The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1869-02-13
Report of the Board Of Regis
tration.

in Bossier parish, | have the honor
to submit the following statement:
That it would have been unsafe
for a person Of known Republican
views to travel in the parish
There are some who may have
been willing to let persons vote as
they saw fit, but there is a class OF
men who would not hesitate to
shoot any one who should attempt
to vote the Republican ticket, or
even entertain radical views.
The election passed off quietly
at Canes precinct, for the very
reason that no one tried to vote
the Radical ticket; the only one
that was polled was put in by a
negro who thought he was voting
the Democratic ticket and was
put in that it should not be said a
Radical did not dare to vote.-
Large numbers Of the colored PEG
pie did not register and those who
did voted us their masters did,
knowing that they could not vote
any other way. Since the trouble
in B0ssier parish the negroes are
in more fear than when they were
slaves. Now they have no pro-
tectors. On the morning of the
election | saw three dead negroes
in Red River myself; how they
came there | do not know.
One of the Supervisors was cow
hided with pistol held to his head
on the day Of the election, on ac-
count of his politics, by man
who killed a negro but a short time
before; you can judge for your
selves by this how the election
would go. He had registered
himself, but did not vote, as he
did not think it safe. | could
state a great deal more, but will
only say, in conclusion, if you
want more proof, ask any of the
freedmen who live there, and they
will tell you more than [ cam
However, l will mention one thing
which happened during the trou-
BILE. A party of whites captured
three negroes and took them over
on the Island, opposite Chalk Lev
ell, a few days before / got to
Shreveport, and they were never
seen since; this information I re-
ceived from the negroes on the
place.
G. W. Currie, Supervisor for
Bossier parish, furnishes the fol-
lowing TRADE:
In compliance with your request
that the Supervisors of Registration
for the parish of Bossier. report to
you upon the conduct of the late cleo
ton held in said parish, as ons of the
members of said board, have the
honor to make the following impartial
statement ofthings as l saw and under
stood them.
l am not aware of any intimidation
having been practiced at the polls of
any of the precincts in the parish, aside
from that of Bellevue-the only pre-
cinct Ct which can speak knowingly
and even there, | feel assured that
the Radical ticket could have been
voted at certain hours of the day with
out molestation; yet did the riotous
characters become aware of the fact,
trouble would have very likely ensued,
if not on election day. some day soon
after. The majority of the people, es--
pecjaliy the commissioners of election
seemed disposed to conduct the cleo
ton fairly and peaceably. but there
were afew not so disposed, who quar-
relied or fought principally among
themselves, for half the day or more,
and through the free use of their revolt
vers, knives. canes. and the threaten
ing language used by some, it would
have had the effect to intimidate, for
the time being, any that might have
felt disposed to vote the Radical tick
ct, had there been any such present.
and did cause number of negroes to
leave that had not voted; they were
said, however, to be Democrats, and
very propable, as there were very few
IN the parish who intended voting the
Radical ticket
During the fighting and quarrelling
spoken of above, ali the well disposed
people that had any influence with the
troublesome characters, did what thev
could under the circumstances towards
queIling the disturbance and keeping
order-shefiff Hill in particular. But
Notwithstanding their efforts. the quar-
relsome did pretty much as they pleas
ed and during the day prevented two
OF the Supervisors from performing
their duties, aud attacked two others
in their boarding house, springing at
one with knife and whipping another
with raw-hide, with Derringer pre-
scented at his head. The only reason
that could be assigned for such con-
quot was, that ohe was suspected of
being Radical, and the other was
known to be. The reasons assigned
Tor the attack of one were, that he had
ham MN n Al