St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-03-22
COPIAH INVESTIGATION.
Representative Barkesdale Gives His
Testimony.
He and Senator Hoar are Diamond Cut
Diamond"

WASHINGTON, March 21.-Maior E. Barks-
dale. member of congress, from Mississippi,
who, according to the testimony taken by the
Copiah county, subcommittee, made a
speech at Hazlehurst, advising the Demo
Gratis to carry Copiah, county by the shotgun,
if necessary, and hang Button, the Republi-
can candidate, was before the senate sub
committee this morning, and made state
ment under oath, in his own vindication.
He denied the charge in toto. He said his
stay in Copiah has always been characterized
with love- law and order, and in the events
of last election, there was nothing inconsis-
tent with that record. He made two speeches
in Hazlehurst, in one day, before the last
election; one in the afternoon,
to procession of country peo-
pie on horseback, and the other in the evening
to the local Democratic club. He could not
remember whether the mounted men in the
afternoon procession were armed with shot
guns. His attention was called to the state
ments of witnesses about his speech, and he
pronounced all the assertions that he had en-
couraged Violence as false.
Senator Hoar asked, ''if, in the witness
opinion allusion to his peaceable and law
abiding conduct in his county, he included
the killing of Matthews"
'I have nothing to say in reference to
that That was personal difficulty between
those two parties. 1t is before courts there
and express no opinion.
s'You have said the people in the county
stand high in general character, and you
have announced that there is nothing in the
conduct of this election inconsistent with
their past history. Now wish to ask whether
if this mounted crowd went about to the
houses of colored men, whipping them,
shooting one of them, declaring as they did
it it was to compel them to vote the Demo-
cratic ticket, and compel the negroes to fee to
the woods in large numbers, and that
Matthews was shot because of his influence
as Republican leader, whether that would
change your mind as to the character of the
People"
e'Well, now I object Your inquiry has
been accomplished by your statement. You
are yourself giving testimony in matter
after the trial of Whalen for killing Matthews,
answer the question"
Senator Salisbury asked if twas right and
fair, when person was likely to be placed
Barkdale's prominence to express an opinion
upon the guilt or innocence of party and
that the party give an opinion upon an en-
tirely suppositious case, assuming that the
facts should be so and So.
Senator Hoar rejoined that Major Barks
dale had testified in regard to the character
of the elections, and the committee had evi-
dence which he supposed was overwhelming
fAffh fha p,NfiO haI IaI 10
He therefore propounded the inquiry of his
opinion remained the same in view of that
testimony. Addressing the witness Senator
Hoar continued: ''Did you read some of the
resolutions purporting to have been passed
after the election at public meeting?"
eyes, sir; have them here.''
"Well, now, may inquire whether you
approve or disapprove of the resolution?"
81 will not answer that question further
than to say the resolutions have not been
properly understood by the public, and have
been misrepresented. If you will permit, T
will refer to them, so that my understan ding
of the purport of your question may be clear.
Will you permit me, sir?''
''No, sir; you have stated you declined to
answer"
81 decline to answer without an explana-
tions of the reasons that influence may re-
ply. The resolutions are on these words
(witness read the copiah county resolutions)
regard these resolutions simply as reply to
threats that had been made by Matthews
himself and the clan he was at the head of,
against the citizens.''
''Then you mean to say you do not ap-
prove them?'
II mean to say they have been misrepre-
sented, and in my understanding"
''My question was not, whether the pub
lie has been properly informed, but whether
you approve of the resolution"
swell, my answer has been given.''
Senator Frye-sDoes he know of any
threats made by Matthews? want to know
whether the witness in his statement means
to testify he ever heard Matthews say any,
thing of the kind he has referred to?''
Witness said, she had not heard Matthews
make any threat, but had heard them from
others.
Frye-''You have no right as witness to
make that answer, and you know it.''
s'Witness-''Well sir, when you say YOU
did not know it, or you did know it, then it
is not the manner in which gentlemen ad-
dress each other.
Hoar-"Did you not know when you are
asked, as to fact, whether you know it or
not, that you are not entitled to tell what you
heard others say"
Witness-"But you asked my opinion,
when l am called upon to testify to facts''
Hoar-''You have no right to put in hear
say testimony, when you are asked as to
knowledged of facts. You say you are famil-
lar with the political history of Mississippi.
There is one resolution to the effect that
Copiah shakes hands with Yazoo. Do YOU
know what that means?"
''Well, no sir, will not undertake to in
terpret that.'
'.You had no knowledge of the facts?'
81 had nothing to do with getting up the
resolutions
''Do you remember any public fact on the
history of Yazoo which might help to inter-
pret that resolution!'
81 will not answer that question. I will
not undertake to interpret that resolution. -
Witness further said ''the people of Yazoo
were awabiding people. He knew moth
ing in the history of either Yazoo or Copiah,
which would compare with the 'Tewksbury
horror" I"
Hoar-"That you know all about
Witness-'I have seen it stated officially.
"You are acquainted with Tewksbury and
not Weu acquainted with YaZOo!"
Pretty well acquainted with both, and do
not know anything SO much to the discredit
of Yazoo as to Tewksbury."
Senator Hoar expressed the hope that the
official investigation of affairs of Yazoo coun-
ty would show them to be as false as those
respecting Tewksbury.
After some further colloquy, Senator Hoar
said: "You have said the people of Copiah
county were a law abiding people, and at the
last election they did no discredit to their
history, in that respect. call your attention
to the public meeting, largely attended, the
day after the election, at which the people
were congratulating themselves upon the re-
suit, pass resolutions that Copiah county
shakes hands with Yazoo, and 1 ask you if
you con tell what that means"
Witness-"I cannot sir. I cannot inter
pret it. 1t seems to me it is wholly irrele-