The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1868-09-05
NUMBER, %.

Ben Sanders with several others
armed-thinks all. Ben Sanders
was armed with pistol and sword.
lie, Ben, was reputed to be the
! Captain above the Bayou. On
witness return from Minden to
Bossier Point, found the neighbor-
hood in a high state of excite
ment by the armed freedmen, in
consequence of threats made by
them that they would permit no
Farrests to be made of freedmen,
and the rumor that they intended
to whip out the whites, sc. These
were some Of the threats and ru-
mors that caused the terror and
lexcitement in the community.
Witness heard Henry Jones, re-
puted to be one OF their Lieuten,
ants, say that the last coIored man
was arrested that should be, and
that they would permit no more
arrests to be made. These threats
ware made by Henry Jones on the
road, witness being in view of the
road. On Monday witness went
from home to Williams. On Sun
day before, witness went to VIII
liams, endeavoring to prevent any
disturbance in that community
arising out Of their meeting. Moth
ing satisfactory resulted from this
conference with Isaac Williams.
He first said he could control these
men, but acknowledged that they
had gone farther than he desired,
in the way of stopping parties
from going to these meetings. II
he he had been present he would
not have permitted it. This was
about | or 2 o'clock. About IL OF
II o'clock on Monday, when wit,
ness went to Williams house. on
his way to Foxskin bridge, he
saw about 100 white men there.
The current report of the neigh
borhood was that the negroes in.
tended to kill the whites and the J
blacks that sided with them. On
Saturday, 22d August, he saw
Ben Sanders with 8 others, all
armed in the public road going
down towards Williams. Witness
called Sam Sanders out from
among them, to ascertain from
him something of their object and
insertions, when Ben Sanders
with the others with him, brought
their pieces to the position of
ready, and remained in that posi-.
tion during the conversation with
Sam Sanders. Witness asked
Sam Sanders what was the object
OF the party, and where were they
going, or what we're they going to
do. He, Sam, said they we're go
ing then to assemble at Isaac
Williams. Said they were acting
under orders, which Isaac Viii,
liams had from Headquarters, ut
Shreveport. Witness asked him
where he got the orders from;
said he did not know-but Isaac
Williams knew. Witness says
all this occurred in the parish Of
Bossier. The effect of these meet
ings, under arms by the freedmen,
struck terror to the people of the
community, so much so that there
was general uprising for pro
lection.
| (Signed), J. n. BRYAN. ~
w. III. Hill, sworn-says that
he is the Sheriff Of the parish of
Bossier. About the first of last
week, | was waited upon by d
couple of gentlemen from Fill,
more, who stated to me that there
was a great excitement in the
Point, and that the citizens of that
neighborbood and the Point de-
sired me to take steps as Sheriff,
to quell this excitement; at same
| time stated that the freedmen
were assembling in secrecy with
arms; that on last Friday, yester-
day a week ago, | went down into
: the Point, and had an interview
! with Isaac Williams, who was pre-
sumed to be the head, or ring lea
der of the freedmen. My'object
being as | told Isaac Williams at
the time, to forbid those armed as
semblies as unlawful, as | CON
ceived it my duty to do as Sheriff.
Mr.. Barnacastle was with me in
the interview with Isaac vii
liams. In this interview with
Williams / notified him that their
armed meetings were unlawful, ,
. and told him that / looked TO him
; las their chief, and had to stop
this thing immediately. lie did
not deny being their chief or lea
der. He made me no promise
THAT he would stop it, or use his
! effort to do so. / told him oil
threats that | had heard that had