The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1870-05-05
Examination Of she Raiders Upon
the jackson Railroad Omce.


upon the rights and personal property OF the
Company, BY taking possession OF room IN
the Office Of the corporation and holding Il
against the orders OF the President. took
place yesterday before Recorder Houghton
Gen. Freeman appeared as counsel for the
prosecution. and Gen. III. Il. Hays and Mr.
Billings for the defense.
Mr.. Williamson smith, called to the stand,
testified that when Mr.. McComb entered the
building. attended by his followers, he an
nounced that he came there 20 have an cleo
ton Of directors, aud admitted that the writ
from the Eightl District Court enjoining an
election was still in force, but would soon be
Withdrawn. No public notice OF an cleo
ton on the 18th inst. had been given, as re-
quired by the charter. General Beauregard
ordered them 10 leave. The room In which
the party was was the stockholders and di-
rectors' room. The only time when stock
holders meet. under the requirements OF the
charter. Is on the Monday next preceding the
day of an ANIMAL election.
MIR. Florence. sworn-Is director of the
company. Has been, for ten or eleven years.
representing the private stockholders. No
notice was given of an election on the 2jth.
Mr.. McComb entered the Directors room.
accompanied by some twelve or fourteen
persons. General BeauTegard asked witness
70 go with him TO hear what transpire1.-
Witness did so. General Beauregard. ad-
dressing himself personally TO MIR. MeComb
and 10 the Others afterwards, protested
against their assembling In that room, pro-
nOuuced them intruders and trespasseTs, and
ordered them five or six times to leave
Mr.. McComb replied that he came there 20
hold an election, and that he would hold Il.
He then appointed Mr.. Fisher and two 9TH
ers commissioners of election, and they pro-
ceeded To receive the votes in Il hat. Cen
eral Beauregard had sufficient force In the
building TO have put the party out by vio-
lence if he had chosen to do so.
Mr. william Henderson. sworn-IIas been
a director four years, representing private
stockholders. There are twenty-seNen di-
rectors in all, three for each of the States of
Mississippi and Louisiana, three for the city
of New Orleans, and eighteen for private
stockholders The States and city are now
represented I'm the Board, three each. Gen.
Beauregard j. the President. There were
some twelve or fourteen ofthe McCOmb par
" seated at the table in the directors room.
There were Il mum her Of others standing and
sitting about The only one witness recog-
nized among these outside the party at the
table was Judge Alexander Walker. Cen
eral Beauregard ordered all out five or ST.
times. lie spoke loudly, distinctly and em-
phatically, rs ifhe were, IL seemed 10 me, ina
command of battalion. They gave no at
tention to what he said. Gen. Beauregard
addressed himself especially to Mr.. McComb
and General stark, whom he directed per-
sonally to leave. a writ had been served
the previous Monday prohibiting the cleo
ton on that day, which was the day dezig-
mated by the charter for an election. The
writ of Injunction was still In force, when
McCOmb and his party took possession of the
directors room and proceeded To hold an
election. They came in about two o'clock
i'm the afternoon, and notice was not served
that the injunction had been Withdrawn un-
Ill twenty or twenty-five minutes after two.
Witness did not recognize any stakeholder
i'm the room, except Mr.. McComb. There
hold the election, as, under the charter, the
election had TO close M three o'clock.
Gen. BeauTegard swOrn-At about two
o'clock, perhaps some minutes before two
on Monday, the 18th April, was seated In
my office, which j. near the Directors room,
when Mr.. McComb entered and addressed
me TO this effect "bIr. President, we have
come here to hold an election" sBy what
authority or under what law will you hold
an election? p i asked; 81 refer you 10 Gen.
Freeman, the Attorney of the Company"
He answered, IL will not consult the Attor-
ney of the Road" lie left me, and presently
heard a shuffling of feet and n movement
of chairs I'm the Directors room. I left my
office, went TO the room, and saw Mr.. Me-
Comb and several Others seated ut the the Ia
BILE; others standing or sitting around.
asked, "What are you here for z" Mr.. McComb
said, ''To hold an election" / ordered them
10 leave the room forthwith, and told them
that the room, he whole Office was under
my control as President Of the Company,
and they had no business there. | ordered
them 10 leave several times, but in vain. /
saw at last that force was necessary to eject
them, but determined 10 avoid "A collision,
for two reasons:
First-Because ! was under the protection
of the laws OF Louis lana, and desired to re-
main under their protection.
SecoDd-BeCause IL had been concerned
In a collision Il would have been bruited all
over the country. and. In view OF my mill
tary antecednts, would have been quoted
by evil disposed persons as another proof Of
vi al
perhaps for Ieconstructing Louisiana again.
/ had force enough 70 put them out in
few minutes but preferred appealing 20
the law for redress. Mr.. McComb told me
the injunct on had been raised. and an
swered that had no knowledge ofthe fact
IL it was a tact and ordered him TO leave.
The notice that the Injunction had Deen
withdrawn Was not served upon me until
twenty-five minutes past O'Clock. The
charter reqlires, in regard 20 elections, that
the Directors shall appoint three Commits
sioners TO slperintend an election that no.
tice Of an election shall be given IN news
papers In Mississippi and Louisiana, and
that the election shall open at nine o'clock
in the morning and close at three o'clock In
the afternoon. The injunction suit was in
stituted By Mr.. McComb. and the writ was
served on Monday. the 18th last. the regu-
lar election day. Mr.. McComb was present
on that OCCASION, and participated to the
extent Of moving that tile meeting adjourn.
Commissioners themselves adjourned sine
die so that he appointment of other Com
missioners ~ the directory. would be n
necessary cement for an election 10 be legal
There were no stockholders participating
in the proceeding Of the 18th, except Mr..
McCOmb. He appeared to be the leader Of
the party. md they all seemed 10 act IN
concert andtO understand what they were
to do. Mr.. McComb's bearing was defiant
and he positively refused 70 leave. Gen.
Stark was also defiant. knew him IN the
service. Hewas under my command. lie
was a Colone. but i believe was promoted
TO BrigadieEhip. He was wounded In the
service. l REGARDED him as a brave and gal
liant officer. Besides McComb, / addressed
fused TO leave, and replied in a very defiant
manner. ] then went 10 the end Of the Ia
bic where he was and speaking % him.
emphatically old him to leave. He was
again defiant. Seeking. as I have already
said. 20 avoid collision or bloodshed. / was
patient, and resolved 70 appeal 70 the law
for redress
Cross-examiDed-There is no stockhold-
ers' room in the building, but IL there was,
the whole Office Is under my control as
President. Tue conduct Of the party was
defiant 10 me, and i regarded IL as an act
Of violence In them to invade the building,
take possession Of the room, and hold it after
] had repeatedly ordered them 70 leave
My fOrbearance In not using force 70 eject
them prevented a collision that might have
been attended with serious consequence.
General West, sworn-Thls witness, with
General Stark. was appointed by Governor
AlcOrn to look after the Interests OF Miseis-
sipui af the election which the Governor
seemed to know was to take place on the
26gh. The principal parts Of his testimony
related TO the understanding he and Gener-
- Ce.rlr had vvffI, the Governor "a N fla -.