Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-10-21
THE RIOT AT JEFFERSON, LOU
ISIANA.
A Conflict Of Civil Authorities
and What Caused Il.
Metropolitan Police VS.. The
wo People. Elos


claiming to have been appointed by Ii
Legislature Of Louisiana. The followin
correspondence, copied from the New o.
leans Times, of the 18th, will throw ful
Their light on the subject:
Monday morning the following commu
nicstion was sent to the Mayor Of the cit
of Jefferson, and by him referred TO th
Chief of Police of that place:
| OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF
METROPOLITAN POLICE, NEW ORLEANS
October II, 186S.-Hon. J. Kreider, Nav
or Jefferson City, La, Sir-I have the hon
or to transmit herewith copy Of the act o
The Legislature establishing Metropolitan
Police District, together with official copies
of extracts of General Orders No. /, anG
Special Orders No. 3, from this office, de
timing the boundaries of the Seventh Pre-.
cinct, and assigning Capt. D. G. Woodruff
Metropolital Police, to the command of the
| same.
| take this occasion to express the hope
that as the executive officer of the city gov.
eminent OF Jefferson, you will extend to
Capt. Woodruff all the assistance in your
power, which will, upon all occasions, b
reciprocated. .r.
remain, very respectfully. your obe92
dieHt servant, J. J. WILLIAMSON,
Acting Superintendent.
The following are the extracts from Gen.
eral and Special Orders referred to:
OFFICE OF THE SUPT. OF METRoPoII.
TAN POLICE, New Orleans, October 18th,
lS6S.-General Orders No. IL Extract,
i. At meeting of the Board of Police
Commissioners, the precincts of the Metro
politan District were established with
boundaries, as follows, viz: .... -
Seventh precinct comprises the whole of
the parish of Jefferson, left bank. The
msin station to be in Jefferson city. with a
sub-station at Carrollton.
III. Captains of precincts will govern
themselves accordingly.
By order of J..J. WILLIAMSON,
Acting Superintendent.
E. V. HITCH, Clerk.
OFFICE OF THE SUP'T METROPOLITAN
POLICE, New Orleans, Oct. II. 1865
Special Orders No. g. Extract. IL. By
direction of the Board of Police Commits
sioners, Capt. d. c. Woodruff is hereby as.
signed to the command of the Seventh
Precinct, Metropolitan Police District. He
will be obeyed and respected accordingly.
ii, Capt. Woodruff will take charge of
all public property and records pertaining
to his office, giving proper receipts for the
same. By order of NH.
}. }. WILLIAMSON,
Acting Superintendent.
f. V. HITCH, Clerk.
Upon this Mr.. Lsthieque addressed the
following note to d. G. Woodruff:
OFFICE CHIEF OF POLICE, City of Jeffer-
SOD, Oct. Is, lS68.-Sir: | most respect
fully decline to give up my Office of Chief
of Police of the city of Jefferson, or turn
over my force TO any pretended authority,
which hold by q unanimous election Of
the Council of the city of Jefferson.
IL you really believe you are truly and
justly entitled TO the above office, you may
appeal for relief 10 the proper tribunal in
the course Of law.
Very respectfully,
NJ. LETHIEQUE,
Chief Of Police of the City of Jefferson.
CITY oE JEFFERSON, Oct. ii, lS68.-To
the Honorable the President and Members
of the Board of Metropolitan Police:
Gentlemen-The undersigned, Mayor and
q majority Of the Board of Aldermen of
The city of Jefferson, respectfully protest
against the putting in operation of the
Metropolitan Police bill in this city, as
they believe the act TO be unconstitutional,
and that the threatened manner of en-
forcing it in the city of Jefferson is not
warranted by the act itself. They are
willing TO submit to any order em2nating
in a proper manner from proper Judicial
authority. They are very DESTROYS Of
avoiding collision with any officials act:
ing under your authority, and would,
therefore, respectfully suggest that you
take measures to test the validity Of the
act, and procure the necessary process from
the courts of the country before YOU en-
deayor to put the act in operation by force.
We have the honor to remain your ODE
dent servants,
[Signed by the Mayor and majority of
the Board of Aldermen.
The Times adds:
Subsequently the Mayor and several of
the Aldermen held meeting, and a pro.
test was prepared and sent to the Board of
Police Commissioners. They sustained
the action of the Chief of Police in not
giving up his Office, and deprecated the
conduct Of the Metropolitan force in at
tempting TO obtain BY violence what was
wholly within the jurisdiction Of the
courts.
When we left Jefferson last evening the
corners in the immediate vicinity of the
Chiefs Office were thronged with men, and
all the streets for some little distance were
picketed in anticipation of another demon
eff AhnfslH ~ lnrinnv ha rsrrhf
the responsibility must rest where it prop
erly belongs. Neither J. ]. Williamson,
nor J. J. sny-body.else, has a right to at
tempt decision with brute force that can
easily be settled by quo WarrdntO. The
chances are if he does, twill be bitterly re-
GREETED during the remainder of ]. J. Will
liamsOn's existence.
s O'clock P. M.-The colored population
still remain in groupes on the corners of
the streets The different churches are
thronged with negroes. The citizens re-
main cslm-they do not desire disturab.
ance, but if it is forced upon them they
will meet it with proper resolution. Too
much praise cannot be given to Mr.. NJ.
Lelhieque for the manner in which he has
acted; his determination and firmness has
prevented bloody affair in Jefferson City.
The Picaylne of the 18th has the follow
ing:
EK-Mayor Woodruff, theIecent appointte
of the Metropolitan Board as Chief of
Police for Jefferson City, made another de-
mand for the Office this morning, this time
being backed by strong force of armed
policemen, with an armed negro reserve.
The present Chief calmly but firmly re.
fused to vacste, ard referred Woodruff to
the courts for redress. The presence of an
armed body of men, and the purpose of
their coming, very naturally created in
tense alarm and excitement among the
population of Jefferson, who assembled in
large numbers in the vicinity of the court
house. Gen. Rousseau has been informed
of the existing difficulties, and doubtless
will prevent a conflict.
With regard to Woodruff, We would
he is personally obnoxious 10
the citizens of Jefferson, and his appoint
ment blythe Metropolitan Board of Polio
is deemed an insult No citizen OF Jeffer-
son would consider his life or his property |
safe if this man, who has no pretensions TO |
decency, much less honesty, we're permit |
ted TO exercise the rights of Chief of Po-
lice il theirtown. His appointment shonld
at once be revoked. -"
Acknowledgement Evarts has decided
that brandy distilled from apples, grapes