The state journal., 1884-02-23
THE SOUTHERN OUTRAGES.
HOW BOURBON RULE is SUs
TANNED IN MISSISSIPPI.
The Heartrendering Tales Told by
Independent Voters Before the
House Committee in New
Orleans.


Those who sat and listened to the
testimony taken before the Hoar in
vestigating committee to-day OBJ
tanned a strange insight into the po-
litical methods whichkeep Mississippi
in the Bourbon fold Stories Of whip
pings and Of the shooting Of colored
people, of white men murdered and
their buildings burned, of sudden re-
sort to the pistol, OF ballots amounted
aud Of negroes hiding in the woods
were told SO circumstantialiy that
they apparently left no room for
doubt. Next u Senator Salisbury
as bis advisor, sat ore Of the insti
gators Of these outrages watching
each witness With look that made
some Of the ncgrIc, trembe. Dave
Bell, chairman of the Republican
county committee, told how he was
whipped and made 10 give up tis
ballots. He is q skrcwd man who
has been given miner place about
the Mississippi legislature. LIE re
membered who the men were who
dashed him. but refused TO tel. The
widow Of Tom WALTZ, lettering with
one arm ia sling, described with
rude pathos how two weeks before
election the mob came To her house.
Two Of them, masked, entered. Her
husband, who wos All active Repub
lican, meet them. 81 am the sheriff
from Brookhaven, and | want you,'
said the leader. Wallis protested.
They tried 10 put rope around his
neck, and be threw it Of. They then
began to shoot, and in a minute
Wallis was dead, his wife wounded,
and the 20 men who had stood about
the cabin were galoping down The
road.
What did you DO then?" said Mr..
Frye.
Il took to de woods, sah," was the
reply. "Most of de cullud folks was
sleepin' ont den. ! stayed out Of my
house aboyr four weeks
One son, Sam Wells, stout-look.
ing fellow. saw and recognized some
Of the mob. III stayed at home. II
knowed they could kill me if they
wanted to, ana | thought | would
keep my groucd,' he said. lie voted
and was not molested.
Then came Handy Father, a good
looking negro, who was whipped
nearly 10 death by the mob. IF you
vote the Radio 1 ticket we will blow
your brains out he was admonshed.
He did creep to the polls early, then
fled to the woods and never returned.
Two boys were mado to hold him
while be was whipped, ara were then
whipped themselves. Old Isham
Gelmore, bowed with years and doub
led up with rheumatism, testified that
he had been visited and warned if he
voted the Republican ticket he would
be killed. He did it and took to the
woods. ''Dar is q mighty big settle
ment Of cullud people up our way"
he went on, "and de biggest part Of
dem laid out at night, for dey dasn't
stay at home. Some white men was
in de woods, too, but dey was all
Republicans. We all had to lay out
like possums when dc dogs are after
dem
9. L. Oliver, another colored man,
showed how Republican meetings
were broken up. He was an active
canvasser, and went into various parts
Of the country. He was frightened
at last with the rest, and only went
home to feed his cattle. The rest of
the time be was hiding. As these
poor people narrated their experiences
it was notable how anxious they were
to tell nothing but the truth. At in
tervals they would turn to Senator
Saulsbury's supporter to support their
statements j. w. Bonderand,
young white man, gave the most
striking testimony of the day. His
father was an officer in the rebel
army, but the son is Republican.
described the rule of the mob, its
night rulings and threats. It's mem
bers told him repeatedly, 1--WE are
preparing to carry this country, no
matter who is hurt" The night be-
fore election he went to hear Con
gresham Barksdale speak in the
court house. More than 100 armed
men were together in the centre.
Barksdale addressed them, saying
that he was gid to see in their faces
Q fixed determination to carry the
election, no matter what was the
Issue. He advised them to hang f.
"A. Bucks, the Republican Supervisor,
% high that the birds Of prey could