The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-04-17

fhe 0rnne Parrish Massacre.
The telegraph brings the story of . fearful
maaacre of colored men, At Colfax, Grant
Parish, Louisiana. For brutality and hor-
ror the details are not surpassed, hardly
equalled By the massacre Of colored men 1t
Fort Pillow BY the rebel General Forest.
The telegraph fails to give % any accurate
account of the origin Of the troubles,
but il l. known thaf they sre the
direct outgrowth Of the political asitaiioos
in Louisiana. The cause Of the riot seems
to be the duplicate commissioning Of the
parish officers. Governor Kellogg had, 1t
The instis.tion Of Rutland and other, CON-
missioned Nash sheriff, and Others who ran
on the Fasion ticket. Some Of those On this
ticket we're of the party who are charged
With having burned the hoose Of Judge
Phillips and murdered Recorder White
On September 18th. 1871. Mr..
Ward represented these facts to
Governor kellogg. Who tbereupoa Issued
other commissions to the elected Republi-
ems. Mr.. Ward took The commisaions,
went to Grant parish and demanded The
Offices. He w. refossd possession Of the
courthouse and then took Il. R;chardson
and Rutland, Who. it 10 alleged. had been
in communication with the piney woods
Democrats, sent TO them for aasistancs 10
retake the Offices. Mr.. Ward then ordered
Rutland and Richardson 10 leave town. DR..
Cockrell and Mr.. Paul, the Fusion candidate
for sheriff, leading the men from Alexan-
dria, were in the fight 1t i believed that
they were reinforced from The parishes Of
Cataboula, Natchitoches, Sabine, VIM and
Rapides. Hadnott, the member Of the Odd
Fellows Hall Legislature. was among the
active members Of the bands from the pine,
woods, and is reported . MORALLY wounded.
The New Orleans Republican Of the 10Th
inst, now before o., gives . very straigh,for-
ward account Of the trouble which We re-
publish:
"The attempt Of the tusionists to organ
IL. . government in Grant parish iDdepend-
ent Of the State authoritiee, has resulted, -
might have been expected, in collision and
bloodsbed. And as We are without any de-
tails from any eye witness, this simple state
ment embraces about all the information in
our possession. Our reporter has obtained
from the officers of the John T. Moore and
The La Belle all the information which they
possessed, which it will be seen Is limited to
reports obtained from Mr.. Calhoun, Who was
for time on board of one of the steamers,
to come to the city, and other par
lies in Alexandria and elsewhere, who have
not been ashore ut Colfax sinos the outbreak |
Of hostilities. il, indeed, there has been any
serious fighting"
Judge Rutland also makes statement TO |
he Pcayune, but it is hardly satisfactory
either q to the causes of the difficulty, the |
:haracter of the respective parties or the re-
Dults up to the time be boarded the Moore,
/ fugitive from his home. He brings . ru-
NOR that his house has been sacked BY the
,olored people, which, We hope, he Will find
hereafter to be incorrect. As for the reports
II the killing of two peaceable colored men
y Ward and his men, about . week ago,
re are quite unable to credit them. As
ule. the colored people do not kill peacea-
lie folks, and are specially friendly to those
# their own rase. Dsfects like these in q
statement greatly impair its
orce, because it = difficult for the reader 10
which is good testimony and
vhich il mere heany.
But whatever may have been the cause Of
his war or the legal rights of the belliger-
nts, certain il = that serious disturbance
xists, and that the citizens of the surround
ng parishes have been interposing in favor
4 one Of the parties, when they should
ave appeared on the scene - peace-makers,
T at all.
What It will Re necessary for the Governor
0 do in the premises will depend on future
dvices. The opinion vas entertained yea
erday that the excitement would die away
nd the parties quietly disperse and resume
heir ordinary avocations before force sent
rom the city could arrive 1t Colfax. If the
ext advice from above confirm these views, |
here will be no nebeaity for sending up an
rmed partv to preserve tie peacs. But We
re assured that, il necessary, . company of ,
oil nru,e1 militia ill ~ d;.s,.tch~i hv th> !