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- In a short time there was one or two others killed but we never heard, until we saw Clayton's proclamation, that they were killed because they were Union men. The Sheriff could have got, at any time, as many men as he wanted to have assisted him in arresting the murderers.
- We desire peace, nevertheless after we have done all that is in our power to obtain it, we have been robbed by a band of men sent to our County by Governor Clayton under the command of one Gen. Catterson who entered our County on the 16th or 17th day of Dec. 1868 and commenced robbing our citizens by entering their Houses, breaking open their (the citizens) trunks, taking out of them money, wearing apparel, Bed quilts, Bed Blankets and searching in every department of our department of our dwellings, taking any and all things they saw proper. They entered the House of defenseless widdowed women taking bedclothing, provitions and other valuable articles. They have taken our guns (we mean the whites) and ammunition leaving unarmed and in a defenseless condition. They have taken our Horses and mules, leaving many of our citizens without one, carrying off some two hundred out of our County without giving any showing or compensation for them. They have taken a considerable quantity of our corn, fodder, meat (leaving some of the citizens without any) and destroyed or used it without any compensation. They arrested twenty-one of the citizens of this County, among them some of the best and most quiet (three of these ministers, one of the ministers 80 years old). They kept them in close confinement for five days and released them, requiring them to give large bonds without giving them any satisfaction or any specifications of crime or charge whatever.
- The above is facts and can be proved by as many as respectable witnesses as desired.
- We are informed in other countries they did worse if possible. It is said by dependable citizens of Severe County, Ark., that five of Catterson's men went to a respectable citizens residence, arrested and kept him under arrest until one ravished his wife and two others robbed his house.
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