The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-19

armed men came to her house and
asked who lived there. Her husband replied,
Thomas Wallace. They said they had writ
for his arrest. A man outside said he was West
Dunbar, the sheriff of Osyka. Finally the
crowd pushed the door open and went through
the house. They attempted to throw rope over
her husbands neck. when he threw up his hands,
asking what they meant to do. One
man then shot him in the neck
Several shots were fired, one ball
striking her in the arm and passing into her hus
bands neck killed him. The men then went
away. She did not know who they were. After
her husband was killed she went to the woods
and remained there until after the election.
Handy Fortner colored, testified that he was
the first one the bulldozers came after. Two
weeks before the election a crowd came to
his house about 10 o'clock at night. G15
said he had writ for him
stealing mule. The witness continued: ''They
came in and cursed ana said they had come
for me- They made me cross my hands and fol
low them. Some of them were masked and
some were painted. They took me out to the
at my house, follow When they got to
where large crowd was, they took off my
breeches and stretched me out on the ground.
They made Pollard sit on my head and West on
my feet, and commenced lashing me- The pain
was so great that Pollard and West could not
hold me still. The mob would lash them until
they held me steady There were six
teen men in the crowd, thirteen OF
whom took hand in whipping me.
They kept it up until my body had no feeling
and ceased to halloo. After this Joe Reese
struck me forty or fifty ticks with strap. My
back was nothing but one bruised mass. They
cursed and threatened to shoot my brains out
aSd then ek % sad s gs aG G fotf T as
within one hundred miles of there
the next day they would kill me. They said the
same thing to Pollard and West l then left
my home and remained in the woods about four
oil
of my cotton. Matthews sent hands who
sisted in gathering the balance of the crop. The
negroes all slept in the woods for some time af-
ter the election as the mob continued its visits.
To Mr.. Salisbury the witness said that he had
sued named Thompson, of Claiborne
county, and had beaten him in the suit and
thought this was the reason thathe was whipped
by the mob.
Isham Gilmore, Jack Thompson, and c. L.
OnVer, all colored, testified substantially as the
previous witness concerning the reign of terror
in Copiah county.
T. A. Bondurant white Republican, testi
fed concerning the reign of terror prevailing in
Copiah county preceding the late election. 1t
county committing outrageS, as detailed by
other witnesses. Bondurant was at Matthew's
store, fifteen miles from Hazlehurst,
when the mob came there and
fired through the windows with pistols
and guns, and with shot of cannon. Orman
and Matthews were with him in the store. The
mob shouted Some one had better get away
from there" They cursed them all the time
they were around, and some said Lets string
them up" The witness frequently met these
armed men, but they did not modest HIM.
He related the incidents attending the
meeting at Hazlehurst. A mob was there.
Barksdale said he was glad to see by the faces of
the riding about the town that they were
determined to carry the election regardless of
the issue Barksdale advised them to hang F.
NJ Bufkin so high that the birds of prey could
not bury their beaks in his body.
George B. Hamilton white), of Hazelhurst
testified concerning the killing of Matthews on
election day a.. ~. ,.a