New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-22
THE BATON ROUGE RIOT
The Fifth Days Examination

Owing to the circumstance that Judge
Durell uses the District courtroom for
short time each mOrning>the Commissioners
Court, for the examination of the persons
arrested for participation in the Baton
Rouge riot, did not open until half past
twelve O'Clock yesterday. When Commits
sioner Grant took his seat, it was announced
by the Marshal that four of the defendants,
Schofeld, Latil, Lopez and LObdell, were
absent fron sickness. A number Of new
witnesses had arrived since Saturday and
were in court.
j. II. Burch. sworn-Was present at the
election in Baton Rouge on the seventh in
slant; was in the courtroom to see the votes
counted was sitting at the table when he
heard shot; Immediately after he heard
another, then another, then a perfect vOlIey;
witness went to the window to close it;
by the time he had it closed, number Of
colored men came rushing up; he opened
the window again and the cOlOred people
came in through the window; at the same
time people from the outside were firing at
the window; very soon afterward the
window was violently pushed open by per-
sons from the outside. and a vOlley fired into
the room; then the fire bell rang. and wit
ness said: "That is the signal for general
onslaught" After this the door was pushed
open, and white man came in.
into the room; Mr.. Lucas said something
like what is all this going on!' did not
see any arms in Mr.. Lucas's hands; the
firing seemed to increase; think the crowd
outside increased also, but being inside, l
could not tell to what extent; l thought it
would be safer to put out the lights, SO
did put out one light; heard somebody say
"the - are putting out the lights" there
was still firing; during lull; heard some
one say, "if we can't get at them IN any
other way, we will burn the buildings" we
waited, expecting help; somebody opened
the window Of the clerks room and a vol
lev of shots were fred in. When the wit
ness at length got out he was fired at by
three men on Boulevard street. Witness
made his way to the outskirts OF the town;
recognized none but Mr.. Lucas; the crowd
outside kept yelling, some among them cry
ing out, "we'n have their bloOd;'' never
want to hear such yelling; it seemed to
mean mischief; l was a candidate for the
Legislature at the last election, and had
voted.
No cross-examinatiOn.
DIR. X. II. Day, sworn.-Was at Baton
Rouge on the day of election, and was in
witness recognizes no one engaged IN the dis
turbance; was at the courthouse as commls-
sioncr of election; when passed out OF the
southwest gate I encountered crowd OF
people; apprehending some injury. !
stopped, told them who l was. and asked
if they meant to shoot me; had expected
no attack do not know the people who
tried to break open the room; the ballot
boxes were at first in the police jury room,
b,,< ffor ha attack wpre carried into the
clerks room; Mr.. Lucas came in and said.
"What are YOU set of id fools about
your own party began it," or words to that
effect lost sight Of the ballot-bOxes for
time, but was present when they were
counted; there were tickets for DarraN and
Bailey.
Crcss-examined-Wa State Senator from
East Baton Rouge; ran on the Democratic
ticket; the first intimation had Of difficulty
was hearing shot; after that there we're
two or three, then an increase, then vol
lev; soon after some cOlOred men jumped
into the window: some OF them were
wounded, and some were armed; asked
what was the matter, and the answer was
something about white men firing pistols;
one man in the room was wounded; as l
went to examine his wound shot came IN at
the window; there was nothing hostile in
the appearance Of Mr.. Lucas; he appeared
to have come in either to escape from shot,
or to make peace; some persons OUTSIDE
pushed open the shutters, others thrust pis-
tolls through the jar Of the door, and fired
all around; staid until thought from the
stiffness that it was safe from firing, and
then went out.
Direct examination resumed. The object
of the Supervisor Of Election was to keep
out a crowd from the room where the votes
were to be counted, but not to exclude the
public from witnessing the counting OF the
votes, for Mr. Chapman intended to invite
citizens to see the counting; there was no
firing from the courthouse at any time.
Questioned by Mr.. New. No balls came
into the courthouse until after the col0red
people had jumped in; if such balls had
come in l should have known it; heard
several vOlleys fired before shot came into
the room.
Questioned by Mr.. Fuqua. Knows Mr..
| Bird very well; did not recognize his voice
| in the crowd; each window tof the court
housed on St. Ferdinand street, was open;
all others were closed.
DR.. 7. B. Payne, sworn-Is assistant
surgeon in the United States army, and
| stationed at Baton Rouge; the first part
| of witness testimony was similar to that
previously given by Captain Meyers; in
addition the witness testified that he had
| heard two men talking in the street, one
| asked the other when the trouble was to
take place; the other said not till after the
| election something was said about killing
| the captain; witness, ON the Saturday pre-
| vious to the election, was In Chambers book
store, where he cav o man who wanted to
| get pistol; Mr.. Chambers would not let
| him have tie pistol without paying for it;
| the man said ke would take 4, and should
hs uee II q 9oAday, he would PAY SoF 4;