The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-09-09
70 TnE PUBLIC.

Having felt it my duty to issue my
proclamation offering a large reward
for the apprehension and conviction
of the murderers in the Coushatta
outrage, and to the end that the law
abiding citizens of the State may full
ly comprehend the magnitude of the
crime committed, aud be induced to
render more active assistance to the
officers of the law. / deem it proper
to make the following statement.
These facts are gathered from relia-
BILE information received at the Execu-
tive Department: On or about the
2sth Of August a body ofpersons be-
longing to a semi-literary organiza-
ton, known as the White League of
Louisiana, assembled in the town of
Coushatta, parish of Red River, in
this State, Tor the purpose of compel
ling by force of arms the State Off
GERS of that parish TO resign their po-
sitions. These men were officers of
good character, most of them largely
interested in planting and mercantile
pursuits. They held their positions
with the full consent of an admittedly
large majority OF the legal voters of
the parish, this being a heavy Re-
publican parish, as admitted by their
fusion returning boards. The only
known objection to them was that
they were of Republican principles.
Frank Edgerton, the duly qualified
Sheriff ofthe parish, in strict compli-
ance with the'law Of the State and of.
the United States, summoned a posse
comitatus of citizens, white and color
ed, to assist him in protecting the
parish officers in the exercise of their
undoubted rights and duties from
threatened unlawful violence of the
White League. His posse, consisting
of sixty FIVE men, were oyerpowered
by a superior force assembled from
adjacent parishes, and finally, after
several colored and white men had
been killed, surrendered themselves
as prisoners, with the explicit guaran-
tee that their lives would be spared if
the more prominent Republicans
would agree to leave the parish and
those holding Office would resign
their positions.
These st~ipulations, although I'M
lawfully exacted, were complied
with. A part of the Republican Off
Gals were then locked up in the Jail
for the night. The following named
persons were amongst those who
surrendered and resigned: Homer J.
Fwitchell, planter and Tax Collector
Of Red River Parish, and Deputy,
United States Postmaster, in charge
of the Office at Coushatta; Robert A.
Devices Supervisor of Registration
in De Soto PARISH, Clark Holland,
merchant, and Supervisor of Regis
tration in Red River Parish; W. T.
Powell, Parish Attorney and United
States Counsel; Frank Edgerton,
Sheriff of Red River Parish; and NJ.
Z. Willis, merchant, and Justice of
the Peace.
On the following morning, Satur-
day August 80, these persons were
bound together, two by two, and con-
Quoted by an armed guard to the Nc
Farland plantation, just over the Par
ish line of Red River, within the
boundaries Of Boss:er Parish, about
forty miles east of the Texas line.
they were set upon and DELHI
murdered in cold blood. Or
the night preceding the murder a
body of forty members of the White
League Of Caddo Parish, mounted
AID armed, left the City of Shreveport,
and were seen riding in the direction
Of the place where the murder was
subsequently committed. Their bod
es were burned where they fell,
without inquest or any formality
whatever.
(Signed) WM. j. KELLOGG,
Governor.