Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-10-13
NORTHWEsTERx LOUISIANA.
Terrible Condition of Affairs
Murder and Outrage. :


We copy the following details in refsr.
ence to the recent conflict in northwest
ern Louisiana, from the Caddo Gazette,
Of the 81:
A thousand conflicting reports Of the
. horrible asasssinations in BossieT parish,
have been circulated far and wide. To
correct erroneous reports, and give our
readers a plain, uBvsrnished history OF
these revolving sets, Ia the object Of this
article. The apprehension, so long en-
tertained, that the two races would
eventually make war upon each other,
tss been changed TO horrid reslity.
We present the follow ing statement of
al the facts we have obtained connected
with the distuFbances and murders which
have occurred in B0ssier parish during
the past week.
On Sunday morning Mr.. Elisha Glib
son, with several OF his neighbors from
GDlnmbia county, Ark, were re
turning home from Shreveport. They
hsd sold their cotton and made their pur-
chsses, but still retAinsd several hundred
dollars, which were in-the hands OF Mr..
Gibson. This party stopped at the Shady
Grove plantation, on Red river, eight
miles above this place, and purchased
corn. While there q pistol was fired. 1t
is not proved that the pistol was fired at
any one. Gibson asserts that il was an
accident, while the negroes on the place
declare that he shot at one Of them. At
any rate, nobody was hurt.
When the party left, 8 number OF ne
groes followed them snd arrested Gibson.
No resistance was made, as the whites
were unsrIned and unprepsred to defend
themselves. The negroes returned to
Shady Grove with their prisoner, and for
ssfe keeping he was chained by the neck
TO tree. Mr.. BrOwnlee, DR.. Vance and
MT. Byrne, Of cur city, advised the ne
gr0es to release Mr.. Gibson, assuring
them that be was 3 worthy citizen Of
Arkansas. Failing in this, Mr.. B1own-
lee went to Benton and secured the as
sists1ee OF several citizens, who came
dOEI and rescued Gibson from the
clutches OF these inluriated barbarisns
Gibson then informed them that he had
been robbed Of all his money, his hat and
coat.
There was an interval Of two days, 8
luN which preceded terrible storm OF
passion. On Wednesday morning be-
fore daylight, q party Of about thirty
men, said 10 be from Arkansas, surrCun-
ded the negro quarters at Shady Grove
and demsnded The surrender OF the
guilty parties. A fight ensued, in which
one negro was killed and three wounded.
Five negroes, charged with stealing the
money, we're taken in the direction Of
Arkansas. Thus ended the frat bloody
tragedy.
On the same morning (Wednesdsy) s
number Of negroes from adjoining plant
atoms, posted themselves along the road
near Mr.. BFOwnlse's and when the latter
left the residence of Mr.. Ssggus, his
fsther-in-law, in company with Mr..
Francis Ogden, they surrounded them,
snd then deliberately shot them down.
Mr. Baer, who was present, protested
against the assassination of these young
men, but che negroes stated thst they
had rescued Gibson, from them, for
which crime they must be killed. Bird
shot were used, mixed with few buck
shot, and these white men were literally
filed with lead. Neither Of them wss
killed instantly, but Mr.. Ogden died 10
q few hours, ard Mr.. Brownlee is in
critical condition. The negroes having
fired by plstOcns upon these helpless
men, left them In the agonies Of death,
as they supposed, and walked of quietly
as il they had Obeyed militsry CTder.
When the news reached our city 1t pro-
duced the widest excitement, and great
fears were entertained for the safety Of
white families ia the neighborhOOd, who
we're outnumb bered ten to one by the De-
grOss. Volunteers quickly rallied to
the cry " 70 srms," and about fifty men
5 ,srted f0T the dark snd bloody ground.
At the earnest and oft repeated sOlici-
tstiOn or our citizens, Mr.. Heating, the
United States Deputy Marshal, made a
requisiliOn upon the military COM
a nf If.
the soldiers crossed the river a courier
from the front brought the startling
news that the fight had bEguu. The
from Shreveport sent for
ward scouts, who reported that the ne
grOes at s,medlsy's, one mile below the
place where the murders we're commit
ted, we're loading their guns and pFep8r- I
ing for action. Col. Jack Wharton with
3 few others, rode up to them and as
3ured them that they would not be dis
turbed, but ordered them to lay down
their arms. In answer 10 this request
the negroes began to fire, which was re-
turned when the negroes beat hasty re-
treat Ed. Sturgess' clothes were torn
by shot, sBd his horse was badly
wounded About twenty five shots
were fred, bat no one was killed. 0ne
negro was severely wounded and has
since died, the balance escaped.
The plantations along the river we're .
visited, but strange to say, all tbs ne I
yroes had deserted their cabins and /
.sken to the woods. They seem deter .
mined to shield the murdsrers OF Brown /
lee and Ogden.
The party from Arkansas did not re- /
.arn home ss was expected, bat halted .
It Benton until they could learn the re-
;ult Of their raid on Shady Grove. They .
were enrsged by the murder Of Bro .. p
lee and Ogden, and have retsliaisd ter .
rlbly on the negroes wherever they can /
ind them. e - rH <r
On Thursday morning Eve negroes (
we're shot by the Arksaslans at Shady 4
Grove, although the proprietor vouched I
ior their good character, sEd hsd prom .
sed them protection. Many OF the
party from Shreveport were shocked and /
offended by this unnecessary cruelty,
and returned home. The citizens OF 4
volunteered their services to /
arrest the n0urderers, and to protect all .
Eho were peaesably disposed. They I
ieprecate all sets OF brutality, whether +
committed By whites or blacks.
On Thursday evening, q few miles .
lbOve Benton, ln Booster parish, Mr.. w.
4. Thompson, was shot by some negroes /
rom the Dickson plantation. These me-
yrOes had not been molested, IS they re-
Iidsd several miles from the locality
where the murders had been committed. I
Mr. Tbonps0n had shipped eottoB Jon the /
isnoe day, from Carolina Bluffs, on the .
ars No. S, and was riding down to BEN \
on, and negro testimony has been taken I
certain negroes on one OF the
Dickson plantations.
In conclusion, we will state that the
'itizens Of BossieT, aided by the civil and
military authorities, sre doing all in their
,Ower to restore quiet, and, we Rre glad
q announce, with prospect OF success.
We DO hope that the bloody drams has
Il last closed.
OF the occurrence in Shreveport, the
snle paper says:
On Wednesday night the negroes at I
he arsenal, outside Of the city limits,
rmed themselves and put out pickets.
These measures we're adopted, they as
ert, to repel an attack from our citizens.
.Ir. Bryce, our chief Of police, Ia com
'sny with Mr.. Walker, were hailed this
ode Of the arsenal grounds, and then
hot at.
The negro who turns OuF cylinder press
anne into the Office on Thursday morn
ng with marks of violence on his per-
on. he stated that he had refused TO
hey the orders OF the so-eslled Capt,
Dick White, q negro who lives at the
Tsensl, to arm himself and turn out;
hst he was held and beaten that morn
ng for refusing to do so. Writs were is