Daily Republican., 1884-02-22
MURDER AND DEMOCRACY.

MURDER AND DEMOCRACY.
J MuvderlDg Republicans II Missli
s1ppl fer Ne Cslme-Bsvlew o
Senate nvest1gatlOn.
NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 2l.-In the sl
days testimony which 1t has occupies
in listening to some fifty witnesses tn
Mississippi Investig eating Committee ha
ascertained q state Of facts worse tina
Its members expected 10 find. II ha
been amply proven that last Fall tn
elections were carried by the Bourbon
only after q reign of terror by m0bs
headed by Democratic politicians ant
abetted by congressman and State OH
cials, from the Governor down.
In some counties the Independents
we're counted out, in others they with
drew their tickets the week befOr'
election. In Copiah, where few
brave men were at the head OF th'
Opposition, the Democrats drove tn,
Degroes to the woods by numbering
some and whipping others, broke W
Independent meetings, patrolled the
county by night by a regularly orga
nized and armed mob, disregarded all
the appeals of people for the punish.
ment of these crimes, held public
meetings approving the use Of force,
picketed the polling places with armed
men. drove away Re publican officers oi
election and notified their leaders not to
go to the polls.
POOR MATTHEW'S FATE.
The strongest and best Repub lican in
the county,a man whom every witness,
including Democrats and clergymen,
has testified was an honorable, peaceful
and wealthy man, was notified not 10
vote. He expressed his intention of
doing so. The mob, under the lead Of
the chairman of the Democratic Com
mittee, drew lots to see who should
murder him at the polling place. Know.
ing that he was in danger, but persist
ing in voting, he was unresistingly
murdered by the chosen assassin, an old
personal friend.
No sooner was 1t done than the news
was telsgraphed all over the country
that Matthews was killed, and the vic
torious Democracy drove off Republi-
cans, threatening them with Mat.
thews' fate. A few weeks later the
murderer IL chosen city marshal, sent
as delegate TO q prohibitory conven-
ton, and becomes prominent candi-
date before the Legislature for the posi-
ton Of Commissioner of Railroads.
None Of the criminals are punished.
Grand juries, ministers Of the Gospel,
sheriffs, mayors and practicing attor-
oil nd , I'd Har q ra
not considered crime. The best men
In the community swore that, while
they did not approve of these proceed.
ings, they did not dare to object on &C
count of universal terrorism. They
adopted more civilized plan In Kinds
County, as testified TO by United States
Attorney Ware. What" demanded
Senator Salisbury. cover there they
counted the Republicans out. Do you
call that civilized ?" eyes, com pared
with deliberate murder, as 1t was in
Copiah," was Wares reply.
No one can doubt that there was in
Thsmas Sinclair, a very
intelligent colored man, who was a
for Secretary of State in 1869
as Democrat, did not dare remain In
the county and went to Jackson at cleo
ton time He had bt en- Democrat un-
Til two years ago, but he left that
party because he thinks they mean to
negroes. 81 was slave,
he satd;" and BY hard work have
money enough TO buy
l 900 acres of land with stock, with q
steam mill, but had to sell for half the
assessed value and leave the country
He has taken no part in politics of late,
but he does not feel safe.
DRIVEN TO THE WOODS.
A thorough system of terrorization
the armed mob driving the
colored men to the woods, and on
election day forming Gordon of men
with shot guns about the polls, 80 that
many Independent inspectors refused
to act AMI hardly any of their party
voted. The murder of Matthews was
and sent to every polling
place, causing great joy among the
Democrats and convincing their oppO-
nents that it was no use to vote. We
are going to carry this county, no mat
ter if we have to kill men" as testified
to by dozen witnesses, was the current
talk among Democrats. Matthews, the
most prominent Independent in the
county, was selected to be butchered as
an example for the rest.
Richard Cogswell, inspector of the
testified that he saw Matthews
shot. He was in the room with five
The moment he deposited
his ballot Wheeler shot him dead.
son in.law, also armed, was
keeping guard at the door. All the tes.
timony shows that the killing was
deliberate plot. Cogswell had heard
some one say that Matthews carried
pistol to shoot Democrats with. 81
don't blame him if he did," blurte.l out
senator Frye, but that is all the evi.
ience 80 far in that direction. On the
other hand, Noah Ramsey, q young
White man. swOre that he heard Wood,
candidate for Coroner, say
)n the day before election that Matthews
would be killed any way, and 80 would
his brother, if the latter was elected
sheriff
Henry Hodges said, at Tailhola,
when the news of the murder came
81 have known for week it was going
to be done" Walter p. Ware, a Demo.
cratic store keeper at Hazlehurst,
swore that Mead, chairman Of the
Committee, told him that
in accordance with agreement with a
club, he had ordered can
non fired as soon as Matthews was shot;
he had advised Matthews to leave, but
the latter had been promisen pro-
lection by tho Sheriff. Sheriff Hard
graves has been accused Of trying to
lrputlze Matthews to quiet the mob,
in ord TO have him shot. William.