New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-04-22
THE GRANT PARISH TROUBLES
TIE ORIGIN AND PROGRESS
PRISONERS MURDERED AFTER SURRENDER
~T!TENENTOFAR REsIUEHTPL PLANTER

The following letter is from the pen " I
highly esteemed citizen of Gran: parish
He write. in calm. unimpassioned manner
which carries with it q sense ct conviction
| o: :he truth of what he states:
GRANT PARISH. April i. 1879.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:
The canses which led 90 the unparalleled
buichery Of the citizens OF the parish OF
Grant hy the citizens Of tho surrounding
parishes of Rapides. WinD, Natchitochef
Sabine Catahoula and the remote parish 0I
Caddo. and few citizens OF Iensas, seem
not 90 be fully cOmpreheuded by t!theE tie
press or public ,
Interested, as am. in the agricultural
pursuits Of the parish OF Grant, and unWl =
ling TO permit the perversl0n OF truth 1or
the purpose of .iustityine the greatest out.
RACES ever committed upon any civilized
community BIZ people claiming % be civ.
ilize6. deem il, in justice to The murdered
dead, imperative upon me 20 give you q
true statemen. OF the occurrence
Re.rospection followed back 20 tie sc ?
1860 will give both the immediate and it-
mote causes OF this most fatal blow 10 law
and order and the future labor inteTes. 81
Louisiana.
Mr.. d. W. Shaw. citizen Of the parish
Of Grant. and for over thirty years d resi-.
uPHC OF eL4c DdIleu Vi ANht'lu'Ps W aS ~bloAhN
ed 20 the office OF sheriff OF the parish OF
Grant, and confirmed by the Senate. was
commissioned By Governor Kellogg and
gave his bond OF Office, and had entered
fully upon the duties OF that office.
James Hadno,, Fusion legislator, with
a dozen or more of his friends. armed with
reyolvers. visited Colfax some time in the
early part of April for the purpose Of inter.
viewing Sheriff Shaw and the other officers,
and ascertain what they intended 20 do
about the claims Of other parties 10 these
offices. HadnOt said to Sheriff ShaW-Are
YOU determined not TO surrender your
office 10 G. c. Nash In reply, Sheriff Shaw
stated that he held bis office by virtue OF 4
commission OF Governor Kellogg, approved
l,y the Senate, and if the Governor wanted
him 20 surrender his office TO anv Onr. the
Governor must communicate with HIM IN
person; that he intended TO hold and dis
charge the duties of his office until such an
interview was had between his e1celIepcy
and himself.
Jim Hadnot, as be is Familiarity called.
re ,lied: Hold Yourself in readiness. Shaw.
You will ind out IN . few days that we viii
Ia ke not only yOur office, but that of tax
collector and parish judge The parties
here separated. and two or three days
thereafter Sheriff Shaw and others were
permitted 70 read q circular letter written
by Judge Rutland, calling upon the whites
throughout the surrounding parishes 10
rally 20 the assistance of jim HadnOt in
dislodginc Sheriff Shaw and all OF the Off
GERS appointed bv Governor Kellogg. Upon
this information Sheriff Shaw aud his dep
utv commenced summOnslng the people: but
before tney could be fully collected about
the courthouse, Jim Il 4dnOt, with his con-.
mand OF seine 200 men, made upon Sheriff
Shaw. near tho courthouse, an unsuccessful
attack. Immediately after the discontinue
Of Hadnot. Sheriff Shaw dispatched 10 mes
senger 70 Governor Kellogg 60 send him
assistance. which would have been given.
and would have reached Colfax in time 20
have prevented the massacre had transpOr-
tatioD been furnished him, so | have been
Informed. Hsdnot, after his discontinue.
with Rutland and others eXeTted them
selves 70 secure large force from the sur.
rounding parishes adequate 20 carry out his
purposes, while Sheriff Shaw was restricted
by the limits of his own jurisdiction 20 the
parish Of Grant fer aid. This necessarily
involved e large colored force. aided
by but q lew iaw-abiding white citizens.
as well as colOred. Hadnot with his fol-
and rere wed his assault upon Sheriff
Shaw in h!s office with over 400 armed
men mounted and well equipped IL every
particular against about $50 badly armed
citizens OF the parish of Grant, who man
fully and successfully resisted the assault
ing mob, without the loss of q single man
from about ten O'Clock in the morning until
tive in the afternoon of that day, when they
capitulated. because of the firing Of the
courthouse by the mob. who violated the
capitulation and put TO death every man
within thu walls OF the courthouse. in or
der. presume. that no tongue might bs
left 10 unfold the horrors o; the tragedy
Mr.. ID. W. Shaw was the commissioned
sheriff and in The discharge Of the duties OF
the office Ia there. then. any palliatiOn fCl
this butchery by Hadnot and his followers
II there is, would be hut too glad TO know
it. | challenge contradiction, founded II
truth, OF this statement. PLANTER.