Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-09-25

PiANhs WI NNhh'ohhl NUN lut lWO kulIY
ones were taken by a strong body Of men 10
a piece of woods in sight of the village and
hung, the remaining nine having been reeas-
ed During the trial of these prisoners the
excitement was intense, and although Mr..
Scott and myself had repeatedly been assur-
ed Of perfect safety, and were peacefully
slumbering" with one eye OPEN on Tuesday
evening the summons came for him to leave,
and without awaiting further orders he took
his departure. Not so with myself; / was
permitted to stay there in "murderous sus-
pcnse" until the 9th inst, when l, too, was
advised to "scratch gravel by friends and
members of the White League, which advice
! needed, and in company with my sister
MRS. Twitchell) took boat for Shreveport
that morning, arriving there Saturday eve
ming the 18th, and at home at Fayetteville,
Wednesday evening the 10th. We regretted
TO leave so many of our afflicted friends be-
hind, but as il was their choice to remain,
and our journey was dangerous in some re-
spects, we could not urge them TO join us.
We felt that they were in good hands, and l
shall always respect Capt Abny for his kind
attention toward the ladies and myself after
our deep affection; but, as a leader Of such a
murderous gang as composes the White
League OF Northern Louisiana, | shall see him
as ho has proved himself TO be, one Of the
lowest OF Gods creatures.
On Monday p. NJ, the Dist inst, some Of
the escort had returned and informed Capt.
Abny that at / o'clock Sunday p. NJ, when
10 miles above Coushatta they we're oVertak-
en- by an army of supposed Texans, who i'm
mediately overpowered them aud instantly
shot Twitchell, EdgeIton and Devens, and
afterwards took Howell, Holland and Willis
into thicket near by, where they too soon
shared the same fate. From facts which have
been cleaned since the murder, it is very ev-
ident that there is no excuse for the crime
whatever, and the pretense that the murder
ers were "Texans" after the De Soto men
had so openly exposed themselves, only adds
to the detestation with which the crime must
be recorded. After failing TO find the pris-
oners guilty, and advising them TO leave in
the way they did, after advising them to take
their watches and valuables, and being per-
iectly willing to accompany Twitchell to his
private safe and see that he took enough, tell
me il you dare to think that this was not
premeditated plumber and murder. They
knew too well that i'll few short hours they
would be in possession of these valuables /:
therefore this advice. The very fact that not
one of the guard, so-called, was injured that
as soon as they saw their pursuers they turn
ed from the prisoners aud told them 10 run,
is plain evidence that they were no guard at
but TO see them killed. And after their re-
turn it was next to impossible to see one OF
the escort, and the only one | spoke with told
me that John Carr, leader Of the escort, when
he found they were pursued, says, I'VE can
helm YOU no longer, run ~ and that not a shot
was fred bv any one excepting the fends
that were in pursuit, and no resistance made
by any of the guard. On Monday, while on
Carroll street, member Of the White League
told me that had Captain Twtchell been here
this thing would have happened more than a
month ago, which assertion is but another
| INK III the Cualu Ol cNlutuCc against LncSe
corrupt and infamous barbarians, and prove:
| that they had long waited for a chance u
murder these men, and getting impatient at
Capt. Twtchelrs delay, proceeded with their
barbarous work and killed what they could
Monday, the 1ith, while on the cars near st
Louis. Mo-, l encountered a young man resi-
dent OF Shreveport, who said,"I hate the
Yankees and think they are d-n rascals
but despise the way in which they hav,
| been treated; an satisfied that there wal
foul play all the way through, and that every
member of the White League was knowing
to the premeditated murder" SO much fo
the statements which their own men hav'
made to me IN person, which statements
alone are enough to convince the minds o
every candid person Of the terrible muir
der of which so many of Louisiana's citizen
are guilty. JONI NJ. MILLER.