The Grenada sentinel., 1889-07-20
An INFAMOUS AND COwARDLY As
SASSINATION

One ol llne most CoWardly, Cold-DloOd-
ed and senseless assassinations that ever
disgraced the history OF Mississippi oc-
cured on Thursday night of last weekIn
this county The particulars we learn
are about as follows: On last Saturday
news was brought to Mr.. r. w. McAfee,
OF this town, that young negro man
named Jim Tillman employed on his
plantation nine miles east of Grenada
and four miles west OF Graysport, had
been missing since Thursday night, and
his whereabouts was unknown. Mr.
McAfee on Sunday morning, together
with Sheriff G. B. Jones proceeded to
the plantation to make an investigation,
and on arrival there soon found blood,
and they at once became satisfied that
Tillman had been foully dealt with, and
at once summoned all of the neighbors
to prosecute the search. After consider
able difficulty they found the body of
Tillman sunk in the 1alobusha river
about four miles from the scene of the
murder, with eight buck-shot wounds
in the back, with two large rocks tied
around him as sinkers. The river had
fallen and the body was discovered in
this way; After some careful sitting of
testimony M. J. Cheatham, (white) Lee
Irwin, Jake Irwin, and Cornelius
Robinson, (coD were arrested as proba-
bly, guilty of the murder; One other
person, James Lemons (white) who was
suspected OF completely in the assassi-
nation, fled as soon as he learned that
the body Lad been found, and was not
captured until Wednesday morning. AS
soon as Lemons was brought to Grays.
port and turned over to the Sheriff, we
learn one oi the supposed guilty par
ties-Lee Irvin-said it would be
death for him to tell what he knew,
but he was willing, and would tell
the truth since Lemons was caught
and sput under arrest, so he (Iryin)
proceeded to make full comics
sion, which was in substance as follows:
That he Irwin and the four above
named parties were concerned in the
assassination, and that he was satisfied
that Cheatham or Lemons did the shoot
ing, and that Cheatham mad the gun the
last time he saw him. There were other
statements which gives the case still
darker hue, but too lengthy for publi-
Cdllou ho". - Coiohoio Ju'y Soa Pooou
OF Messrs W. ] Parker, Silvestor John
SON John Butler, Sias Ray
Buck Martin and Jim Williamson.
prominent citizens, were inpanelled, and
after examining about seventy-fve wit
nesses and hearing the confession of
Irwin, returned a verdict to the effect
that jim Tillman had been foully mur-
dered by the parties above named. The
committing trial at this writing Thurs
day. is being vigorously pushed, with
District Attorney j. j. Slack present.
When it is considered, as it is well
known to be the fact, that Tillman was
assassnated merely because he was a
witness for the State and had testified
at the last term of the Circuit Court
against certain OF these parties in cases
which were only misdemeanors, and
that he was to be a witness again at
the next Circuit Court, the absolute
senselessness and the damming bru-
tality of the assassination are both
made manifest If there be God OF JUS
| tice and people here who mean to see
Justice administered without fear or
favor, let thi, case be pushed to a suns
mary anu Sp6Guy COllCluolNh- ~ nhON
| we have that kind Of people. We know
it from the horror with which the peo,
pie of the whole county have been
struck, and especially in the vicinity
| where it occurred There is but one
sentiment expressed OH this subject, and
that is expressed with emphasis on all
hands to wit That Grenada county
will not and shall not harbor within its
borders men so lost to every sense Of
duty to society; and that punishment
swift and condign, according to the forms
of law shall be metcd ont to them.
Lett be understood that the people OF
this county will see to it that the
assassination shall result in the hanging
of the perpetrators whether the vic
tim be white or black.
LATER.