Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-02-17
CoP1AH CoUNTY,s ELECTIONS.
The Widow and Children of Matthews
Appear Before the Senate Committee.

Appear Before the Senate Committee.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 16.-The Senate
investigation into the Copiah county,
Miss, Outrages was continued to-day. A.
w. Burnett, Chairman of the Independent
Executive Committee of Copiah county,
was recalled. He is a native OF Missis-
sippi. and his father resides 20 miles from
HazlehUrst. The witness testified at great
length, reciting what he knew about
outrages from common report,
substantially corroborating the testimony
of L. H. Matthews, given Yesterday, that
several cOlOred men had been killed and
others shot and whipped and otherwise
roughly handled, and election tickets of
the Independents sent for distribution
taken from them and destroyed by bands
of armed Democrats. The witness had
denounced the Outrages perpetrated by
these armed and mounted bands of Demo-
Gratis as cOwardly and inhuman. His
friends advised him not to talk so
loud. After being shot and when
cOnValescent the witness remained
ten days or longer at the resi-
dence Of p. j. Matthews, who was his
friend. He went to Christian Springs the
day before the election, and was advised
not to return to HaZlehurst, but he did re-
turn there on Thursday after the election.
His friends advised him to leave, and he
did so, as he did not consider his life safe.
He would not return there to live. He
had been warned not to return. He be-
lieVed that if he did he would be killed.
The Republican speeches made during the
campaign were not inflammatory and did
not appeal to race prejudices. Some of
the Democratic speeches were very threat
ening.
DIRK AND PISTOL.
Upon the cross-examtnation by Sena-
tor Salisbury the witness said that on
September he saw Heart and seven
others standing on the corner as he pass.
ed. Heart accused the witness of max
ing disparaging remarks about him,
which the witness denied. Heart called
the witness "a liar;" whereupOn the wit
ness drew dirk knife and made a Iunge
at Heart, cutting his coat; Heart at the
time was attempting to draw pistol;
both ran; Heart turned and fired, shoot
ing the witness through the thigh. The
witness went to Washington in Decem-
Der; saw Senators HOar, Frye and Sher-
man, and furnished the names of persons
as witnesses who had been outraged.
THE MOB NOT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
WHOLE PARTY.
His object in going to Washington was
to ascertain whether or not Republicans
in the South could be protected from
being whipped, abused and murdered like
dogs. If they could not they ought to
know it, and quit voting. He told Re-
publicans in Washington that he con-
sidcred an investigation of the COpiah
county Outrages at Hazlehurst to be a
farce. Witnesses would be intimidated
and terrified by mob. By a mob he
meant 100 Democrats who were riding
over the county committing outrages.
The total vote of COpiah county was over
1900, and the Democratic vote was 1000,
COUNSEL UNoBTAINABLE.
J. NJ. Matthews was recalled. He relat-
ed attempts to get counsel to prosecute
Heart for shooting Burnett.
j. L. Mead said that the bar of Halle
hurst would defend Heart. Matthews
| could not secure counsel. Burnett finally
obtained an attorney from Osyka.
THE MURDERED MANS WIDOW.
Mrs. Matthews, the widow of j. p.
Matthews, testified that she and her hus-
! band were born and reared in COpiah
county. She is now living at Oxford and
Will not return to Hazlehurst to live, al
/ though her husbands property is there.
She considered the resolutions sent to her
on the day her husband was buried suffi-
/ cient reason for her determination not to
/ return.
On the day before the November elec-
I tiOns she saw an armed mob pass her
| house, several of them remarking that
| somebody had better get away. After
/ passing the house the mob halted Mr..
McCree came back to the house and pre-
sented a resolution, purpOrting to have
! been adopted by the people of the town,
| stating that It's best interests would be
subserved if her husband abstained from
voting, and advising him to do so. Mr..
Matthews replied that he had as good a
right to vote as any one, and intended to
eXerciseit.
MATTHEW'S GENTLENEss.
Her husband had dealings at his store
with Republicans and Democrats alike
He was kind, generous and charitable.
| and contributed literally to churches.
No one ever came to him for assistance
and went away without it. He always
spoke kindly of his neighbors. He kept
! open house and entertained a great deal.
She knew no reason for the killing other
| than politics. She saw mob on election
day after her husband had been murder
ed. Some came and stood about the yard
While others had band playing. They
were firing guns and seemed to enjoy
themselves. She never knew of her hus-
hand endeavoring to excite animOslty
among the people or to stir up race preju-
dices. All liked him except for his politics.
THE DEAD MANS CHILDREN ON THE
STAND.
Miss Mary Matthews, Miss Jessie Mat
] tbews and S. S. Matthews, aged respective
1 Iy IS, IS e.:a .:d 90 90 years; children of the
/ late J. p. Matthews, testified UUIi J DC so-
substantially the testimony of their
mother. Miss Mary Matthews further
said that on election day, when she
| heard the gun fired, she told her
mother that she knew that her father
hrd been killed, and at once started
/ for the polling place. The door was shut,
and the men in charge refused to let her
/ in, but finally her uncle came and opened
/ the door and she saw her father lying there
/ dead. Miss Jessie Matthews testified
I further that they were expecting Burnett
! to return from Crystal Springs on Tues
! day evening. She heard a mob about the
! house threaten Burnett's life. Her brother
notified him by letter and her sister tele-
! graphed to him not to return. Mr.. Frye
conducted the examination for the Repub-
| licans. There beinge no other witnesses
present, the committee adjourned until