, aud
Bob Ryals, q republican. FIVE shots woro cN-
| chang d, with no more serious result thln
! flesh wound lur Pen. Two other democrats
| took one shot each at Eyal3 and another ono
| tried to fro 40 him, but was prevented. Eyals
/ was arrested and held for tho criminal court
/ in bonds of 1 900, but when IL was discovered
/ that tho other pnrtCs were at fault the prnsu-
cution wus dropped. Nothing was done, how
| ever, with tho other parties.
Tho same letter states that the hulldua1r5
| threatened that Col Jones, republican,
should not appear before the justice court to
| practice On court day eight or ten men Hp-
reared with shOtguns and tho judge was
compelled 10 adjourn the court TO Kcvcnt
! trouble.
Mr.. Burnett has two original documents,
| which wore sent to Print Mathews few
| days before the election day which proved
fatal TO him. Tho letter of warning, signed
"liO" Mr.. Burnett declares TO DO IN the hand
writing Of Mead, the lia2iehurst lawyer and
chairman Of the democratic executive conf
mittco. This is an exact copy:
/ j. +. MATHEWS; As the election is approaching
/ ami we expect to have wHgm times IN TINS section,
/ ant You and your brothers, us We lhiuS being uL
the bottom of the mischicl and crimes committed
by the negroes in this country, We arc determined
to have peace here. and miruCss, and We warn
/ YOU now that we viii hold yUu and your brothers
personally res poujhle for all acts Of yol.nCo
| committed by negroes in this county. This Is
plain fulS, and we mean what we say. You have
been borne with by this people until they have
/ become tired aud iOTDeGruuCe ceases % be Nlr
/ tun, so YOU may beware Your brother has ul-
| ready ulgd TO commit As'us 5ula.ion, Gud we o'
| citizens viii now net in our defense against you
and your Ussassins. sO beware. I'l.
Mathews took this letter to the sheriu 0
Copah county, and all the satisfaction he
could get was the offer of the sheriff 20 Gp.
point him (Mathows) his deputy for the pur.
pose of going out to arrest this mob ut 100
who were then riding up and down tn,
country whipping and shooting negroes
Afterwnrd the "lJO," vino were "dotcrmiucd
to havo peace here and fairness" secured
them by shooting Mathews as he was deposit
ing his vote.
i The other document is equally remarkable
and explains itself lt was delivered L
Matthew'S thrco days before he was murdered
j reads rs follows:
Whereas we hive been informed Of certail
Threats Of uurs9unl violence a.ansJ lIesSTs. j. Il
| Thompson. Marion MClroe, James Horton, W. VI
/ Mitchell, ana j. W. Euat, and believing as we hay
EOou reason % do, that these threats were lhCllc
b It members u '"o ''',pO"' '1'''''' i"'''''''
. ES3olrs1 Thatif Mr. Thompson, or McC,ee o
Horton, or Mitchell, or IlsI, or thF one Ot NOR
| Ofthem be inOlcstgd or disturbed m amy muuuC
Whatever the Mathews brothers shall be hcl
accountable, and nothing less Than their bloO
viii satisfy.
The foregoing resolution was adopted BY
meeting OF citizens Of Copah county on th
third day of November, 1885.
Tho only reason for passing this blood
thirsty resolution was tho fact that prose
cu.ion had been begun against the men name
for killing negro. This was considered b.
tho l5J citizens such "disturbance' OF tines
pleasant gentlemen that nothing loss tha'
the blood Of the Mathews family woulC
, slLiaLr.