New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-30
THE BATON ROUGE RIOT
Eleventh Days Examination.

Yesterday the court opened at quarter
to two o'clock, Commissioner Grant pre-
siding, and the examination WIS resumed.
Prior to the commencement William Hee
nan was discharged from custody. -
Mrs, P, L. Davis swOrn-Witness was
stopping at the plantation of I: J. Bird on
the day after the election Mr. Bird was at
his residence on the evening OF the day OF
election from seven to eleven O'Clock; after
that Mr.. Bird went to bed witness was
sure, from his snoring, that he WAS asleep.
Cross-examined by Mr. Beckwith-Had
been at Birds plantation week before the
election is sure that Mr. Bird wns at home
at the time, for witness was in the parlOr
between the hours before named and Mr..
Bird was there also and conyersed with
witness. 4
j. A. Blouin swom-About seven o'clock
on the night of the election witness saw
Major Bird on horseback, about six squares
from the courthouse, on the road to his resi-
dcnce witness was at his own house when
Major Bird passed.
Cross-examined-W knows almost
everyone in Baton Rouge, and does not
know anybody who resembles Major Bird in
personal appearance.
At this point of the case Mr. New moved
the court that r. J. Bird be discharged, on
the ground OF the unimpeachable testimony
entirely generating him. MI. Beckwith
signified that he had no objection. SO the
court ordered that Thompson j. Bird be dis
charged from custody.
j. +. Mckettrick, swOrn-Was by the
bank, Oh Third street, between the hours of
seven and nine o'clock on the night of the
election; heard firing in the direction of the
courthouse, which was repeated, and then
followed by the alarm of the bell; l was
going to the Mayors office when ! met
Charles Hubbs and Richard LOucks; we
went to the Mayors office together, where
We found fifteen or twenty men assembled;
afterward, when the number had increased
to perhaps forty mon, we advanced toward
the courthouse, Jaskamski being at the
head of the party; witness met Scott Cor
don. who was halted and searched for arms,
but none were found. .
Cross-examined-Wit was armed all
day with Colts revolver; was on the regu-
lar police force twenty-five orr thirty days
before the election; was one ef the party
sent by the Mayor to capture the guns said
to be secreted q short distance from town.
William Heenan, sworn-keaps q grocery
and restaurant in Baton Rouge, near the
garrison on the evening of tho election Mr..
Charles Hubbs and Richard LRcks came to
my saloon and ate oysters;I it was five or six
minutes before the alarm-bell rang; they left
after eating oysters, and did not see tham
any more that evening. }t
No OcrOss-examination.
Alex Way sworn-Was five or six squares
from the courthouse when the firing began.
Witness was on the force of City Marshal
Weiss, and afterward we all Joined the body
of men under Jaskamski. Saw Frank
Loucks twice. the last time saw him was
with the constabulary force on the Boule-
ward.
Cross examination: Was st the court
~, -, hofn fba he haA
closed. Made some inquiry about the way
the election was progressing and then left
the courthouse. When our party halted l
saw men running away, j think they were
tolored men; they were making the best
way from the courthouse.
By the court-Witness did not speak to
Frank Loucks when he saw him.
0. p. Skolfield, sworn-Lives in Baton
Rouge: was there on the evening OF the
seventh of November: after the polls had
closed went with Mr.. Cheney and his son to
hear the votes counted: after a while Mr..
Cheney concluded he had better go home;
he is Over, seventy years of age: we left the
courthouse together; some remark was
made about the desirability o. drink of
whisky, and the shops being shut mp the
witness, wishing to Oblige the other man
with a drink, procured bottle Of whisky.
This accounts for the milk in the cocoanut.
and shows how the bottle of whisky became
| mixed up with the other pocket pistols
seized by the military Oh the night of the
election.
The remainder OF. witness testimony,
either in the direct or the cross-examina
ton, threw no new light on the case.
G. w. Buckner-The testimony of this
witness was to the effect that about fifteen
or twenty minutes after the firing he en-
countered Charles Hubbs and Scott Gordon,
both OF whom said they had no arms. ~
David Lusk testified to the eject that T.
Williams puts up at the stable of witness
when he is in town; on the evening of the
election, just after dark, Williams came to
the stable Of witness, got his horse and rode
off; in short time he came back. saying
that shots were flying, and it was too dan
gerOus TO go home. 81 tr.-
The further evidence of this witness
amounted to nothing. r.
Leon Duncan swOrn-The testimony of
this witness corroborated that of Mrs.
Loucks, in relation to the pres ence OF her
sons at her house few minutes, before the
firing.
Charles Jolly gave evidence TO the same
purport as the preceding witness.
The court here took a short recess and
resumed business in about half an hour.
G. NJ Hustled sworn-Was formerly
chairman of the Board of Registry, by ap-
pointment of General Sheridan. and after
ward bv appointment of General Hancock
in 1866 was elected Parish Judge, and was
formerly in the Federal.a army.
Mr.. Fuqua here introduced 10 the court
General \. S. Heron, of Baton Rouge, as
counsel for the defense.
Examination resumed-Knows s. Vienna,
a witness in this case, who has a bad reputa-
ton: witness would not believe him under
oath.
A map of a portion of Baton Rouge, with
a plan of the courthouse, was shown to wit
ness. who illustrated his testimony there
from. The windows of the courthouse have
three panes of glass across and are about
three feet wide. A person standing in the
corner could not see people standing in front
Of the window. Witness stated that he,
with Messrs. Callaghan and HERON, had
made personal examination of the place
in question. Witness described the table,
the supposed direction of the shot fired, the
that shot fired from the window could not
have taken such a direction as TO kill a man
in an angle Of the near wall.
Witness further described the shot in the
table, averring that no shot fired from the
window in question would have penetr ated
that part Of the table where q shot had
struck.
The witness underwent long and close
examination from Mr.. Beckwith, in which
he repeated his statements with great cir
cumstantiality. A portion of his evidence
seemed to amount to an admission that
there was prejudice against Vienna, on ac-
count of his politics.
The court adjourned until twelve o'clock
to-day. 81
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work well in the Louisiana State Lottery,
where four hundred and forty prizes will be