Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-03-01
THE NEW ORLEANS MAS.
SACRE.
Official Report Of the Congress-
ional Committee. q
Origin, Incidents, and Results
of the Riot.
zIrAN reTH1
Fearful Slaughter of limo
cent People.
Who are Responsible for the Muir
ders-Not Single Rioter
Punished
Conclusions and Recommends
lions of the Com mittee.
The Condition of Affairs in Louis.
81 lana and the Remedy .
Conclusions and Recommends
lions of the Com mittee.
The Condition of Affairs. in Louis.
81 lana and the Remedy .


investigate. the riots in New Orleans, last
summer, has been received. 1t is n volu-
minous document, containing more than
five hundred pages of testim ony. The
meetings of the committee were held in
New Orleans and in Washington. One
hundred and ninety-seven witnesses were
examined. of whom one hundred and fifty
nine were in the former city, and of these
forty seven were examined at the request
of citizens of New Orleans.
TIE FACTS.
Mr. j. d. O'Conncll, who was in the hall
Suring part of the time, gives clear mar
ratiye of what he saw. One statement in
his testimony is very important. While
the murders were being committed by the
police, Mr.. 0'Connell SAYS: t''
There was no hope, however, -that the
military would arrive soon, and / sugges-
ted that we barricade the hall, and hold il
until the military should come; it was the
only chance we had; succeeded in getting
the chairs placed against the doors: the
doors, however, opened into the lobby.
and the fastenings outside were very soon
torn OFF: we lad no protection except the
chairs, and they constituted very little, as
it was easy TO fire through between them;
the police made another attack and entered
the ball, when those inside took the chairs
and drove them out, and this they did two
distinct times; on the fifth attack they en-
tered again, headed by an officer who
seemed to be a Sergeant, from his uniform;
he came to the door with a while handker-
chief. opened it suddenly and waved his
handkerchief; / supposed they had be-
come human again, and that this meant
that they were willing to give us protection;
went to the door and found Mr. ). ). Fish
i'm the hall close by the door; | asked him
to assist US in taking the chairs away; /
spoke 10 this policeman and asked him If
they meant to give us protection against
the mob. who would kill us; Inc said ''Yles.
we'll protect YOU" / asked him ifire was
serious about ii to let me have his hand
which he did; l, of course, had confidence
! then that he would do as he said. and
afford us protection; pulled the chairs
down and drove the colored people from
the door, so that their presence should
not provoke the police TO any further acts
of violence; they very submissiyely went
toward the other end of the hall. as the
!
the one had spoken TO advanced calling
out ..Yes. you Cd id sons OF bitches,
well protect YOU had confidence that
they would protect us, but when they enter
ed the hall. even this man who had tender
ed me his hand rushed forward with the
others discbarging their pistols indiscrim-
inately; one OF the police, pointing his
pistol toward me said. so you will sur
render, you Cd id sou of bitch"
and discharging his revolver toward my
head, said, Take that and 30 to hell will
you,p | was standing close to him, and
had the presence mind to throw up his
hand, and the ball passed through my hat
both in front and rear, | retired toward
the door and another policeman approach
ed me with a long knife and struck at me.
defended myself against him with a lee
of chair and got back in the room; those
inside again rallied with broken chairs
and whatever they could get hold of, and
drove the police out; | suppose this was
about 2:35 O'Clock: on the 3Oth. before nl2
o'clock, the hour for the meeting, i was nj
the Institute, sitting there a few minutes
conyersing with different members OF the
Convention and others who were their
friends, who happened to be present, and
then went away back TO my Office and re-
NAMED until nearly one o'clock, when L
started over again. to the Institute; on the
way there, on ST. Charles street. | saw a
negro arrested, or being conducted through
the streets between two policemen and a
crowd following, should say that, ordin-
arily the arrest of negro creates no eN-
element in this city; on this occasion il
created crowd; the public mind seemed
to be burdened with some expectation,
and it occasioned great cOmmotiOn; did
not, however, give this matter any scriOns
thought, and went down toward the In
stitute; on Common street / overlook Mr..
Davis and Dir. Stauffer, two members OF
the Convention; this was after the recess
was taken, and / went back to the hall
with them; on the corner OF. Common and
Dryades streets, there Was large number
of bite citizens many of them dressed in
gray clothes; they were talking excitedly,
and appeared to be excited about some
thing, and demOnstrative; but. even after
seeing this could not realize that there
was to be any serious difficulty, except
the arrest ofthe members of the Conven-
ton by the Sheriff and posse, and / had
heard the Police were massed at the diff
Cerent stations-there are four Police
Stations in the city-about quarter
being at each staiion; there was a large
body of negroes in front Of the Institute,
friends of the Convention, | suppose, and
there Was quite number in the hall; and
no demonstrations that / saw were made
by them; they were peaceable and quiet,
and seemedto be simply in expectation of
hearing the speaking, gathered together
as men ordinarily are at public meeting;
| went into the hall, and very soon after
ward the firing commenced; Immediately
Rev. Mr.. Horton, who had opened the
meeting with prayer, and who was after
ward murdered. and Mr.. Cutler. stepped
upon the rostruin, and in loud voice
called upon all persons in the hall TO take
seats inside Of the bar and keep quiet, and
above all things to keep away from the
windows, and to fire nothing from the
windows, and to close the windows which
was done? the assembly who were in the
hall did come in, and all sat down that
there were chairs for, a rally on the hall
was heard after the firing had been going
onssoane minutes, and the body had lbe-
gin to FIRE, and many inside had a dispo-
sition to 60 out: but the more influential
men .exerted themselves to keep those
present quiet, to be seated, and 10 remain
inside the bar. and away 'front.' the windows:
there was not to my knowledge, any firing
from the hall except at the door. which L
will speak of afterwasd; If there was any
firing at the windows outside, there were
not moro, than three, or four shots; the
windows were closed, and there were no
bali holes through the windows except
high up, sothey could not have been fired
from the inside; but many balls passed
through the hall; we could hear them
whistle through; upon the first entrance
to the hall. white handkerchiefs were
waved and the Police were called upon
by Mr.. Horton, members OF the Conven-
ton, and others, not to fire-that no re-
sistance would be offered; they came in
and commenced firing; the instant they
commenced firing, those inside could not