The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-09-17
LOUISIANA.

~ t,-LI~I,.~~l-
A Little 50. Domingo Planned and Fruseraf-
et-DetaiIs Of the Negro Conspiracy at Bos-
sier Point-The Rxauainatiou or the Prison.
ers-ExtraOrdinary Developments Of Credu.
lily, Barbarism and Ignorance-A General
Massacre OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES Of the
Menaced Planters. +,.. ~,
BELLEVUE, BOssier Parish, Sept. g. 1893
Bossier Point but few miles distant from the
town from which this letter is Dated has just escap
ed an extended and terrible notoriety. With the evil
dences Of the recent negro conspiracy lying thickly
around with twenty Of the rngeaders in the parish
prison, not stones throw OF, ana with the tesn-
mony OF persons Of all shades of opinion, United
States army 0f1cers, planters, negroes and civil
authorities and each confrmatory or the
other 1t Is still almost impossible for correspondent
writing on the very spot to believe that conspiracy
so foul. yet wild ana obectless, could have been
conceived and nearly carried into execution.
Bossier Point embraces tract Of country about
fifteen miles square, bounded by Lake Bsleau on the
one side and Red Shoot. kind OF bayou of the Red
river, on the other. The white planters occupying
the district are few In number and Of superior
class, comparatively wealthy in these Impoverished
times Some Of the older plantations have been
rented to negroes on time, and the neighboring
whites with that friendly feeling towards their for
mer slaves which In regions unpolluted by the
Freedmen's Bureau and carpet-baggery Is always
apparent, lent them mules and agricultural imp le-
ments TO help them along. One OF the most pros
porous OF these negro planters, elderly man
named isaac Williams, who had some twenty other
negroes working lOr him and was doing well, Ii the
ayowed instgator OF the recent conspiracy. The
precise incentives to the movemenG can only be
lathomed IN part The rest lies buried under the OBJ
scurtles OF Voodooism and the savage and almost
incomprehensble instincts Of the African race
All the HERALD correspondents writing from the
south during the present. campaign have concurred
upon one pointthat the promises Of forty acres OF
land each and mule, which INSCRIPTIONS carpet-bag-
gers have sOwn broadcast among the cOlOred voters
have taken deep root in the negro mind, and that
the non-fulnlment or those promises has been the
great lever which has turned thousands of radical
negroes into democrats Here lies one motive OF tue
B0ssier Point conspiracy. Add the unlimited credu
ty and excessive suspicion Of the negro tempera-
ment, their quckness to take alarm and to be scared
| without reason, and you have another element In
Claiborne parish a remark which an indiscreet de-
nocrat made In the presence of negroes that they
would whip hell out Of the radicals next November.
| spread al assassination panic among the negroes
over half county. On the line OF the Shreveport
and Texas Railroad human skeletOn-part of the
effects OF dead physcianwhich some stupid white
man hung up in the woods, scared every negro la
borer on the track and put stop to the construction
The negro rising at Bossier Point has been Of gra
dual growth. 1t commenced with Loyal League
meetings Ike Williams, or ..tieneral Williams, > rs
his coored troops termed him, presiding. When the
number OF darkies attending these weekly meetings
Increased IL began 10 be customary 10 place armed
sentnes round the camp and white mel who passed
along the road were III some instances arrested and
drilling was the next step, and when one or two
hundred negroes began to assemble for this purpose
armed win all KINDS OF weapons rom the improved
springfield musket down 70 rusty double barrelled
pistols, razors and clubs, the scanty white popua-
ton became iairy alarmed. negro teacher IA man
just able to read next appeared on the scene and,
ing to come from General Grant, directing the loyal
under The direction Of Williams read orders purpOrt-
negroes OF Louisiana to arm ana drill and be ready
To act under the orders of General, Williams. These
directions were implicitly 0beyed; week after
week the assemblages Of armed negroes in-
M and
coup a'etat were determined upon. clean
sweep was to be made OF the white residents
the cradle TO the grave'-and the lands were To be
divided among tho loyal blacks. AT this crisis two
OF the white planters-Messrs Marshall and Faunt-
leroystarted for Shreveport to implore the aid OF
the tniied states troops. Captain Faron, command
ing the post informed them That he had no power
TO take action unless he received requision from
the civil authorities. That being furnished next
day Captain Faron set ont with detachment OF the
Twentieth infantry, the citizens supplying teams ana
ambuances in abundance Tor their Transportation
On the road they met and arrested Williams, the
rngleader, who was coming into Shreveport 10 OBJ
tain a supply OF arms and ammunition, which he
asserts that one Ford an exagent OF the Freedmens
bureau, had engaged 10 supply him with. Captain
the scoundrel was kept under close guard lie
how contriyed to send word ahead Of him
troops and that they were going down 60 help
him clean out these rebels. The consequence was
negroes turned out aud accompanied Captain
Faron and Williams Ia triumphal procession and
they could drive them back to their cotton fields.
On the Platt plantation, at Fillmore. Il mulattO ser
remained alone and told her that the Yankee troo ps
had joined Ike Williams and were going to kill every
white person nom the cradle upwards. The poor
lady was heightened nearly To death.
Meanwhile the Sheriff OF BOsser had assembled
the strongest posse he could get together and had
gone OUT TO the rendezvous where the armed
negroes were assembling and captured some forty or
1lty armed negroes; one or two whites attempting
to escape are said TO have been shot Oouriers
Al m nd Gfa
summoning the negroes to assemble at the Point
In few hours there would have been over two
hundred armed negroes gathered together. The
prisoners were brought here to Bellevue and UNDER
went lengthy examination before two Justices OF
the peace.
+. J. Hamilton, one Of the witnesses examined
stated that when he, with others OF the posse acting
under instructions from the Sheriff. came up with
the riotous party thus drawn up In line he heard
some OIL his party speak to this party under arms
and inform them that the Sheriff had warrant for
the apprehension OF certain parties and desfed them
to remain in line until the Sheriff could come up and
read the warrant, and execute the same II the par
ties therein named were In the crowd. When the
notice OF the warrant was given TO them they con-
sened to remain IA they were until the Sheriff could
come up; but thew commenced making their escape.
preached by the posse with the Sheriff, and they
were ordered to ground arms some OF them obeyed
nnd 1aeps re,ea 70 10 s9some one OF Their party
ground their arms, ON tile contrary cooked their
pieces, bringing them to the position Of ready When
they made ready Mr. Bright told them to fire away,
but II they did not one would be left alive In five
minutes; whereupon, under the advice OF their com
radcs, they grounded arms put down their and
surrendered. About forty surrendered may be more
or less There were thirty guns Of various descrip-
t0ls saw three pistols In the pile, two Colts and
one horseman's. The negroes said they had been
warned TO assemble there by Williams runners for
q tight with the white folks.
Albert Hayden, FREQ negro, sworn, said that he
was at Williams on SATURDAY evening, August ~.
Isaac (Wllllans) was at home; was there late. Dan
Jones told witness and others lnthe hearing OF Isaac
that wanted them ~ be The schoolhousc ut ten
O'Clock next day, ut which time he expected the
battle 10 commence Told those VINO had arms TO
leave them Isaac said at that time he wanted some Of
the men 10 go with him 10 Shreveport, and sent two
Of his boys To get mis- mule and horse. Isaac said
wanted 10 send for arms and ammunition. that he
had sent the week before for hundred guns and
fifty pistols but mad not received them and that he
was going himself Isaac said he was gong To Gene
r1l Flood in Shreyep ort for ammunition and arms.
witness heard that the freedmen were meeting at
Sharan meeting house armed and were expecting a
h..a