The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-02-13
Anxiety of the House to Forfeit Railroad
Land Grants-A Case in Which an
Exception Should Be Made,
Special Pensioners of the Gentle Sex,
and How Much They Are Paid.
Attorney General Brewster Requested to Ex-
plain the Causes of Delay in Furnish
ing 0piniOnS-0ther Notes.
THE COPIAH INVESTIGATION.
But Little Prospect That the Committee Will
Accomplish Anything.

Accomplish Anything.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Feb EDO you expect any
satisfactory results from the investigation by the
Senate committee of the Copiah outrages" asked
the journal correspondent of a prominent Mis-
sissippi Republican to-day
81 am neither prophet, nor the son of
prophet replied he, ''but 1 will bet basket of
champagne that the committee will get but little
testimony to show that the killing of Print Mat
thews has any political significance"
'Why notl"
'Simply because it will be as much as a mans
life is worth TO testify against the perpetrators
of the Copiah outrage. The Matthews brothers
and poor Mrs. Matthews can doubtless be relied
on to speak out boldly and fearlessly but their
testimony will be impeached as coming from the
lips of prejudlced witnesses. 1t will be easy for
the Democrats to say that Mrs Matthews intellect
has become unhinged by reason of her husbands
Heath The evidence of the dead mans brothers
Uill also be objected to, as colored by party bias
and fraternal love. Where, then, will the com
mittee find its witnesses Do you suppose that
the hundreds of colored men in that mob-ridden
county dare open their lips and speak the truth?
Not they. God help them their lot is bitter
enough now, without inviting fresh prosecutions
at the hands of their cruel tormenGors. The
only way for the committee to secure reliable
and valuable testimony is to guarantee every
one safe transportation to distant State and
capital enough to start in life anew, for every
moment spent in Copiah after giving his evil
dence would be perilous to his life and limbs.
The fate of the witnesses who testified before
the congressional committee in 1875 will be an
effective warning to anyone disposed to
testify to the truth now. 1t
will doubtless starte you to learn that nearly
every Republican who testified then has either
been killed or found it convenient to leave the
State. can't recall all the names now but here
are few: j. p Matthews, of Copiah county,
was killed recently; so was w. II. Foote, of
Yazoo county. c. w. Clarke, of Washington
county is now in Missouri Chisholm and
Gilmer, of Kemper county, are dead, and the
remnants Of their families are here in Washing
ton. Fl. 2. Hurst of Copiah is no longer in the
State. Caldwell and Wellborn are here There
are scores of others, but can't think of them
just at present.
What line OF defense do you expect the Dem
Ocrats to take in this matterl"
On,b ney Will uOuDUleSS Iu11llSn eye-W witnesses
who will swear that the killing of Matthews
done in self-defense; that Matthews had threat
ened to take Wheelers life, and in the act
Of carrying his threat into execution, when his
purpose was arrested by well-directed load of
buck shot. They will also, doubtless, furnish
mass of evidence to the effect that Matthews.
was perpetual menace to tn peace of society,
an organizer of negro clubs trained to do his
bidding and vote at his will; that the finances
of the county were in danger Of attack from his
election to office, and that honest and good gov
eminent depended upon the destruction of his
political influence. To accomplish this there
vas bat one way: to remove him on the Guiteau
plan, and it was, therefore, with sigh of relief
and howl of Joy that they hailed his killing in
Apersonal encounter"
DO you think it good plan for the commit
Nee to sit in New Oreans9"
"Good! Phsaw, they might as well sit here. I
san easily understand, however, why the com
nittee prefers New Orleans to Copiah."
'Whyp
Because there are quadroon balls in Co
piah History teaches that senatorial commit
fees have great weakness for quadroon balls"