Year: 1879




have prevented his escape. He had
plenty of company for the town was
thronged with his associates and fol-
lowers, many of them the very same
ruffians who were with him in the at
tack upon the Jail when the Chisholms
were killed, and thirty-two OF them un-
der indictments for murder found two
wears ago, upon which no warrants had
ever been issued by the cowardly offi-
cials of the court. These ruffians held
high carnival in DeKalb. They were
in complete possession of the town.
No one dared to sympathize with the
poor woman who bravely ventured in
to this nest of crime to demand that
Justice be awarded her for the murder
of her husband, daughter and son. Not
a man among the many who witnessed
the murder in broad daylight dared to
stand up and corroborate her testimony
by telling the plain truth. ALI OF them
had treacherous memories and forgot
everything that bore directly upon
the crime. The jury sat in its box un-
der duress as complete as II pistol
had been held at the head of each one
of them. The lawyers for the defense
went through their cross-examinations
and speeches, and the Court made out
its instructions with the customary
formalities and following the ordinary
precedents of law, well knowing that
Justice would not, and could not, be ad-
ministered. Thus the farce went on
from day to day, the authorities know
ing that, even if they had the will, they
had not the power to punish this con-
victed murderer; and, yielding to the
pressure of the mob. jurors and wit
nesses did not hesitate, at the close OF
each days proceedings, to fraternize


with them. Pending the verdict OF the
jury, the murderer, surrounded by his
friends, sat on the fence outside with


out even being attended by Bailif,


not caring to go into the courtroom to
hear the decision which his friends had


arranged for him. When the verdict


was announced, General Woodford, who


escorted Mrs. Chisholm to DeKalb and


acted as her counsel, together with
their friends, hurried to the railroad


station lest any harm should befall her,


while Gully and his fellow-ruffians pro-
ceeded to get drunk and celebrate his


acquittal!


The extraordinary result of this trial
shows conclusively that the ordinary
processes of law are no longer possible
in Mississippi, and that the authorities
of that State have no longer the power
to protect the lives of its citizens. 1t
shows that the moral sentiment of its
people is completely deadened, and that


if there are any left who still have be-


lief in law and justice they dare not as


sert it in the presence of the mob
| which overrides the authorities with
perfect impunity. 1t shows that scores
| of ruffians, known to be murderers, are
not even required to give bonds for their
appearance for trial, but roam at large


unchallenged by those whose duty it is
to preserve the peace. 1t shows that
crime of the blacklist description can
no longer be punished. The mob holds
full and complete sway, and the entire


machinery of law has been smashed.


It is not only disgrace to Kemper


County, but to the whole State, for such


condition of things could not have


occurred if the majority of the people


had not been willing, and if popular
| sentiment had not been debauched by


these gangs of rowing ruffians. 1t is the


most damning impeachment which has
vet been made of the party which in


vented the Mississippi plan. which has
| unfurled the banner of State-rights,


and which seeks to gain contrel of the
National Governments. The Republican
party cannot afford to let this matter
drop, because this murderer has been
| acquitted in open defiance of law and


testimony. Judge Chisholm was muir
dered because he was a Republican and


was in the way of his Democratic COM


petitor for Congress, and his children
were murdered because they tried to
save their father. The party which in
vented this infamous policy. and which


upholds it as one of the principal feat


ures of State-rights, should be held
strictly responsible. If there were no
other issue in the campaign, the De-


Kalb trial alone ought to rouse every


man who has respect for human life
and for law and order to the determin-


alton to do his utmost to stamp out this
odious and wicked dogma, and vote


down the party which sustains it.-Chs-
cn0o Trih1ne