The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1872-09-21
A Prisoner Rescued on the Highway
Acrovvd Of Armed Negroes Defy the Law
Brewst er's Outrid at Work

got 1t ut last. They have the cOnspi-
racy, the armed men, the law defied
and insulted, incendiary threats, the
forcible rescue of a prisoner at high
noon OH the public road, and all the
other requisite parts of a Ku Klux out
break.
A negro named VIM. Smith was
arraigned before Justice FaullS, last
Saturday, on n charge Of hog stealing.
The proof was clear and positive, and
the Justice deputized Mr.. l.. A. Rawls,
a very discreet citizen, to bring Smith
to Monroe, to be tried by the District
Court now in session. Mr.. Rawls sum-
moned Mr.. J. II. Browder to accom-
pany him. The party started, at about
eleven O'Clock, to Monroe and had pro-
ceeded about two miles, when they
were overtaken by thirteen colored
men, all armed.
One OF the leaders, John Culpepper,
said to Mr.. Rawls: "By Cd, you
can't carry that man any further; no
man shall carry him but the High
Sheriff."
The guns carried by the negroes were
all cooked, and some of them were held
pointing directly at young Browder
during the entire parley, which lasted
several hours.
Mr.. RaWls demonstrated with the
party told them of his authority, and
warned them of the consequences of
their proceedings.
But the remonstranccs Of Mr.. Rawls
could have no effect, and even while he
was protesting against the violence of
their course, the negroes had Smith
marched away by one of their number.
They declared Mat they sce1'e pledged to
project each Other, and they intended
to do it.
They said they had money enough
to buy powder and shot to kill all the
poor Democrats, and to buy matches
and coal oil to burn out all the rich
ones. Chas. Ransom, q colored boy,
was instrumental in Smiths detection.
One of the crowd said if they ever
caught him on the east side Of the river,
they would kill him. AS for any
negro who voted the Democratic ticket,
Mr.. Raw1s says they declared that they
would butcher him!
The colloguy ended about shutdown,
Messrs. Ieawls and Browder returning
home, and the negroes withdra wing to
the plantations on which they lived.
The names Of the negroes are given rs
follows, the first two being the {" head
menu John Culpepper, Anderson
Jackson, Gabriel Savannah, Baptiste
Miller, Andrew Jackson, William Nc
Gowan, Moses Frasier, Alfred Marcus,
Lee Franklin, Anthony Lloyd, Wisner
Smith, Ben Franklin and Dick Randle.
1t cannot be said of some of these
iaw-breakers that they are ignorant.
Their leader, John Culpepper, is en-
ployed on Justice Faulk's place, and
must be, to some extent, familiar with
! the nature of his employers court. He
was thought competent, ut Il Radical
| ratification meeting, some six weeks
President. All of them were told by
Mr.. RaWls what the law was. The
secret Of their course was evidently dis
closed in the declaration, that they are
pledged to protect each other, and the
same evil influence and bad purposes
are further developed in the readiness
with which these people obey what
! they call "the orders' of their "head
men, about Monroe. A more fragrant
violation of good order than this, has
never occurred in this parish. The
boldness and audacity of the act; the
hostile threats made against the Dem
ocrats, white and black; the persistency
displayed in ,lefying the authorities !;
the ready Willingness shown to take
! life in order to break the law, and the
| circumstances of time and place, make
this outrage !, crime OF great magni-
tudC.
The Grand Jury, now in session,
has indicted I'LL the negroes named OK
cept two. The offcnsc with which