National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-02-21
THE COPIAH KUKLUX.
Continuation Of the Outrageous Story Of In
tmidatiOn and Murder.
The Murder OF Matthews Described by the
Man Who Took His Ticket.

NEW ORLEANS Feb. 2o-At yesterdays
session of the United States senate commit
tee investigating the alleged outrages in
Copiah county, Mississippi, J. b. Allen (white)
testified: Am n member of the independent
committee. My brother was secretary OF the
democratic committee. l received PROPOSE
tion from my brother that we both withdraw,
as there was going to be trouble, but declined.
On the Saturday before the election many men
belonging to the mob came to my house and
advised mo to join them, saying that II did
not do so my house or gin house might bo
burned 1 declined to join the mob. fol-
lowed tho mob over TO Frank Hayes's. j saw
the latter. His leg had been shot to pieces
with buckshot, and his wife had beeu shot
four times. / heard more shooting for two
weeks preceding the election than l have
heard before or since left the confederate
army in 1865. At Tail Holt on election day
the democrats pretended to receive dis
| patches from various points giving accounts
Of the killing of negroes. / did not vote.
1t was we'll understood that arms were
stacked near by. There never was more
ridiculous report in circulation than that
tho negroes were going to rise. | did not
attend the last Independent meeting because
my courage failed me. ] was advised not to
20. The negroes were timd. Ono white
man in Copiah county could rout twenty-five
negroes. 1t was charged that Matthews was
going to arm the negroes. No white man
believed this report-not ono. / owned a
small farm. 1t cost 5000. have offered it
for $500, but there were no takers. If i
could sell out would 60 away.
Noel Ramsey, white, testified: l formerly
lived in Copiah county. Know d. G. Woods.
The evening before the election l heard
Woods say Matthews would be killed and l..
NJ Matthews, If elected sheriff. would also be
killed. Woods was the democratic candi-
date for coroner.
w. w. Burkin, white, testified: / live
twenty miles from Hazlehurst. My brother
in-law, who is democrat, advised mo to re-
main at home. ! went to Tail Holt to vote.
Saw six men there with guns. Were no col
ored men there. They had been run OFF.
Several negroes were at the polls, but the
white men cursed them and drove them away.
/ heard Henry Hartman, democrat, say when
the report was received that Matthews had
been killed that he had known for week
that Matthews would be killed that day.
B. i. Casey, white testified: l reside in
Copiah county. was formerly democrat
For the past four years l have been an inde-
pendent. [This testimony was substantially
| the same as that of preceding witnesses con-
cerning armed mon riding over the country,
and the effect produced on the colored men.
Witness went to Tail Holt precinct to vote
| but did not do so, owing to the violent demon
stration made by armed democrats. While
there be heard s. s. Stearns yell out, boys.
get your guns; the negroes are coming armed" ]"
They well knew this was not true. They
knew tho independents were not going to
use force. Ileft the polls, and soon after met
Minister Campbell. He said he never had
witnessed such outrageous conduct as at Tail
Holt. He advised me not to return there
Perry Butler made remark while was at
the polls that they would get some Of the
independents before night"
L. g. Williamson, white, testified: l am q
native of Mississippi. Was mayor Of Hazle-
hurst last year. Saw body of armed men
on the Monday before the election. Saw
three or four men with guns on election day.
Prior to the election Barlow and Matthews
| made an affidavit before mo. They charged
the men with shooting into houses in the
county. Igave q writ to the sheriff un-
derstood that some of the men were in town
citement declined to hold court. j did not
think it prudent to undertake tho trial OF
any of these men for being in that crowd.
When young Hart was arraigned before me
for shooting Burnett he said that the Hazle-
hurst bar would defend him. Witness said
| the bar appear to defend Hart, who was
bound over to the circuit court. Ho was told
that the grand jury had failed to find q
bill. The testimony taken at
tho preliminary investigation had been
submitted to the grand jury. For some days
before the election l heard rumors that armed
men were riding over the county day and
night. When Crump's house was burned
affidavit was made against Norman and Little.
| The cases never came TO trial. Crumps atil-
davit charged that armed men came at night,
fired into his house and burned it. Crump
| finally withdrew the affidavit. The district
attorney advised me to allow Crump to with
draw the affidavit. understood that o COM
| promise had been made, Crump's losses, or a
portion of them. having been made good.
The better class Of democrats OF Hazlehurst
| did not encourage violence. The armed men
were mostly from Copiah county. Matthews
was IN earnest and determined republi-
| can, He owned O good deal of property in
real estate. There was nothing against him
but his politics.
Cross examined: Witness said on account
of the excitement and because of the fact that
the crime was committed outside of my juris'
| dicton, / thought 1t best to allow the CrumI
case to be withdrawn. Crump told me he was
having q lawsuit with Little and Norman
and attributed the burning Of his house in
part to this fact, though politics also had
something to do with it. / consider that Q
large majority Of the democrats of Copiah
county are opposed to violence and in favor
| oil law ana Oru6r. Wuccicii Nuo AAiou DIas'
| thews, waived examination and was bailed IN
5000. Murder is not bailable otense IL
| Mississippi.
Henry Edwards and Jefferson Shields (both
negroes) testified to being waited upon by
armed white men strung up to trees, and told
if they voted and did not vote the democratic
ticket they would be killed.
The latter also testified that he heard shoot
ing throughout the county on Saturday ant
| Sunday.
Thomas Sinclair (colored) testified / lived
ten years in beat No. 3, Copiah county.
was a candidate on the democratic ticke
for secretary of state in 1879. Last election
l acted with the independents. 1 went tt
Jackson on the Thursday before the election
because / didn't think il safe to remain a
home / came back on the Saturday befor
election. / saw a body Of armed men. The!
didn't bother me. l own 1000 acres of lanC
and employed hands. When | came back al
the colOred men were lying out in the woods
didn't vote myself Some few colored mel
voted, but, as rule, they did not vote
Ny property is taxed at $4,000. j would sci
il for half its value and 60 away, but no on
will buy it. have wife and seven children
Nobody ever molested me. don't think tn
majority of democrats in Copiah count
favor violence.
William Jordan (colored), detailed the cir
cumstances of armed men visiting his hous
tho night before the election. He did nc
vote, because he was afraid
John Smith (colored) testified: l live i
beat No. 3. Have lived there fifty years
own property. am republican. crow
of armed men came TO my house on th
SATURDAY. night before election and fire