The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-07-23
DEMOCRATS MURDERED.


ON Friday evening last an Incl
dent occurred at Mobile, Ala, which
has created more excitement than
any event since the war. On the
4th of July a Democratic meeting
was disturbed by the presence OF a
mob Of negroes led by Frank Win
ney, who had but recently been lib
Grated from the penitentiary. As
the Democrats left the ground in a
wagon the negroes fired upon them,
killing on man, dangerously wound
ing four and slightly wounding four
others. Charles Smith was killed,
William ID. Goodman, Willie Kelly,
Peter Clark, Thomas l. Espalla,
Patrick Malone, c. T, Cowart, James
Adams aud Wilbur Cappell were
wounded, some of them mortally.
These men were mechanics, report
cd rs law abiding citizens, and brut-
ally shot down in broad daylight for
the crime of attending a Democratic
meeting The outrage has created
intense excitement, and is feared
will yet produce a collision between
the races. In order to prevent riot
aud bloodshed, the Democratic Ex~
ecutive Committee has issued the
following address, counseling mOder-
alton and forbearance
The Democracy of the country Of
Mobile, whose firmness, moderation
and wisdom has tor years guaran- I
Uecd peace and good order TO this peO~
PIE. has been made the object of a |
general assault ut the hands of hid /
den aSSassins. IL the presence OF
this enormous prOvocatiOn this COM
mittee feels it 10 be its duty to cOun-
sci alsJlute prudence, moderation
aud fOrbearanCe. liz Is more TO the 4
honor OF good citizens TO suffer such
outrages than 10 commit them. I'm
der the constitution Of the State and
OF the United States, the people
have the right TO peaceably assem-
bic, and 10 20 TO and from all proper
places OF meeting in safety ard with
out molestation. At the Democratic /
meeting held on the 4th instant in /
this county, unlimited enemies of
the party appeared upon the ground |
in large numbers, and from the be-
ginning manifested a deliberate pull
pose To disturbe the proceedings /
After the meeting had closed band |
of such enemies, armed with clubs, |
sticks and pistols, persistently follow
cd and abused a wagon load of our
workingmen, who were quietly re-
turning 10 their homes. Not con
tent with administering insults, a
volley ut last was fired into the crowd
ed wagon, which resulted in the
killing of one and wOundingOfseven.
The greater part Of who were thus
wautOnly attacked were inoffensive
mechanics, who were enjoying a
day recreation. Across the cottage
door of one of these the shadows of
death have already fallen, while the
life OF another Is in daily peril. Up
ON the heads of those who may
have instigated the conduct of this
riOtOus mob must tall the blood of
these innocent men; upoH the heads
of those whose hands did the dark
deed must fall the stern judgment
of the law. In the meantime we
earnestly appeal 10 every true Dem
ocrat to counsel and practice for
bearance and moderation. In the
presence of a common danger, those
who now propose to be loyal TO their
race must stand resolutely together.
The right to peaeeably assemble
cannot be surrendered, and the safe
" of those who do assemble must
be guaranteed along the highways
but all this must be done within the
strict limits of the law. The vigil
aucc of this committee will be in
creasing; its means Of knowledge
will be ample; aud il will be swift to
detect and expose those among the
enemies of the Democracy who are
now seeking TO bring about a riot
and blOOdshed.
The spirit Of moderation and
obedience To law thus manifested
when there Is 80 much to provoke
swiftand fearful retributiOn is worthy
Of all praise. The COpiah country
riot i dwarfed into significance by
this outrage upon the Democrats of
Mobile county, Ala. Before Con
gress adjourned il was known at
Washington that one Democrat had
been murdered and seven others shot /
down like dogs; yet John Sherman
offered no resolutions for the pLr-
pose of appointing n committee to
investigate these murdsrers of Dem
ocrats. The Cincinnati riots and |
the brutal murder of Democrats at
Mobile on Friday last by Republi~
can negroes will silence ia the future |
the howl about the Danville and /
COpiah riots.