The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1910-11-04

WIn TIME GOVlANOn
PEITUS D|EO IN tIIlE
interesting history Of MIssIss.
ipplsn Accidentally Brought
10 Light.

10 Light
The Times fJemurfat NJ Det W has
4 dlsmteh FROM Jackson which states
tbat punbsf Hpsisnd, " the depart
meet n afcmves and histufg, bas u
letter from Altlieimcf, Afk remind.
ins iim that uue ~ Niss,ssippis
suvefuafs, Jonn pettus, lies buficd
near that rlsce IN = neglected cems
tefy, anj asks Why that u permitted
o. be.
Referring 10 his Dispatch Judge
Robert Rowman ~ this city, Who is
familiar With the history of that case,
made the following statement to The
Sentinel In regard ~ ~, aud 10 is
ifped that the publicity that will be
given to the case should result 10 a
movement to have this distinguished
Mtssissippian's remains removed to
this state, and bis last resting place
properly marked. Judge Bowman
said.
| hUt thNh ttin III VI ~ dlt
court OF Mississippi was held at
Grenada Ia April, 1865. At that
time | was Confederate states at.
torney for this state, and Gov. lsham
@. Harris, OF Tennessee, represented
a party with whom the Confederacy
had a controversy, and at intervals OF
three or four days we we're thrown HI
close contract. In conversation be.
tween US, Gov. Harris expressed
gloomy forebodings OF our success
He stated that he had recently been
In Richmond, Va, where he met
President Davis, who told him that
he despaired OF foreign nterven tion or
aid. Mr.. Benjamin, secretary OF state,
had shown him all the correspondence
from European governments declining
aid or mediation for peace, and the
governor said that the army and sup
plies Of Virginia army were woefully
deficient, and the people, as well as
the troops OF the west, we're much
demoralized.
"Gov. Harris said that as long as
there was semblance Of q govern
ment or the remnant Of an army, he
would te with them, but when both
were extinct he would take refuge In
some foreign land, as he believed the
United States would offer up on the
gallows many victims OF It's VEN
geance, aud the people would be
.. burdened with grievances and op.
preston. Many prominent citizens
shared in this opinion OF Gov. Harris,
aud fed to foreign lands after the
surrender.
"Telegraphic communication with
Richmond had been cut of by Gen.
; Sherman's army, but scouts brought
to Gen. Wright, commanding that
department with headquarters a,
Grenada, newspapers containing &C.
counts OF the surrender OF Gen. Lee
|, "Court adjourned, and on leaving
!. Grenada / went by railroad to Canton
a reaching there after sunset. Walking
. up the street on the court house
!. square, my name was called, and on
/. looking In the direction from whenc,
n the voice came, / recognized Gov
Pettus sitting on a stairway in al
n open ball between Two stores, VIII,
= invited me to a seat besides him. HI
stated that Judge Wilkerson had tina
. morning expressed gloomy and hope
! less prospect for the success OF tn
| CoDfederacy, and asked for M
l opinion. repeated what Gov. Hal
l ris had said TO me at Grenada, an
| mentioned the reports Of Gen. Lee
| surrender, and that Judge Clayto
had in consequence adjourned til
Confederate court Gov. Pettus wa
l then colonel OF militia regimen
I stationed al Canton. The next morr
ing be was no where to be found
4 Canton, and his whereabouts wei
j unknown to his family in Kempt
i county, and they never saw or hear
I OF him again. He departed that nigi
and made his way to bis friend, Judl
| w. L. Harris, OF Bolivar county, an
| assumed his given name John Jone
| A neighbor called one day and W,
| introduced TO the governor as Ct
| Jones. The visitor remarked no
| wonderfully he resem bled Gov. Pettu
| ( Without notice or warning to Judl
Harris vr anyone, the governor le
| that night, and whittier he went {
! one knew. 1t Is said that his ov
family sought 10 vain his whereabou
and his fate.
II IA few years after his departuI
away over 10 the western part
| Arkansas, which was then the 'front.'
| OF civilization, a man came into p'
| session Of a tract OF land upon viii
was a squatter's cabin. A grave v
found on the premises, and on inqu
an old negro who had been with I
sQuatter said strange man had c0
=" there some time before, and d.
shortly after his arrival, and v
buried 10 the grave on the premis
The Eegro said that the stranger b
left Q satchel which was In his