Report of the Joint select committee appointed to inquire into the condition of affairs in the late insurrectionary states, so far as regards the execution of laws, and the safety of the lives and property of the citizens of the United States and Testimony taken.

1918 CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
Question. Was he a stranger?
Answer. I cannot tell that. He was lying down on his belly with his head right
toward me. When the gun fire-, I looked to see what it was, and I threw my eye
right on the man where he was ly -ig down, and I could see his back. He was lying
on his belly with his face toward me.
Question. Did he run after he fired?
Answer. No, sir; he did not get up. I never stopped, never made any halt. He was
on my right, and the shot went through my arm pretty near my stomach.
Question. Is it your opinion, from the direction of the ball, that his intention was to
kill you?
Answer. It certainly was.
Question. Were you in your office at the time that was fired into?
Answer. I was not. I was at my home, in my residence.
Question. Was it supposed by the assassin that you were there?
Answer. I think it was.
Question. Was the shot fired in the direction of the chair you usually occupied in the
office when you were there?
Answer. I could not tell about that. I saw the two holes through the door. I could
not tell how that was. The clerk was in there.
Question. Were these letters all written in the same handwriting?
Anslwer. They seemed to be. It was my opinion that they were, but I showed them
to a great many, and some differed about that.
Question. Have you known of any like attempts made upon any other office-holders
in Choctaw County?
Answer. I have not, sir.
Question. Have you known of any efforts to induce the circuit judge to resign or
desist from holding court?
Answer. Well, sir, I do not know about that. That is right hard to state. Judge
Smith, during his March term of court, adjourned his court. That was on account of the
sheriff resigning his office. It is my opinion that the sheriff resigned through intimidation.
Question. What intimidations are you informed that he received?
Answer. Well, sir, on the day before the court adjourned there was quite a number of
parties that were boisterous and kicking up a good deal there, and the judge sent the
sheriff out to stop the noise, and the sheriff went out, but he could not do it. He could
not stop them. The next day, the day court adjourned, there was to be a democratic
meeting there, and there were the same parties there and quite a number of others,
and I think the sheriff anticipated danger and trouble, and he resigned his office early
in the morning.
By Mr. BUCKLEY:
Question. Was the judge obliged to adjourn court then?
Answer. Yes, sir; there was no coroner and no sheriff, and he was obliged to adjourn.
There was no coroner, and the sheriff resigned. There was no officer to carry on the
court.
By the CHAIRMAN:
Question. You may state what acts of lawlessness committed by two or more persons
banded together have been committed upon colored people in Choctaw county. You
may state what you know personally yourself, and such acts as have come to your
knowledge from reliable sources.
zAnswer. Well, sir, acts have been committed there, unquestionably, but I know nothing of them of my personal knowledge-nothing at all.
Question. Much of the testimony that the committee receives is predicated upon information which the witnesses have received from others?
Answzer. What they have heard?
Question. Yes, sir?
Answer. I have heard a good deal.
Question. You may proceed in your own way, without further suggestion, to tell the
committee what you have heard that you deemed reliable.
Answer. I understand that Abe Lyon, a colored man living out near De Sotoville, was
murdered by disguised men. I have heard that a colored man by the name of Tom
Rogers was murdered in the night by disguised men. I have heard that one Isham
Ezell, or Isaac Ezell, a colored man, was murdered in the same way. I have heard that
Mike Dunn, a colored man, was murdered in the same way.
Question. Have you heard of Lem Campbell's case?
Answer. No, sir; I havo not heard of him. I believe those are all the murders I have
heard of being committed.
Question. Have you heard of Dud Woodward?
Answer. I have heard that. He was not killed by disguised men, I think. I never
neard that he was killed by disguised men.