The Aberdeen examiner. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1866-current, 1884-03-20

A LOCAL DIFFICULTY NOT CAUsRD BY PARTY
POLITICS OR NATIONAL MOMENT.


The Senators charged, under Mr..
Sherman's resolution, with the investi
CATION of the alleged political outrages
in Copiah county, Miss, returned from
New Orleans yesterd y morning. "The
net T. suit of our inquiry was little but
this, said Mr. Jonas last night, "that
Mr., Matthews WIS killed on the day OF
election. No one iustifies the act. He
was desperate, WAS always armed and
constantly engaged in some difficulty,
and met his death, as such men generally
do, at the hands OF man equally reck
less. There was good deal of excite
meat in Copiah county prior to this cleo
ton, though quiet had relgned there be-
fore. An Independent ticket was in the
field, composed exclusively OF former
Democrats. except one member of the
Matthews family, who was u Republic
can. No Republican ticket was nomi.
mated. The people of the county be-
lieved the election Of this Independent
ticket would involve their affairs IN mis-
management, that money would be col
lected i'll taxes and then recklessly
squandered. They determined to pre-
veut this, If possible, and party feeling
ran high, great deal of excitement ex-
istipg. There is TO doubt that sdv''n
tage was taken OF this fact Ivy reckless
| or designing men to commit deeds Of
violence to revenge private wrongs or
supposed grievances The matters in-
volved in the election were strictly local,
and no political significance Gould be
| attached to it heyoud int rests centerlng
in the affairs Of The county.
"There WAS no question of Na'iona'
importanca involved, ana il was matter
with which Congress has no more to do
than with the Investigation OF the map-
ner in which the Tewkshury almshouse
was mnnag. Il in Massachusetts,.
1--WE took the testimony of number
of reputable witnesses, who proved that
the people of .Ac county were peaceable,
law abiding and religious, as much SO as
those of any county in the land; thnt an
immense majority Of them were opposed
to all acts of violence or outrage, aud are
in favor OF the strict enforcement OF the
laws.
There has been no term of court held
since The killing of Matthews or the
other alleged outrages. The court meets
in April. and have no doubt that a full
investigation will be had OF all the
charges made, and that the accused per-
sous will be tried aud, if guilty, will lie
convicted and punished.
al do not consider that the evidence
shows in the slightest degree that the
people of CopiHh county. its officers or
courts are unwilling or unable to punish
any and all iufractious of law or dis
turbances Of the peace. We took the
testimony of lifelong Republicans, who
fully just1si and defended the people
If the county No doubt partisan ac-
counts of the testimony taken have been
telegraphed through the country, and
probably but meagre accounts Of the
evidence for the defense sent, but when
the full evidence is placed before the
country it will be seen that the people
Ct Copiah county, rs people, have been
maligned and sandered. 1t will also
appear that National Investigation has
been ordered at great expense and trou
BILE of events such IA may and do occur
in nearly every county III the land"
"Was there any difficulty about geto
ting evidenced"
None whatever. Both sides had all
the witnesses that they called for. and no
charge was made in the committee that
any intimidation had been attempted to
keep Republican witnesses from coming.
On the contrary nv opinion is that the
witnesses for the majority gave much
louder ana fuller evidence than they
would have done at home. In fact the
chief witness for the prosecution, if |
may 80 term it, admitted on cross'ex-
animation that he advised the commits
tee not to go to Copiah county, because
they could not get the kind OF evidence
they wanted out Of Witnesses unless they
took them away from home"
"Was the inquiry cut short for the
want of fuuds2"
"No; we got through before the con-
tingent fund gave out. We had no iaunt
of it, can tell you. Our sessions oc>
cupied nine hours each day, and We sat
all day during the Nardl Gres. We were
down there two weeks and examined 100
witnesses, including the whole Mathews
family, who we're the cause Of all the
trouble"
Mr.. Jonas appeared much fNtigued by
his journey and was spared further ques-
| tlonlng.