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Statement of Elias Tyrrel

Vicksburg April 26" 1867,

I do hereby certify, that myself & others hired ourselves to one, Montreville Cooper, in Greenville District, S. Carolina, to come to Sunflower Co. Mississippi, to work on a Plantation for him.  he brought us to Sunflower Co and hired us to one, Alfred Murdock.  
The said Murdock agreed to have no overseer over us, and discharged one John Barkley, who was overseeing for him at the time, but he soon after hired one Allen Jinkins to oversee, thereby falsifying his work.  3 of our number then became dissatisfied, and went away.  The said Cooper, (who remaned upon the place) went in search of them, but failing to find them, came back, and beat the mother of one of the men, with a Stick, and tied her hands behind her back, tied her thumbs, & drew her up by them, he then told her to call him master, and she replied, do master, please let me down, he then struck her with his fist, & called her an old bitch, he then went to his dinner & when he returned, lit his Pipe, & sat down, she still remaining tied & did remane so far about one hour.  he afterwards told her that he did it to pleas Mr Murdock,