New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-04-01
CRIME RAMPANT THE ADMINISTRATION
oGLEsBY
Mr.. SOuie Tenders His
A Witness Jail hHiih"" Az o''hA"o" "AA"oin
CRIME AGAIN RAMPANT
MURDER In CUACHITA PARISH
SHERIFF wrsNER AssAssINATED
A Witness Killed in the Jail
A PRISONER ACCUSED OF MURDER LIBERATED

By a dispatch received yesterday by Gov
ernor Warmoth, from Senator Ray, dated
Monroe, March 81, we learn that on Wed.
nesday night Sheriff Wisner, CT Ouachits
parish, and Orfutt johnson, a witness in Jail
we're killed, and prisoner named Beavers,
who was confined in Jail on a charge of
murder, was liberated by persons unknown.
On the same night man named Wimber-
ly was also killed, but this is reported to be
a separate affair.
! The Governor will offer rewards for the
arrest of the murderers, and for the produc-
tion of testimony to convict them, as coon
as he receives the necessary information as
to the names of the murdered persons, and
any reasonable Prescriptions that msy be
entertained in regard to the perpetrators of
these diabolical outrages.
A dispatch was received here yesterday
by Hon. W. R. Hardy, recently appointed
Assessor of the Third Internal Revenue Dis
trict, from Hon. 0. II. Brewster, dated at
Monroe. The dispatch says:
| Between nine and ten O'Clock last night, a
| gang of unknown men murdered Sheriff
Wisner. They broke open the Jail, killed
| Orfutt johnson, released Beavers and made
| their escape down the river. Tell the Gov
| ernor that the people expect him to do his
| duty.
The causes that produced this outrage,
| that thrills the good people of this State
with mingled sorrow and indignation, are
| briefly these:
On the last November election day, in
| 1868, three colored men who had voted for
Grant for President, were returning on
| horseback to their homes. when they were
met by about u dozen armed white men.
also mounted, and were ordered to go into
the woods. There the white rnffians com
PEELED the colored men to kneel down, and
told them they must prepare to die. They did
kneel, and while in that position their CHI
various captors all proceeded to fire upon
them. Two of the colored men were killed,
and the third, Orfutt Johnson, though
| wounded, managed to escape, and went
| that night to Monroe and told the dreadful
story.
Some Of the parties implicated were
shortly after arrested. had preliminary
examination before Judge Ray and were
released on bail. Beavers was arrested in
jackson parish, about four months ago, aud
confined in the parish Jail awaiting trial.
The friends of the parties implicated in the
murder Oh lie COIOrtu Lucu, perSualeu JONI
SOB, the colored man who escaped death at
the time his comrades were murdered, to go
off to Texas, so that he would be out of the
way as witness.
Johnson did 60 TO Texas, but requisition
on the Governor of that State was obtained,
and the result was the return Of Johnson to
Monroe, where htw was confined in jail for
safe keeping. as witness. Some time ago
Wisner suspected that efforts would be made
for the release of Beavers, but as time
elapsed he dismissed his fears. Prompted by
the double object of shielding the parties
connected with the murder of the two COL
ored men, who claim to be respectable, and
reside in the lower part of the parish, and
disposing of Beavers, who, it was appre-
hended might turn States evidence acd in
culpate them, the mob of unknown men
killed the Sheriff, who had his Office in the
parish Jail, killed the principal witness
against these respectable and chivalric mur-J
derers, and spirited Beavers away, so that he \
might not testify as to who his associates
were.
Major Wisner was generally respected,
and probably met his death by his indomit-
able courage in resisting the party who re-
leased Beavers.