The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1870-06-22
The Kidnapping Case Again.

etlieut we expressed no OPINION Whatever as TO his
guilt or innocence. Our sole protest against the
manner in which it DONE and this have before
informed the New Orleans Republican, and which an
honest journalist would admit Three men walk into
supper room tell one of the party that be is their
prisoner; escort him out with revovers held behind
them 1.-THE assertion of the Republican to the contrary
Notwithstanding and take him from the house without
single word Of explanation, showing particle Of
authority After the surprise Of bis friends is over
they come down and inquire of him from the police.
No one can tell anything of his whereabouts not the
least lntimaton is given by his captors that he has
been guilty Of violation Of the revenue any other
law. The wonder is that no general disturbance was
created, which would probably have been the case
had not the circle Of his acquaintance been so limited
Tor was the impression ofhis friends after they could
not find him in the hands of the authorities that he
had been taken out by rufans and probably murdered
And this the most natural conclusion that could
have been arrived at. 1t was not known until the
next morning that be had been arrested by parties
Claiming to be Government officers letter then
shown from him to of his friends here, written on
board the steamer La Belle in which he distinctly says
:
this was authority for so stating We did not say
that he was placed in irons, but that had heard
so-and this was learned through Radical though
we must apologize to the Republican for having as
serted anything whatever upon such authority.
The Republican has long article upon this sub
ec which is false i'll every particular far the
general sentiment Of the people here was concerned
1t says that on the first of April Hon s. j. Conklin,
Supervisor Of Internal Revenue for this State received
information showing that there were parties in Shreve-
port engaged in removing revenue stamps from empty
tobacco caddes and whisky barrels, and selling them,
at discount, to be used again. Upon investigation
the chain of evidence against Balowe for completely
in this fraud is claimed to have been complete Re-
ceiVing information of those who were, to use
preston Of the Republicans, "shadowng " him, that
be preparing to leave the city, the Supervisor
Quested the captain commanding the company Of
troops here to arrest and hold him until the warrant
hourly expected, should arrive. We would remark
that here is an admission that be was violently seized
without any warrant whatever. But let that pass.
After the capture, it seems the Supervisor receved
such information and saw such demonstrations as sat
isfed him that if he remained here until the next day
an attempt would be made to rescue the prisoner.
Thus much for conjecture the part Of the timid
Supervisor. But when the Republican ventures into
pictures of raw heads and bloody bones it draws for
the deIectation Of its Radical readers. See:
Notwithstanding the Iateness of the hour when Bal
lowe was placed board the boat, information of bis
removal was noised about and squad of armed men
rs t1 he o
bend to rescue him. but fortunately reached it too late
to accomplish their purpose. They then telegTaphed
to Baton Rouge to have the prisoner taken from the
officers when the boat should land at that place. but
the boat did not land there and thus they again
foiIed.
The course pursued by Supervisor Conklin in this
matter will receive the hearty commentator Of ali
persons who desire thorough enforcement OF the rev.
enue laws. Had he done otherwise, the probabilities
are that the prisoner would have been rescued, and
another scene of blood would have been added to
those which have so recently occurred in the north
western part of this State
spirit of barbarous lawlessness is being manifested
in Shreveport, that good men of all classes but
deprecate and which will if persisted in result disas
trously to those who participate in it, who by their
silence, encourage it. few days subsequent to the
arrest of Balowe Assistant Assessor Flood of Shreve
port was notified, by Ku KIux communication with
the usual embems of mortality that he must leave
that city this followed by the stoning of bis house.
breaking in the windows thereof and endangerng the
lives OF lis occupants, and compelling him to send bis
wife to this city for safety The business place of Dep
utg United States Marshal Harking was entered, and
his small stock of goods either destroyed thrown
into the Streets and his life threatened if he should
turn to that city.
In all the above :jgmarole there is not the shadow
of shade Of TRUTH except that it suggested to
the Mayor that he telegraph Baton Rouge request
- +I,- ,;,;I D
loves release, if illegally held in custody The dis
patch was not sent Possibly Flood may have received
a letter conveying threats, which would have been
say for the only evidence is that Of
Flood and men Of his Glass; uncertain authority at all
times. We would mildly suggest to Flood and Hark-
ms that they might damages from the city for
the stonDg the house and "breaking in the windows
thereof" and for the small stock of goods either de-
sroyed thrown into the Streets" The latter would
have to be little more explicit, however than the
Republican, and swear positively either to the de-
stroyng, or the throwing into the streets OF both.
The Republicans threat that The military will be
used assist and protect the officers il the
discharge Of their duties, disulbs the equanimy of
no here. Let the revenues be collected 1t is to
the interest OF every honest in the place that this
thing should be done. If Balowe was guilty Of the
crime imputed to him. let him suffer the penalty of
the law. There are some few scalawags and carpet
baggers doing business here, and if Ballowe sold the
stamps charged, these we're no doubt the purcbas-
eTs Parties buying them at discount could under
sell honest dealers and hence as before said, it is
to the interest of honest men to have this thing
stopped.
1t is idle ctute the charges OF wIe8sness against
Shreveport All far-rninded men know their falsty,
and such journals as the Republican would not be CON
vinced because its pecuniary and political interests
point another way. We would say thus much, how
ever that effort has ever been made here TO resist
the authority Of the Government nor has the Govern
ment been largely swinded except by its Generals
placed in command here after the war and by some of
its civil fuDctionares since
of Texas and Arkansas, as well as Of louisiana whose
interests are deeply involved in the removal of
this great obstacle to navigation and commerce, to
make some united effort to bring the matter before
Congress at as early day practicable? The apathy
of the people living above the raft, upon this subject
has been most wonderful We cannot remember to
have heard OF any public meeting, expressive of their
wants, although 4 vast region of country of unsur-
passed fertility would be opened up to settlement by
pXDpn1itUTn pf yYl0pav r,ttcrIr