Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-05-09
RK MAIL.
Statement of Mr.. ID. ~. shaw. Radical
sheriff OF Grant Parish,


Statement of Mr.. D. ". shaw, Radical
| sheriff Of Grant Parish.
claim to be the legal sheriff of Grant
parish, as an appOintee of Mr.. Kellogg
| Mr.. Nash also claimed to have beer
| elected under Governor Warmoth, anO
came to the courthouse with the Otbel
officers elected and commissioned by
| the same. They came to the court.
house, and claiming the right, quietly
| took possession of the same, I being alb
sent at the time. The Kellogg appointees
waited until congress had decided IN
| the matter, and no action having been
taken, by the order of Mr.. Register,
claiming to be parish judge appointed
| by Kellogg, went with a crowd and
Judge Register broke open the window
of the courthouse and entered foreibly
| We subsequently, understood from q ne
| gro named Mekin that Mr. HadnOt and
| d number of men were coming up to
eject our officers and install the others.
Mr.. Hadnot, with eight men, did SUBJ
seqHently come; but previous to this,
Register and Brantley sent out word to
the negroes to meet and prevent Mr..
Hadnot and party from coming to the
courthouse. 1 told Mr. Register that
this was improper, and the law should
be allowed to take its course; if they
saw proper to take the courthouse, 10
let them do so, and if we were the
proper officers, the civil courts should
decide. The negroes kept coming in,
and the excitement increasing up till the
following Monday, the first in April,
when Register had said he was going
to hold court. He opened court, bat
the lawyers refused to recognize him.
be only opened il and then adjourned,
as there were about three hundred ne
groes on hand and greatly excited, and
making threats against the white peo-
pie They were very riotous, breaking
open Judge Rutland's house, and smash
ing everything. They also fired into
Judge Richardson's house, compelling
both, with the other whites, to fee
across the river.
ColOnels Howell and Wheeler subse-
quently came down to Mr.. Shelby's
dwelling, and sent a note to Mr.. Regis
ter, to endeavor, in some way, to make
compromise, asking him for an inter-
view. He answered for them to come
over and in with me. They did so, and
made propositions for a compromise, but
Register could not do so until he had seen
his party. 1 then returned with them
across the bayou, when they told me
they were going to endeavor. if possible,
to settle the matter, as Mr.. Nash and
his party did not desire an appeal to
arms.
Next day Mr.. Howell returned, and
another interview was held with Mr..
Register, Ward and others, when
another effort for q compromise was
made by Mr.. Howell. He had war
rant for the arrest of the parties that
broke open Judge Rutland's house, and |
one of the propositions was that if they |
were surrendered Mr. Nash would dis |
band and return home with the posse
with him. There were about sixteen |
names mentioned in the warrant. This |
was positively refused. He then retired, |
and on Wednesday morning Register, |
Brantley, Tom Baily, Ward, Flowers
and Mekin slipped quietly off, leaving
Us in the lurch. They sneaked away so |
quietly that it was Thursday before l |
found it ont. Register had previously |
stated that | had played out, and they |
had weakened on me, and some of the |
negroes compelled me to remain about |
he courthouse. The three captains |
)f the Degres were Leo Allen, Tillman, /
aud Zach White, and with their men
the widest and most out
'ageous excesses, firing Off guns and |
threatening to murder the white men
me keep the women. | had no control
)ver them, and refused to remain, thev
we're so riotous; and only then did so for
he sake of peace. | told them they
'hould go home, else they would be
killed, as they most certainly deserved
o be; it was better for them to disperse.
But they committed so many outrages
hat previous to the fight / left, finding
had no control, and having spent a
week in endeavoring to restore order.
Judge Register did not run for Judge
u the last election-onIy for clerk of the
ourt.' The man who run on the Re
'ublican ticket is now dead. /, how
yer, ran for the office of sheriff, and
Sash was elected. l do not claim to
ave been elected, and am satisfied that
was not, Nash receiving the largest
lumber Of votes. was appointed by
lr. kellogg as the Republican receiving
he largest number of votes. II
D. W. SHAW. |
Witnesses: HARRY WILDE, a CAzABAT
one 80 Robert Aaron's store, Natchitcches
parish, April %, 1873.