Letter from Sheriff Jas. M. Burton to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn; September 29, 1871

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Letter from Sheriff Jas. M. Burton to Mississippi Governor James L. Alcorn; September 29, 1871

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People

Alcorn, J. L. (James Lusk), 1816-1894 Burton, James M.Fields, Gilbert

Events

Crime Crime--Arson Crime--Lynching Crime--Murder Criminal Procedure--Arrest

Organizations and Businesses

Churches

Occupations

Coroners Detectives Sheriffs

Places

Jackson (Miss.)Lee County (Miss.)Tupelo (Miss.)

Social Identifiers

African Americans Christians Christians--Methodists Historically free and newly freed African Americans

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[seal]

Tupelo Lee Co Sept 29/71

To His Exellency
Hon Ja^s. L. Alcorn Governor
Jackson Missi

In compliance with instructions requiring Peace Officers to report to you all Felonies, I have the honor to report, that about ten days since a colored Methodist Church was burned in this place by an incendiary, the people united in trying to ferret out & bring to justice the incendiary or incendiaries but did not succeed in eliciting sufficient proof to justify arrests but enough to point pretty clearly to the parties. On last night there was a colored man named Gilbert Fields ~~was~~ called out from his Cabin by a party of men armed with Shot Guns & brutally murdered. A coroners inquest developed no testimony justifying (as they thought) any arrests

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at the same time it is generally believed the parties are the same in both acts

The people are united in the disposition & determination to assist the civil authorities in suppressing lawlessness but I know of no authority that I have to act unless warrants issue

Under the circumstances I most respectfully suggest that your Honor send some reliable Detective here to unravel the matter as it is a matter of extreme difficulty for our known to the supposed parties to detect them

I would have no difficulty in the matter if the parties were positively known or if warrants for arrest were issued to me. Please order me what course to pursue

I have the honor to be
Very Respectfully
Your obt sert

Ja^s M. Burton Shff