New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-09-26
FROM LIyINesTox rAmTsH.
Big Org and Llssle wos,.

PoNoHAToULA, September Is, 1868.
One of the greatest excitemeuts and
most complete "sells" occurred at Poncha-
toula yesterday ever brought to light in
this parish. Two or three days ago com
plants were made to the Justice of the
Peace of this ward by several old resi-
dents, that body of armed colored men
were nightly drilling in the vicinity Of this
town, to the great CONSERVATION OF peacea-
BILE Inhabitants; therefore they prayed that
a stop be put to it, as il was ascertsined
that general massacre was about to take
placeof all the whites, and that citizen
had been assaulted and beaten by these
eelored men while peaeeably looking on
at their drilling, and that the same peace
able citizen bad moreover been arrested
by these men, and detained In the depot
building.
Mr.. J. o. Spencer, the magistrate of the
ward, informed the party that such things
had not, to bis knowledge, occurred, and
that he knew of no armed body of eolOred
men, or any unarmed body of colored men,
that had made any demonstration what
ever but that he would investigate the
affair Immediately, and take measures to
suppress any breach of the peace. He ac-
cordingly appointed special to work
the thing up. Meanwhile, o man calling
himself Bradford assailed Mr.. Amos Nor
rison, one of our foremost Republicans, and
used the most offensive language, saying he
would as soon cut his throat as he would
look at him that he hated cursed Yam
kee, and charged Mr.. Morrison with drill
ing these " outlaws" While Mr.. Morrison
was relating this circumstance to the Mayor
| nd 70 fho al A.
| investigate the drilling made his report
"By due and diligent inquiry, and q
thorough investigation of the alleged
drilling which nightly takes place in the
depot at Ponchatoula, | fad the circum-
stances to be, and the grounds for such re-
port as follows
Three colored boys and one colored girl
while playing in the woods ia this vicinity,
found what once had been a drum, but
both ends were minus the sheepskin. They,
by little wit, supplied the deficiencies
and made tolerably good drum. Their
house being in the suburbs of town, quite
a gathering OF children took place each
night to play with the drum and beat It in
turn. Finally, the children marched
through town, beating the drum and, 81
course, stopped at the depot where they
laid aside the drum and commenced play
ing base on the platform surrounding the
depot building. The children being bare
footed and continual running over the
platform at a distance had the apparent
sound Of drum. An over-zealous lndi-
vidual, "knowing" positively that Mr.. Nor
ris0n was drilling the company of colored
men inside of the depot with closed doors,
sneaked up to the corner of the depot to
listen, and it so happened he came to the
very corner selected by the childreR for
base.
He had been there but a few moments
when three or four boys came rushing to
base, and they, not recognizing this iAdi-
vidual in the dark, thinking him one OF
their playmates, he being a very small
man, of course seized him and pushed him
out of their way; and Just then another
delegation came, and thinking him to be
trying to get to base first, grabbed hold Of
him and held him minute or two, during
which time quite hustle occurred, and
some blows were passed before his identity
was made known.
The above is a correct report as taken
down by myself as the officer told it. Thus
the great cry Of snigger Friot," "illegal
J arrest" "asssault and battery" sniggel
: drilling" ETC., has upon investigation dWin-
died down to nothing but some inoffensive
juvenile sperts. Circulate this, Gang
street journals 1t is too good to be lost
MEDIC,