The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-01-02
Hrs. Matthew'S Story Of Her Husbands
Murder.

ALilOAbuti0tS man VIM W O1 nAulAOiN0 Nv
Hazlehurst, Miss, simply because he
Jared to be a Republican. is herewith
given. The shooting Of Matthews takes
It's place in the long and terrible record
of blood-guiltiness heaped up against
the South, that must some day culmi-
nate in some terrible punishment. Com
munities and individuals alike, sooner
or later, must pay the penalty for out
raging Divine laws; and though at
present political intolerance may con-
done the shedding OF innocent blood
and reward its red-handed authors,
retrlbution will surely come:
Mrs. Matthews, in reply to my request that
q recital of the circumstances leading up to
and associated with the Hazlehurst tragedy,
said that she had no disposition to parade her
sorrows before the public, nor. TO conceal
them, IL their publication would have a ten
denoy TO save others from a similar desola-
ton. She had received from journalists and
others repeated requests for q statement, but
she had written nothing So many horrible
things had been dene In Mississippi since the
war, which for time seemed TO arouse the
whole Nation, and then be forgotten that she
had little hope that her sad story would bene-
fit any one.
Mrs Matthews went on to say that she and
her husband had known each other from
childhood, and were married about the be-
ginning OF the war. Mr.. Matthews always
entertained the political opinions for which
he was murdered. In 1SG0,when mere boy,
he made Union spec sh, which excited the
hostility OF the Democrats, who were as intol-
Grant then as now. He was firm In maintain
ing his convictions, generally successful IN
whatever he undertook, and aside from his
politics, as popular as any man In the coun-
ty and more prosperous In his business than
most of his neghbors. For many years he
had believed his assassination possible at
any time, Us has been stated by the Coplah
f0intv Signal, and that fact had caused her
to watch his course more closely, and take
more interest In politics than she otherwise
would.
"As far back as 1870" she said. ian armed
and angry mob OF Democrats marched In pro-
cession in front of our house, carrying n life
sized cotnn, with my husbands name upon II,
tolling bell as they marched, and we had
many such warnings of what finally bete us.
AT the late election my husband was Chair
man of the Republican County Committee,
and Amos Burnett was Chairman of the In
dependent Committee. They and their friends
deemed II best 20 make mp the ticket mainly
Of Independents and liberal Democrats A
brother OF Mr.. Matthews, who was nominated
for Sheriff. was the only Republican placed
upon II. When this ticket was first put ous
everybody. including Democratic county
ceptlonable one; but when, they saw that IL
would certainly be elected the Bourbons en-
tered on their campaign OF blood. Six weeks
before the election MIR. Burnett Independent
Chairman, was shot down by Democrat, He
was carried TO our house TO be nursed, where
he fingered until two days before the election,
when threats of further violence forced him
to leave. A week before the election bands
OF armed men commenced night-raidinE,
whipping and numbering negroes and driv-
ing them from their homes and 10 sleep IN the
woods. One excellent old man, who was
seventy years old, and who had harmed no
one. was called out of his house at midnight
and shot TO death. and his wife seriously
wounded. His only crime was that he had ex-
pressed a preference for the anti-Bourbon
ticket Several others were killed In SINH
lar manner The house OF Erastus Matthews
was fired Into by the mob. and the houses OF
many other Independents and Republicans
were visited and threats OF violence freely
indulged aud. in several cases, the men Sc
verely whipped.
"By the Saturday before the election the
reign OF terror had become so great that DR..
Barlow and others brought TO Hazlehurst a
petition directed 10 the Sherin and signed by
sixty white men, asking for protection, or or
ders to protect themselyee. and they made
afiidavit Tor the arrest OF the rioters, but no
attention was paid 20 the demand. On the
same day my husband received in the mail a
letter, signed by authority OF the Democratic
Club, threatening his life, and, later In the
day, reliable person came to my husband
and informed him TINT he had overheard a
Mead. the Chairman Of the Demotatic Com
rnittee, and others. In which II was proposed
TO deputize him 10 go out and arrest the riot
ers, some OF them remarking that IL would be
good way OF having him killed.
"At nrst we thought our informant must
have misunderstood the conversations but us
we were sitting down 10 tea on Saturday even
ing Sheriff HarRraves, his Deputy, Lowe, and
Mead came to our gate, aud on being invited
In 10 make known their business they stated
that they wished 10 deputize my husband to
go out and arrest the persons against whom
afiidavit had been made. This was In my
presence. and my husband replied that they
well knew he was NOT the proper man 70
make the arrest, and that their wanting him
20 undertake 10 verified what he had heard a
few hours before-that they had agreed on
that plan OF having him assasslnated. They
OF course denied II, but there is no doubt OF
its truth. On Saturday night we kept lights
burning all night, expecting the effort 10 as
sassinate, and you can well imagine the terri.
BILE suspense. On Sunday armed bodies OF
men were riding through the streets, as on
Saturday. On Monday the excitement had
increased.
CONGRESSMAN Barksdale was to speak 20
the mob In the day and again IN the evening,
and he did make the two speeches. Five hun
dned men armed with guns were IN line. My
husband was at home with sick daughter,
after him. Our family physician went tothem
and informed them OF the critical condition
OF our daughter, and pleaded with them moi
10 20 TO the house, but late In the afternoon
about hundred OF them, with Chairman
Mead at their head, rode up near our house
and sent John McLemore with note 10 Mr..
Matthews, which you may copy II you
choose.
That note was written on half sheet OF
note paper In a business hand, but with ap-
parent haste. Itisin the following words:
"WHEREAs, II ID thought that the public In.
terest will be subeeved by Print Matthews
absenting himself from the polls on election
day; therefore be IL
aResolped, That Print Matthews be ordered
10 keep withii his own enclosures tomorrow
Adopted by citizens OF C0piah County this the
9TH day Of November, 1888.
AFTER reading the note my husband told
McLemore that he was free man, and had
as much right 10 vote as any OF them, and
that he would exercise the right
"Mr. Barksdaes speeches. especially the
one at night were well calculated to encour
are violence. He told them among othei
things to carry the election II they had 10 dc
II nc the muzzle OF their guns. THIS was heard
by all and fully talked about. l have read q
denial OF II by some one for him, but Mr.
Barksdale Is too bold and too truthful mar
10 deny II himself.
.On the morning OF the election we were
all in deep trouble. Mr.. Matthews ate nc
breakfast, but after II was over, replying tC
his brother, Leon. he said: Yes will vote,
and went 10 his store. situated near the polls
! never saw him again In life but faithful AND
truthful friends have told me the horrors thai
followed.
~"The room in which the election was held Il
about a hundred yards from our house. il
has a cellar, which is entered by trap-dool
from the inside. When the polls were opened
my husband went 70 them with handful oi
tickets where he found Wheeler who was q
act as Democratic challenger, and the otiiceri