Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-06-11
Drawing the Line at Murder.

/
The President has demanded the res
ignation of G. r. Meade, recently ap-
pointed postmaster at Hazlehurst, Copi-
alb county, Miss. Mr.. Cleveland evident
ly has decided to draw the line on
Democratic appointments at MURDER
Meade was the chairman of the Copiah
county Democratic Committee, in 1888
and was the chief instigatOr of and ac-
cessory to the murder of Print Matthews,
who was shot down in cold blood, be-
cause he persisted in the exercise of his
right to vote the Republican ticket at
the election held in that county on the
9th of November, 1888. Meade did not
pull the trigger that sent the fatal shot
to Matthews heart, but be, "5y lot" as
signed to E. B. Wheeler, one of his red>
shirted henchmen, the bloody work. The
day previous to the election meeting
of prominent Democrats in the vicinity
was held, over which this man Meade
presided. At the meeting the following
resolution was adopted, and committee
of one hundred, with Meade at its head,
was appointed to present it:
Whereas, 1t is thought that the public
interest will be subserved by Print
Matthews absenting himself from the
polls on election day, therefore be it
Resolved, That Print Matthews be
ordered to keep within his own inelos-
ures tomorrow.
Adopted by citizens of Cepiah county,
this, the 5th day of November, 1888.
The gang then retired, and Meade, "by
lot" assigned to this man Wheeler the
political duty of killing Matthews if he
dared to disregard this warning. Mat
thews did disregard it, and appeared at
the polls and voted. when be was shot
down like dog by Wheeler. according
to the order Of the Democratic commit
tee, with Meade at its head. On the day
following Democratic meeting
was held to joIlify over the result.
Over this meeting Meade again presided
and there the brutal murder of the day
before was justified. A local account of
the affair, published at the time, says:
On the day after the killing, while
Matthews was yet unburied, mass
meeting of jolli6cation was held at the
court house, consisting strictly of DEM
ocrats, some from every voting place in
the county; in fact, it represented the
Democratic party of Copish county. At
this meeting were passed the notorious
"Copiah resolutions, justifying the muir
der and pledging themselves and their
constituents by regular kuklux oath
| to defend and protect the murderer,
placing at stakes their lives and for
tunes.
For this heinous outrage Wheeler was
rewarded with an Office of profit and
trust at the ensuing election by the
grateful Bourbons of Copiah county,
and the Democratic leaders could do
nothing less than reward Meade for his
part in the hellish work. By singular
coincidence they decided to give him the
Hazlehurst postmastership, q position
held by Charles Matthews, brother of
the murdered man. Meade was rec0m'
mended for the position by such distin-
guished Democratic Statesmen as Secre-
tary Lamar and Congressman Barks-
dale, and was appointed and commits
stoned by the President. The appoint
ment raised cry of indignation from
an outraged public, and when the matter
was brought directly to Mr.. Clevelandis
attention he is credited with having ex-
claimed: THEY WILL NOT REC
OMMEND A MURDERER TO ME
FOR OFFICE. THEY WILL AT
LEAST DRAW THE LINE THERE"
He at first refused to believe the story
of Meade's connection with the atrOcity,
but he read the report of the Senate
committee which investigated the affair,
and in which Democratic witnesses tes+
titled to the facts substantially as given
above, and being more than convinced,
decided to demand the resignation OF
Meade. Mr.. Cleveland evidently con-
cluded that he could not afford to be q
party to such an infamy as the appoints
ment of Meade, which, in Mississippi.
WOuku U0 LdhSu dS q lew diu ASA u4o SOAN
spicuous share in the murder Of Mat
thews. though he must know, if he
knows anything of public affairs, that
not only Mississippi but other Southern
States have been made solidly Demo-
cratic by just such methods as prevail
in Copiah county. Mr.. Cleveland has
called about him as counsellors men who
have heen given prominence by such ex-
hibitions of kukluxism, and who have
winked at, if they nave not openly in
dorsed and upheld bulldozing, ballet-bOx
stuffing, and murder, and he must not
be surprised if active partisans in such
methods come to the front also and ask
their reward. If, however, the Presi+
dent draws the line at murder, OF the
aiding and abetting af sssassinations, it
will be severe blow to the kuklux,
night>riders, and political outlaws, who
now demand recognition as right from
the administration.-Clevel Leader.
A Mild Kicker.
81 understand the old man doesn't