Letter from William Yeoman to Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Ridgley Ceylon Powers; April 17, 1871

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Letter from William Yeoman to Mississippi Lieutenant Governor Ridgley Ceylon Powers; April 17, 1871

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People

Alcorn, J. L. (James Lusk), 1816-1894 Bunch, G. W.Busby, Shepard Cole, Charles Cooley, Albert Cowgill, E. B.Douglas, Drewry Drain, Unknown Evans, Unknown Hutchinson, Thomas Mims, W. H.Powers, Ridgley Ceylon Taylor, Angus Watts, Unknown Yeoman, William

Events

Appointment to office

Organizations and Businesses

Judicial Districts Judicial Districts--4th (Miss.)Judicial Districts--5th (Miss.)Political Parties--Democratic Party (U.S.)Political Parties--Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- )

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Chancellors Judges Justices of the peace Lawyers Legislators Politicians Sheriffs Supervisors Tax Assessors Treasurers

Places

Wayne County (Miss.)

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[seal]

To His Excellency.
Lieutenant. Governor, R. C. Powers.

Our County (Wayne) is in a deplorable condition—perfectly disorganised for want of proper officers.

We have no Treasurer, we have no Assessor—no Justice in the part of a beat where it is most needed; and one district entirely unrepresented in the Board of Supervisors. There certainly cannot be any objections to making ~~these~~ appointments to fill these vacancies forthwith, as there exists an urgent and an indispensable necessity for the same.

The instructions to me from the Republican party of the County, which I can cheerfully endorse, favor Shepard Busby for Treasurer, for Assessor Major Mims, for Justice in District No. 4. Thomas Hutchinson, and for Supervisor in District No. 5, Drewry Douglas, all of which I heartily recommend to your favorable consideration.

But there is still another matter of more vital importance to the welfare of the County. It is the removal of the present Sheriff, G. W. Bunch.

He is only a boy comparatively speaking—of no experience, and of but very little natural capacity. He is nothing more than a thing—an empty form. All the business of the office is done by his Deputy, who is his Uncle (Angus Taylor)

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—a practicing Lawyer of the County.

To say nothing of this Deputy's heart being in mortal enmity to the true spirit of republicanism—to say nothing of his insidious efforts to devide and break up the party, there never was a stronger and more justifiable case demanding removal than this. Fraud, tyranny, corruption, and the worst of human passions belong to him.

A petition numerously and respectably signed by the republican party of the County has been sent here—yes, and even quite a number of Democrats disgusted with his conduct—all praying for his removal.

This petition was accompanied with a letter from Chancellor Drain and Judge Evans, both bearing testimony to the same effect as the petition. All these were presented to ~~the~~ Governor Alcorn, who, after careful attention, thought the charges quite sufficient for his removal, and promised to do it forthwith; but owing to Judge Watts requiring three or four days to get some information on the subject, which the Governor thought would be reasonable enough to wait this short time for courtesy's sake, the removal was not effected before his departure.

If it is possible to form any correct Judgment from outward signs, I am satisfied that Governor Alcorn will entertain no unkind feelings against doing what he intended to have done before he left; as in the interview betwixt us,

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he intimated to me that out of courtesy to the Senator of the District, he would wait the short period of three or four days; but signified at the same time that his mind was not at all likely to be changed as to the necessity for removal.

If you make this removal accordingly, the desire of the County is in favor of Charles Cole to fill the vacancy; as such, therefore, I recommend him as being the best we can do under present circumstances.

W^m Yeoman
Rep. Wayne Co.

April 17^th, 1871

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For Sheriff, Charles Cole.—(lieu of G. W. Bunch)
" Treasurer, Shepard Busby. (lieu of Albert Cooley)
" Assessor, W. H. Mimms. (lieu of E. B. Cowgill)
" Justice, Dist. No. 4. Tho^s Hutchinson
" Supervisor, Dist., No 5, Dreury Douglas.