The Louisiana Democrat., 1867-04-24
Extract from the Testimony Q
Judge w B. Cooley Before
the Riot Committee.
BY MR.. srIELLABARGER.

~ 4
6277-Q. You have been asked whether
the law could be fully and inpartially adj
ministered in all eases except where me-
gro was concerned with q white man; l
want to ask yon whether jnries grand or
traverse, wonil administer tie law impair
TALLY and fairly in such cases as the one
mentioned by you just now, when mllr-
der was committed OH ali Agent OF the
Bureauq
A. If the person murdered was white
man, ! believe the grand juries would find
q bill against him., but | doubt very much
whether y6n wonld fnd petit jury who
would convict him on his trial. s
6278-Q. Where. offences are committed
under circumstances involving political
feeling or prejudice, such as a crime COM
mitted by a secessionist againsta a Union
man because be, is Union man, as was the
case in New Orleans on the S0th Of July,
can q jury be found to convict on that sort
of a case9
A. No, sir, I do not think you would find
a jury to convict un1ersnch circumstance
There was a case occurred before me in AL
exandria, the facts Of which, as reported to
me, q do not know whether they were
true) were these: That d man by the name
Of Hayes had been shotand killed, entirely
on account Of his Union feelings. found
that case pending when went to Alexan-
dfia, and Itried my best to bring the man
to trial; in fact, he had not been arrested,
although the offence had been committed
six months previous.
6279-Q. Had there been an indictment
against him?
A. Yes sir; and the warrant placed in
the hands Of the Sheriff. He was arrested
finally, through mistake, Isuspect. A
friend OF his asked the Sheriff why he did
not arrest this man. The Sheriff replied,
i can't find him" The man said, "you
know that is not true, he paid his taxes
yesterday and was in your office;p at the
same time, casting bis eyes out Of the win
dow, he remarked, "there he goes now.'
That conversation attracted my attention !;
! turned round and spoke to the Sheriff,
and he started out and brought the man
before me in the course ofan hour gave
him three days to produce witnesses for
tie state. but he could not find any.
6280-Q. Was there really any difficulty
in finding the witnesses2 q
A. From general reputation / was told
that the Sheriff never would find witnesses
to convict that map, although they lived
within four or five hundred yards Of the
Court House. was a perfect stranger in
the parish, and knew nothing about the
matter; found pending in the Court four
teen OF. fifteen indictments for murder, but
| never could try any body. -
| 62S1-Q. Why NOT.
A. Because in that parish there is no law
at all They are in . perfect state Of anar-
chy. 81. & B
A. The parish Of Rapides
6283-Q What kind Of a show would a
Union man stand before a jury in that
parish, in a suit between him and rebelq
| A. | don't know; / would dislike to be
| in the place of the Union man. Colonel
Frisbee got verdict in his favor id that
parish, last Summer, under peculiar cir
cumstances. There were certain charges
against him coming under a statute made
| by the recent Legislature, for enticing
away hands from their employers. There
was no more evidence of his guilt than
there was of mine, yet the jury deliberated
AVl UulCU quultCAS VI uu uOul UClUAC ulluluH
verdict Of not guilty.
BY MIR. BOYER.
62e4-Q But they acquitted him9
| A. They did; and Ibelieve they did it
because they knew would set aside their
verdict as soon as they brought it in, un.
less tsney Gid. TAAay tried a young man
who had been in the service Of the Confed.
eracy, for carrying concealed Weapons
The weapon was proved to have been
something Of the nature Of q very large
butchers knifei about fourteen or fifteen
inches long; Ills coat was bnttoned up, and
| the evidence showed that no part Of it
could have been seen, but the jury return
ed that the weapon was in full view-that
! it was not possible for q weapon of that
kind to have been concealed, and therefore
the verdict was not guilty. Half an hour
afterwards | tried 4 negro for carrying a
concealed weapon, and they found him
guilty without deiberating two minutes: