Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-05-27
GI LOUISIANA.
Trialo Gen. DeBlanc ct ais
A Dark Cloud Of Witnesses.
How q Tool Of Tyranny Makes Afil-
davits CON General Principles"
The Case Submitted without Defence.
Triumphant AcquittaI.

NEW ORLEANS, May 26.-Gens. De-
Blanc De Clonet and others from st. Mar
tinsyille were up this morning for Trial and
charged by L. L. Martin with conspiracy,
ate. or as commonly called, Ku KluxisD.
The witnesses for the prosecution being
called, j. L. PeeD, eolored, was sworn: Be
side in St. Martins and am planter. Have
resided there thirty years. | am aequaint-
ed with the prisoners. Know. nothing
AGAINST them, Witness here desired 10 hear
the affidavit read which was done. Knew
of no such offense being committed by pris-
oners. / was at st. Martins in May.
Knew of no colored people hindered in the
exercise of their rights as citizens.
Victor Pochon, colored, one of the par
ties named in the affidavit, and member
of the bayonet Legislature, testified: L
know the prisoners. never knew Of their
doing anything against the colored people.
/ did inform Mr.. Martinett that the Fusion
lists intended to resist tht police in our par
ish, and asked him to obtain United States
troops to preserve the peace. l, however,
knew of no offense being committed by the
prisoners. None of them did anything to
apy colored man that l know of. was
present at the time of the troubles. l only
saw two of the gentlemen there. l saw
them where they usually were, in town by
themselves and quietly walking together.
Question by the defense. You say you
wanted soldiers to preserve the peace9
Answer. Yes, did, because did not
desire the people hurt, and knew, at least
tbey said, that if United States troops
came all would be quiet.
Gustaye Baker, colored, resides in st.
Martin and is q teacher: know the gentle
men (the prisoners). | do not know OF
their intimidatiDg colored people. There
were rumors to that effect, but no Que
credited them. The rumor was that If the
police were whipped, the colored people
wonld next be attacked.
None OF the COIOred People Believed
This,
however. l did not see any of these gen.
tlemen skirmishing with the police. Know
nothing ABOUT their being connected with
the affair. They never kept me from at
tending school or did anything against any
colored men.
Theogine Castell, colored: l know the
gentlemen Qhe prisoners). L know OF
nothing against the gentlemen. Ihey
never intimidated any colored men IN the
parish to my knowledge. l saw them IN st.
Martin. They had no arms or weapons
and were peacesbly walking about, tending
to their business.
Chas. Hercure, colored: keep store in
st. Martin. Know the gentlemen. They
never intim dated any colored people or any
one else. Never intimidated me. Saw Gen.
DaBlanc after he was arrested, not before.
They are all quiet and peaceable. have
known them for years. Gen. DeBlanc has
been friend of the CO 'ored people.
Adolphe Pratt, white: live in st. Mar
tin. Know the gentlemen. Was there all
the time. They never hurt any colored
people. | did see them once, Messrs. De-
clanet g. Bertrand, with shotguns. DO
not know whether they were connected
with any body of men or not. l was not
| disturbed and nobo y was hurt. saw a
| fight but did not recognize any OF the gen.
tlemen there.
Monroe Baker, colored: 1 reside in st.
Martin and keep a livery stable. Know
prisoners. They never troubled the color
| ed people at all. The police were
The Only People that Made any Dis
| turbance. .r
| They went out one evening and after shoot
ing came back again. Two of them were
shot, They forced me to receive them.
never saw the prisoners make any distur'
bance. Gen. DeBl2nc, whom have
known for lifetime, has always been the
best friend of the colored MAJ.
Lablane Adair, colored: l am preacher
and reside in st. Martin. Know the gen.
tlemen, They never hurt any colored peo:
ple or intimidated them in the least degree
1t is true the colored people were frighten
ed. but the white people talked to them
and they found taeY would not be hurt
The police came and fred, which was re
turned. l kept out of the way. nave
place there and own plantation. Ate
firing the police came back. did not 60
out after the police came.
| Alcede Neasie, white: l reside IN ot
Martin, Am clerk of the court. The
prisoners
Never Intimidated Anybody ExeeP
tire MetrOpoJitsns.
Never intimidated acy colored people. Tb'
nrisoners went out to camp. saw then
when they left town, Col. Deblanc com
manding. They went quietly on horse
back, armed with sbotgpns. 1t was on tn
4th of Nav. They went about two mile
from toyn. They were organized aDou
ten or fifteen days. They had list wit
names signed to resist the police. none
/ tho nrisoners' names were signed 10 thls
boweVer. saw them every day quletl.
in town. Never NsaEd them say anythln
AGAINST ANYBODY but L., rolioe, J Wa
elected clerk of the court, but no. s'e
kept me out of it by intimidation, only
through the courts, Mr.. Sonnet. clerk at th
time, did. He did not resist me by force
l was elected on the Republican ticket. AL
the officers were white men on this ticket
the same as the Fusion ticket. The Fusiol
officers never made any effort at intimi
dation of us. We are now in Office ant
nobody intimidates US or attempted tC
The Fusion clerk of the court kept me ou
by an Injunction. This has, however, beel
dissolved by Judge Castell in private cham
bers.
No Regular Judgment
was made. This was done in the privat
chambers. There is some one claimin
Judge Castelrs Office, which has never beel
decided. judge Castell held court onl
once since the 9Th of May.
Fontinell, white: l am Deputy Sheriff
know the prisoners. They resisted tn
kellogg Government and the metropolitan
i police. They said they would not subm
to the Kellogg Government. The colore
people had nothing to do with this. The
were leG alone and not interfered with.
Edward Jost, colored: live in st. Ma
tin and Pm Coroner of the parish. Do NJ
know any but Mr.. Bertrand. Never sa'
any of the gentlemen doing anything to an
body. None of the prisoners ever intlml
dated any officer. They never troubled tt
colored people.
A Spy's notwithstanding SON Gem
raj Principles"
Msrtinell Swami: ALI l know OF thes
: gentlemen was in St. Martins. Son
time before received information that Il
Fusionists intended to resist the police.
Twas afraid they might hurt the colore
people. The. three gent emen examine
Stated to me that they then were not them
:, selves intimidated, but other colored peop
: were. Did not hear that colored people wei
l going to be hurt, but was myself afraid
That fact, and l could not get the soldier
TO 20 unless made the affidavit. There
:, fore did it. l do not know however
: ANYTHING they did. L only made the aff
o dayit on general principles, having an lde
: that they were leading the Fusionists.
e fact thought Deblanc would be there.
had no other knowledge. ! also had a lie
ter stating that there was going to be
f,ht. II was written by those men wi