The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-03-19
Tbev came to tx window with

lower side OF the house where L was
swinging was very high, much higher
than the front, and overlooking sloping
bank. AS soon as they went down stairs
they all went together-I climbed back
into the window and stood and listened
20 hear if anyone remained in the house.
I stood there about three quarters Of an
hour.
The party all finally left in the ferry
fat and went across the river | heard
them hailing the pickets they had sta
toned along the river, apparently to keep
US from escaping, telling them to look
out f'r me, as had gotten away.
In answer to some inquiries from the
pickets, those in the fat replied at is
all right" The citizens then all poured
into the house. The Sheriff came to me
and was much frightened, and begged
me not to let any one see me.
Reporter-Did the Sheriff know that
you were up stairs ?
Mr.. Jones-No; I sent for him
The mail rider frou Franklin parish,
who was in the house at the beginning,
came up stairs. | said to him, placing
my finger to my lips: Hush! and
blew the light cut" ana he did so; and
| then told him to bring the Sheriff to
me. Shortly afterwards, I put on my
hat and cloak, and left the honse by the
back way, passing round and going out
by the front gate.
There were persons then in the house
among the crowd that I had never seen
before least | did not remember ev-
er having seen them They did not no.
tice me as | passed out as there were
so many persons passing to and fro,
though some Of them, [ think, were
looking for me then.
I went around to friends, and stald
in loft for two days, without anything
to eat, and the greater portion of the
time without water. Then hearing the
whistle of the steamer May yhower above,
[ got into "dugout" which [ found in
the bayou, and padded down about two
miles
When the steamer came along I hail.
ed her from the bank, and she landed
and | went on board. There were a
couple of the party, with their guns,
who seemed to have been on guard, ly-
ing upon some bales Of cotton asleep, as
I passed on board.
| passed them, and walked up the
stairway leading to the main cabin, with
my hat down over my face and my jaws
tied up with a handkerchief, and my
hair, which was then very long, arran-
ged so as to conceal my face as much as
possible The first glimpse which l
got of the lighted cabin disclosed "A group
| of those who had attacked and killed my
father and brother. The whole party
We're standing drinking at the bar, with
their revolvers and shot guns.
| For aasnoment | did not know what
to do. l tried to get to he pilot-house.
Just about this time friend who recog-
nized me touched me Oh the shoulder,
and told me to follow him.
Reporter-Was it landing at which
the boat stopped to take you on board ?
M. Jones-No; this was what saved
| HE, dS hp que CdiIlc out. lie iIitNu
who recognized me hid me away in one
portion of the boat at first, ana finally
put me down in the hold, where [ re-
mained until reached New Orleans. |
was more alarmed hen on board of the
boat than when | was in the house In
The house | was perfectly cool and nev-
er lost my presence of mind The at
tack upon the house was made between
- and 2 o'clock, judge, from the time
which elapsed before dayli ht. We did
not expect an attack to be made upon
us until the examination came off in
court.
Repoyter-You did not, then. expect
an attack at the house
Mr.. Joaes-We had been warned a
few days before, but we thought at the
moment that the people were unnecessa-
rily alarmed. We noticed some young
men riding past in the daytime, with
shot guns, but thought nothing of it.
We did not thi k an attack would be
made on the house in force. We had
fears that some one would attempt to
shoot through the window, and for this
reason my brother and [ moved our
fathers bed from the bedstead down up
on the floor, SO that he would be out of
the range of bullets While / was up
stairs | could have shot several of the
attacking party very easily, but | knew
it would only destroy my chances for
escape. @
If there had been an understanding
on the part Of all in the house at the time
of the attack, we might have made de-
termined ard successful resistance.
There were in the house at the time
of the attack, Mr.. Elijah B. Cotton, Mr..
Ballard (the Sheriff and son-in-law of
Mr.. Sargeant), Mrs. Sargeant's two sons,
an Irishman whose name / did not know
and the mail-rider from Winnsborough.
There were also Mrs Sergeant and her
daughter, Mrs. Ballard, and two young
ladies whose names / did not learn.
We had some four or FIVE revo.vers in
the party.
My father was not shot in the left
arm from the Gov. Allen. as stated in
the papers 1t was through the right
wrist. He had also ball in bis right
shoulder, ranging downward one in his
right thigh and one which grazed his
head. AT the same time that be recei-
we'd these wounds six buckshot passed
through his hat.
The last Isaw of my father he was
standing near the front door with his
pistol pointing towards the door. He
was SO standing when | went up stairs.