Letter from Sheriff A. G. Packer to Lieutenant William Atwood; July 21, 1869

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Letter from Sheriff A. G. Packer to Lieutenant William Atwood; July 21, 1869

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People

Ames, Adelbert, 1835-1933 Atwood, William Baskum, Ophelia Crandall, Unknown Michie, John J.Michie, John M.Packer, A. G.Shuttlesworth, Abner

Events

Crime Crime--Murder Crime--Shooting Criminal Procedure--Arrest

Organizations and Businesses

Headquarters, Military Military Districts--4th (Miss.)Mississippi. Executive Department Plantations United States. Adjutant-General’s Office

Occupations

Physicians Sheriffs

Places

Holmes County (Miss.)Jackson (Miss.)Lexington (Miss.)West (Miss.)Yazoo River Watershed (Miss.)

Social Identifiers

Historically free and newly freed African Americans

Vital Statistics

Death

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[Seal]

Lexington Holmes Co. Miss.
July 21^st 1869.

Wm. Atwood
1^st Lt & A. A. A. G. 4^th Mil. Dist.

Dear Sir.

I have the honor to report a case of murder which occured in this County July 15^th near West Sta. John M. Michie and John J. Michie had a fight at a school exhibition. John M. swore he would kill John J. before the sun set and rode home three miles to get his pistol. On his return he met John J. M. waiting with Miss Ophelia Baskum and said he wished to see him (John J. M.) but John M. Michie said he did not wish to see John J. Michie and started on. John M. Michie turned his horse and rode up beside John J. Michie drawing his pistol and snapping a cap at him as he came up he then cocked his pistol and fired shooting John J. Michie in the side and he fell from his horse dead. Information of the affair was brought to me the next day and with three deputies I traced him to Yazoo swamp to the house of Abner Shuttles-worth but he (Shuttlesworth) denied having seen John M. Michie at all. I stayed all night at Shuttlesworths and about midnight two of my deputies went to the quarters and found out from a freedman that John M. Michie had been there and that he saw us ride into the plantation about dark and had left for the swamp. I came back to Lex-

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-ington the next morning and went back to Shuttlesworth at night again, had four depu-ties but we failed to capture him.

Yesterday evening seven men were at the place again hunting for Michie, but failed to get him. From the best information which I can get Michie is still in the neighborhood and Shuttlesworth is conceal-ing him and I would respectfully sug-gest that a reward be offered for the apprehension of John M. Michie and that some steps be taken to make Abner Shuttles-worth divulge his whereabouts for harboring the murderer. It is an impossibility for an officer to arrest a man when he once gets into the swamp and any of his friends could feed him for a long time. That Michie is in the swamp I am certain and I think he intends to stay there for his friends are hardly able to raise the funds for him to leave this country im-mediately

Most Respy
Your Obdt. Servt.

A. G. Packer. Sheriff Holmes County

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L. R. P/61 Vol. (B) 4th M. D., C. A., 1869.

Lexington Miss
July 21^st 1869

Packer A G
Sheriff Holmes Co.
Reports the murder of
J. J. Mitchie by J M
Michie on the 15_c inst
at Wests Station

Chg to Dr. Crandall
Chgd

Wrapper (1) Enclosure.
Recd. 4th M. D., C. A., July 22 1869.

Headquarters Fourth Military District,
(DEPARTMENT OF MISSISSIPPI.)

Jackson, Miss. [gap]1869

Respectfully

By command of Brevet Major General Ames:

Aide-de-camp,
Acting Assistant Adjutant General