Letter from B. T. Atkins to Mississippi Governor Benjamin G. Humphreys; July 31, 1866

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Brookhaven Miss July 31^st 1866

Hon Benj G Humpherys

Sir,

The Hon Mayor of Brookhaven M^r T G Decell has just handed me the Enclosed letters from M^r Parsons. I submit the the Statements to you to act as you think proper. You have no doubt heard of the affair. You may not Know that the man Pringle Spoken of here & Tho^s Hawkins were Convicted of the wiful Murder of three freedmen at the May Term of Lawrence Court—

They both Escaped from jail After Sentence, Hawkins was re-arrested & is now in Raymond jail, & Pringle still at large

As I was the officer who arrested all the parties I will State my opinion; That if they were the guilty parties as the Jury decided they were, that the man Pringle is the most guilty of the accused And if any of Them needed a leader in Crimes of that nature that Pringle from his Antecedents & subsequent Conduct was the one who led—

The Sheriff M^r A O Cox is Temporarily absent, if he were here I should have Turned these letters over to him to forward to you or not, as he thought proper. He being away I thought it my duty to Enclose them at once to you

with Great Respect I remain Your Ob^t Servt

B T Atkins Dpty Sheriff

Lawrence County