New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-23
THE BATON ROUGE RIOT.
sixth Days Bxaminn ton.


THE BATON ROUGE RIOT.
sixth Days Examination.
Commissioner Grant took his seat at one
o'clock yesterday. and the examination Of
the parties accused of participation in the
Baton Rouge riot proceeded. 1t was an
nounced by the Marshal that three Of the
accused, C. Il. Hillen, Felix Lobdell, z.
Castro, were sick, and had not appeared.
Tue first witness called to the stand was
Major Green. This witness, who testified
that he was well acquainted with the plan
of the courthouse in Baton Rouge, having
assisted Major Walker with the design of
thebuilding, proved the correctness of the
plans exhibited in court.
b. r. Beauregard, sworn-Was COmmis-
sioner Of Election in the First Ward, poll
number one; was within the courthouse at
the time the disturbance commenced; heard
firing, at first few shots, which rapidly in
creased. and heard some one on the outside
sav Fall in boys" does not know who said
81: saw one person killed in the room; is of
opinion that the person spoken of was
killed bv shots fired within the room; but
does not know who did it. The testimony
of this witness was very brief, and there
was no ocrOss-examlnation.
j. ii. h. SchoOnmaker swOrn-Was in
Baton Rouge at the time Of the election and
subsequent disturbances: was Commissioner
of Election, and on Monday, the seventh in
stant, after the polls had closed, was in the
courthouse to count the votes; heard pistol
shots, which increased to a volley; can not
tell who were the parties who fired the
shots; was wounded afterward when out
side the courthouse: did not leave the court
house Immediately; saw no parties In the
courthouse yard until he got to the western
street. when he saw party of men, some Of
whom hailed him. calling out who's that :"
the witness answered by calling out his
name, when they fired upon him, and con-
tinucd to fire until he had fed far enough to
be out of their reach; the witness made his
way as fast as possible from the scene of
danger, and knows nothing further.
There was no crosse xamlnatlOn.
George jackson. sworn-When this wit
ness took the stand Mr.. Fuqua objected to
his evidence, on the ground that he was
present at the examination Of Hartman,
the day before. In answer to question
the witness said he was in the room few
minutes, until he was told that he must not
be there: and that he did not hear a word
the witness said. The examination was al
lowed to go on.
w tlECSs HIVES Ill Ddtuu lbs ItNCO
there twenty months, and was commits
sioner ut the late election; was in the police
jury room in the courthouse to count the
votes, and while so doing was disturbed in
his duty; heard shots at the time the dis
turbance began: at first one. then two or
three, afterward ten or twelve: witness fell
on the floor and got under table; some
body opened the door of the clerks room
and crowded into that room; don't know
who shot; recognized none with arms in
their hands; some young men questioned
me about the state Of the votes; | referred
them to the poll list on the table; that was
before the polls closed; was fired on after
got out of the courthouse; some eight or ten
shots were fired at me; l do not recognize
the parties who fired.
There was no crOsa-examiEatiOn.
b. V. BarrancO, swOrn-Lives at Baton
Rouge; was at the courthouse at the close
of the election; the first | knew Of the dis
turbance was quarrel at a restaurant; at
terward heard shots fired; heard a great
many: recognize Hubbs. Gordon, SkOlfeld,
Way, Fave and Williams, who all were
around some were in the courthouse yard
and some at the jail; did not see the faces
of those who shot; heard Hubbs say he had
followed Chapman; had fired two shots at
him. and had come back on account OF an
empty pistol.
Cross-examined-I have mentioned here
the names Of all the men I mentioned at the
examination at Baton Rouge, except Joe
McKitrick; the courthouse has trees near
the wall in some parts; had no difficulty
with Charles Hubbs; never quarreled with
him; he Quarreled with me five, six or-seven
months ago about debt; / have been
friendly with him since then; parties were
standing near the courthouse door: there Is
a cistern in the courthouse yard; l saw
Hubbs in front of the door; saw Mckitrick
near the Jail door; l saw them after the fir
ing had stopped there, but there was firing
up town at the time.
II. s. Williams, one of the accused; here
expressed a wish to ask a few questions Of
the witness, stating to the court that he
had no counsel He then asked witness
what he had heard him say in Jail. Wit
ness replied, "fou said 4 don't want to go
out and get shot by no one.'"
have seen no one about my evidence; l
meyer said l would get even with Hubbs
there is no prejudice between US; didn't see
you with gun.
Questioned by defense-Was in the court
room at the time Of the firing; went out
when the shooting was done in the court
house yard; the trouble was not yet over,
for there vas firing up town; have had no
talk with McKitrick; he was present when
witness testimony was a continued rcpeti-
ton of what he had already said; he re-
marked in conclusion that he had seen no
one with arms.
Joshua Morgan, swOrn-Was in Baton
Rouge at the time of election; saw one squad
of seven men at one place and five men in
another; they were going from the court
house to the river; don't know whether they
had pistols or sticks. No OcrOss-exanination.
Major Stewart, sworn-Lives in Baton
Rouge was at the courthouse at the time
the riot began; heard firing across the
street; was wounded, but do not know by
whom; when they commenced firing on US
we tried to get into the courthouse; was
shot at about o step from the door; was
shot in the neck; didn't recognize at the
time who fred: but recognized afterward
some persons who had been in the crowd
l recognized Lusk among those who were in
the crowd; don't know who shot.
The remaining testimony of this witness,
which was given in mumbling manner,
amounts to this:
That being pursued, he took refuge in the
yard of Mrs. Baum; that when the place
was approached by three or four men who
were about to enter, the witness essayed to
get into the bake-oven, but ON second
Thought, concluded the inside Of the'cistern
L.. = Z IA ~