Letter from Samuel Readus to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; June 21, 1869

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Letter from Samuel Readus to Mississippi Governor Adelbert Ames; June 21, 1869

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People

Ames, Adelbert, 1835-1933 McClung, James Redus, Samuel

Events

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

Organizations

Courts and Judicial Systems Courts and Judicial Systems--Grand jury Military Headquarters Mississippi--Military Districts. 4th District United States--War Department United States--War Department. Adjutant-General’s Office

Occupations

Laborers Legal Profession--Judges Legal Profession--Judges. Justices of the peace Mayors Medical Profession Medical Profession--Surgeons

Places

Mississippi--Copiah County. Hazlehurst Mississippi--Hinds County. Jackson

Social Identifiers

Impoverished people Nationality--Irish

Vital Statistics

Death Wounds and injuries

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Hazlehurst, Miss.
June 21^st 1869

Bvt Maj Gen Ames
Comdg 4th Dist Miss & Ark
Jackson, Miss

General

A most brutal murder was committed wihin the limits of this city on Saturday night 19^th inst on the person of Jas M^cClung, an Irish laborer, by some per-son or persons unknown.

This occurred within the corporate limits The inquest after a thorough examination were convinced that the cause of said M^cClungs death were wounds inflicted by a Knife, three of them being mortal as judged by the exam-ing (two) surgeons. After being thus Killed his body was placed upon the R. R Track half a mile from the depot near the sounding post at which point he was evidently murdered (as the weapon was there found) in order that the up train might run over it and so man-gle the corpse that no evidence might be dis-covered, but the train ran over only the legs cutting them off.

The proceedings of the jury of inquest are filed with me. No devolopments thus far have rended to show who the guilty par-ties and alhough vigorous meansures are on foot.

I would respectfully suggest to your exe-cellency the propriety of issuing a proclamation offering a suitable reward for the apprehen-sion &c of the perpetrators of this crime we in our poverty as a corporation being unable

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from our scanty funds to do so by posters or in the regular manner of advertising and to a reward it is a mere matter of impossibility on our part.

I am entirely satisfied that the perputra-tors are either here or in the vicinity

I am General with much respect
Very truly
Yr Mo Obt Servt

Sam^l Redus
Mayor & Exoff J. P.

Hazlehurst
Copiah Co.
Miss

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L. R. R/₂₁ Vol, (B) 4th M. D., C. A., 1869.

Hazlehurst Miss
June 21^st 1869

Redus Saml
Mayor of Hazlehurst Reports that James M^cClung was force-fully murdered within the corporate limits of Hazlehurst Miss and
Asks that the comdg Genl offer a reward for the apprehension of the murderers

Entr Special Record R.

Reward offerd June 24 1869—Pub in Pilot

Wrapper (1) Enclosures.
Recd. 4th M. D., C. A., Jan 22^nd 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