New-York tribune., 1890-01-02
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
SOUTHERN CHIvALRY IN THE SADDLE.

SOUTHERN CDlNAl@h1 IN llE chDbih@'
AFRAID TO ARREST THE GUILTY THEY MURDER
THE INNOCENT.
To the Edttor of The Tribune
Sir: No doubt You saw an account OF the ro' Ill
Jesup. WAYNE County, Ga. Christmas. II you
road the account of it in "The savannah Morning
News you will notice that they blame my husband
j. w. RYAN, with being partv'tO it by talking to the
negroes about their rights etc. They also uy 10
make il apparent that my husband Is a man oi no
character and that he was discharged from the ser
vice of the savannah, Florida and Western Rilifoau'
All of these charges are lies lie had no ko"Icuee
Of the riot ard no hand III IT, Ills character an"
habits are of the best lie does not use liquor IN any
vav and instead of running around gambling houses
and saloons. comes home at night. lie was chlci Oh
specia service on the savannah, Florida and western
Railroad for nearly five years, and have letters rom
his EMPLOYERS showing that he resigned on account
Of nv poor health at that time. Having gwen you
this brief sketch of my husbands life VIII now give
Won the facts pertaining to the Jesup RIOT and let you
Judge if he is guilty In any way.
On Christmas morning, between 10 and H. my
husband went downtown TO get his mall lie hau Deeh
cone abont fifteen minutes, when he came running
hack TO the house. saying that he had heard that
Bobs Brewer a negro desperadO, had just shot ana
killed Mr.. Lcggett. the marshal, ana his posse Hc
told me to get in the house, the negroes were al
drinking and he was afraid there was gong To Dc
serious trouble. MY idthcl, hlolheI' anu NY -
begged him to stay in the house and protect US IN
case the negroes should raise riot in town; besides
we told him there were enough gone after BOD
Drever and the negroes who had joined him 10
capture them, for soon as Bob Brewer shOt the
officer he with three four other negroes, ran ioI
a swamp about one and one-haf miles from toWh'
NV husband then said he would remain with us. lie
kept in the house all day, except when he went with
me to Mrs F. L. Browns who lives in the next house.
TO find out if Bob" Brewer had yet been caught and
In the evening went with to see Marshal Leggett.
who was not killed, but wounded in both legs.
That night, about O'Clock. body Of armed white
men came to the house, swearing to kill my husband
because he was a Republican. They told him to
came out, as he bad as the negroes. and that
they had said they intended to kill every negro and
Republican in the place. They told him to come out
but he refused to do They then told HIM he had
two hours TO leave town m. IN ABOUT one honl
while my husband and myself were sitting IN the
room, | heard talking outside of our window. got
- and blew out the hall lamp and Just q, dd so the
front door burst in. \ body OF armed white men
rushed in. swearing to take my husbands life. My
husband made his way through the back entrance ana
] have not seen him since, and for all know they
have killed him and put his body IN some swamp.
The only crime my husband has committed that he
Is a Republican. and had had Henry Whalcy. the
postmaster IN Jesup. removed, and his brOtherln-
law Thomas c. Glover appointed.
| have told yOu the truth, and nothing but the
truth in this matter Besides this can give the
sworn afldavts of my father and mother Mr. ana
Mrs. X. ". DOpsOn, Mrs. +. l.. Brown, MlsSe, Mary
and Sadie Glover, Judge Frost. and even Marshal
Leggett and wife. After these men left our home
they went all the town shooting at every negro
man they could see They murdered three or four
during the night. When they would 90 10 negro :
out the negro woman and beat her. They then went
to the Jail and took ont a negro boy who was ar
rested that day and killed him: They We're 2 too
and his gang, so they came into town and murdered
and beat the innocent people who had nothing to do
with the riot. MRS. J. W. RYAN.
Jcsup Ca Dec. o8 1852.