New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-20
THE DONALDsONv1I.LE TROUBLES
THE OTHER DEMOCRATIC RIOT
Proof Against the Criminals

Proof Against the Criminals
We present below few proofs Of the orr
gin end nature of the troubles that recently
took place ut Donaldsonville, in connection
with the recent State election.
The matter in brief was that, from threats
made before the election by leading Demo-
erats, and from indications on the day OF
the election, the Supervisor of Registration
had every reason to believe that riot
would occur, in the course Of which the
ball0t-bOxes would be carried off and de-
stroyed, or, at any rate so treated that the
election would be invalidated. 1t was un-
der these circumstances that the Supervisor
Of Registration, DIR. Hunsaker, deter
mined to establish his Office on the Oppo-
site si,le OF the river, at Marchand's
place, where the votes could be counted in
sAtobab}e safety. For this purpose the
Gommissieners Of Election were ordered by
the registrar to convey the ballot-boxes to
Narchand's place. 1t was then that the
Democrats armed and made threatening
demonstrations and declarations that blood
should be shed before the ballot boxes
could be touched, and in fact took virtual
possession of them, with the evident inten-
tion to deprive the officers appointed by law
of all control over them.
Under these circumstances Supervisor
Hmlsaker sent to the chief constable, David
Fisher, requisition Of which the following
is a copy, and which explains itself:
"To Mr.. David Fisher, Chief Constable Of the par
ish Of Ascension, and to all ia~-ahiding citizens
Of the parish:
81 You are hereby requested to take with
you sufficient force to protect the Commits
sioners of Election appointed by me, and
assist them in bringing to my Office the
ballot boxes which are now forcibly detained
at the court house in Donaldsouville, SO
that the votes may be counted; and also post
q sufficient guard over my Office to preserve
the peace.
I'D. S. HUNSAKER,
I" Supervisor of Registration in Ascension
Parish
The two following affidavits will give a
clear idea Of with whom the difficulty orr
glnated:
State of Louisiana, Parish of ASCENSION
Personally appeared before me, the under
signed authority. Harry Squire, who, being
duly sworn. deDoscs and saws:
eonstables on the seventh dav of Noyember
to guard the ballot box at the Fourth Ward
on the day of election: everything passed off
quietly that day at the polls where was
stationed. On the following day, the eighth
Of November, Felix Reynaud came to me and
said to me, let us leave these boxes and go
and take guns and shoot against them other
men from coming over the river. on this
side. to take the boxes. that ia takinr 0ur
rights. Felix Reynaud and Sam Fields were
the first two men to take arms to run to the
river to stop the men from coming over the
ferry, to take boxes; they started the whole
uproar, and the town became excited. l
did not leave NV poll. They started from
Morris Marks Office with their gums. The
gnns came out of Morris Marks Office: when
they went to the river l told them not to
20, let them take them into the skiff if they
wanted to. They said / did not know what
was in them boxes l saved Fishers life on
Monday night, as took him out of a crowd
armed with sticks and pistols, deretmined
upon taking his life.
his
HARRY Y SQUIRE.
mark.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, in the
parish aforesaid, this thirteenth November
A. u. 1870. F. VICKNAIR,
State of Louisiana, Parish Of Ascension
Personally appeared before me, the under
signed authority, Davis Hubbard, who
being. duly sworn, dep0ses and says:
On Monday, about three o'clock =. NJ.
Morts aSn aae uaa Sc tbn n.UoH NJ, oioirls
!" These ballot-hoxes shall not Ie iaLen
away from the courthouse; if anybody does
take them, he will have to take them over
one hundred dead bodies !" This on the
seventh November, 1870.
On Tuesday, the eighth day of Noyem-
ber, heard Felix Ryenaud say that I. not "a
man elected on the Republican ticket in this
election should ever serve in this parish
whilst he lived" On the same day | saw
shooting rifles, on horseback, riding up and
down the road, telling the people if they did
not go back into DOnaldsOnville they would
blow light holes through them.
On Monday night, the day Of the cleo
ton, Morris Marks said in front of the
courthouse that these ballot-boxcs should
not leave the courthouse on no considera-
ton, and we ought to raise two hundred
men and go over the river and take these
boxes on the other side and bring them over.
his
DAVIS Y HUBBARD.
mark.
Sworn to and subscribed before me, in
the parish aforesaid, this thirteenth Noyem-
Der, A. ID. 1870.
- +. VICKNAIR.
Justice of the Peace, Parish of Ascension.
The two follow;ng atHdav;ts oonolu.;roI,-
","'' ''' eon'a'''oiy
prove that the only violence anu defiance OF
law was the work of the Democrats:
State of Louisiana. Parish of Ascapa;o,