The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-12-13
yICKSBURG.
ORIGIN OF THE LATE TROUBLES.

AZ
sippi Valley Bank; 3. Il. Thomas, Presiden
Ticksburg Bank G. Gordon Adam, ex. Unite
States District Attorney and United States Com
missioner Charles T.. FurlOng, Republican Stat
Finney, ex-United States army officers : G. K
Marshall, d. D., and Bowman, Miller, McCardie
COwan, Baum, Catchinss, and other prominen
citizens.
After recounting the election of county official
in 1873 nearly all negroes the statement show
that T. w. Cardoza, Circuit Clerk, was elected
State Superintendent of Education. Ames there
upon, contrary to explicit law and the State con
statution, appointed A. W. Dorsey his successor
In August 1874, upon affidavit of the State
Auditor OF Public Accounts, Dorsey was arrested
for issuing false and forged certificates. He wal
committed to Jail and resigned. Again the
vacancy was filed by appointment by Ames, con.
trary to law and the appointee still holds posses
sion Of the office. An investigation of DOrsey'e
frauds discovered CardOza guilty OF similar OF:
lenses.
Geo. w. Davenport, negro. was elected Chan
Gerry Clerk, and was sole custodian OF the county
seal and public records. 1t being discovered
that large amount of forged warrants were in
circulation, Davenport was repeatedly called
upon to make q report to the Board Of Super
vls0rs, and persistently failed to do SO. He re
fused the committee OF taxpayers permission to
examine the records, and it may be added here,
after his flight it was discovered that he had no
bond whatever record. At the October term
~ the Circuit Court, Dorsey, Davenport and Car
doza were indicted by the Grand Jury, composed
Of ten blacks and seven whites.
During the inquiry into the Otfenses, the books
OF the county Treasurer, and other valuable
records. bearing evidence of the guilt Of the par
ties were stolen. The other records used in the
Investigation were put in charge of Sheriff Crosby
and were also stolen The sheriff is also tax col
lector and required to give bond III seven thou
eand dollars. He gave worthless bond u d when
Its wOrthlessness was brought to light several
surctics withdrew. thus making the Instrument
al :nftr =,
declared the bond illegal but the board refused
to order the sheriff to give new one.
1t wa geueraliy understood that the board
acted under the influence OF the sheriff and IN
dicted officials who were interested III keeping
him III Office.
In November the sheriff published card, call
ing on the tax payers 70 pay up, and saying he
would hold the sheriff Office until Ousted by
the supreme Court In this condition ii atfairs
viz: that taxes amounting to five per cent OF
values wcro DUE that the sheriff, to whom the
taxes were payable. was ins0ivent AID bondless ::
that the Board OF Supervisors. though i'nlor-
tuned to do so, had failed to take measures re-
4uired by law for the protection Of the people ::
that valuable public records and papers ncces-
sary as evidence to convict Cardoza,
Davenport and Dorsey on the indie tments found
against them, had been stolen from the court
house, OF winch the Sheriff is by law the keeper:
that Sheriff Crosby was known to be an intimate
personal and political friend of these criminals.
and besides being charged with the important
duty of summO,lng the jnries by whom they
Shouia DO tried, was the custodian OF records
furnishing evidence OF their guilt and had failed
70 protect tho same from larceny and spolia,ion,
ana that TO al appearances these officials seemed
banded together for mutual protection end in
strength OF numbers and mutual cOuntenance
were defying tho laws of the State and stltut-
ing Offices to their private ends.
In TINS CONDITION OF affairs, the tax. payers held
q meeting, and, us already known, dciila ndcd the
resignation OF those officials. Crosby then went
IN .kapv Ia pctr1E Gov ANA
proclamation commanding the tax payers to
Hlsperse. Cohcemporaheously with Ames's proc
IAmaiio''' a cara signed Peter crosby was cir
cuiatcd among the colored people, denounclnG
inc whites as ruiiiahs ana DarDalians, ana calling
ON friends 10 come TO the AID OK tile Sheriff and
support HIM.
On the same DAY Amess Adjutant General and
IN siqe arrived IN 'ichspnrg, ana about the same
timc HAL, captain OF negro company OF militia,
received orders 70 hold himself Ill readiness for
orders, which orders We're sent direct to Hall
ana not tiirIugn supeflor officers.
IN sunday, the taxpayers, contemplating no
Vloieht measures themselves ana ignorant OF any
contemplated ny Crosby and his confederates,
presented 10 Chanceior hui (Rep.) d bill OF in.
Junction against Crosbys acting as sheriff until
ne should give oohd.
the chancellor prepared an order Sunday |
inisht granting the injunction whlcl! would have
Dc"n ser'cu MoHuay morning While the CON
suitation was beinS had with Hill, A. j. Packer |
AMes Aolutant General, and Crosby came in
together, and Crosby was informed it was rl-
moreu inc negroes or the county would attempt
70 70 invade the cry upon the following morning.
nc : disclaiea any knowledge on the subject, but
sa'd he had me power to dispense them. though
ne SAW no objection to their coming if they de-
sned.
UPo" .,is ne was earnestly besouSht by Cham
ceIior iill ana c,tHens present to send ont
orders 70 them that mSEt to return to their
MONIES since, II they made such an attempt
nasn ploou "ouli 90 shed crosby prom.
Used to DO 50. Nevertheless; early on Monday
N DrnlnS. me negroes marched on the city from
several roads The cl'izens, partly warned the
night before armed ana went to the defense Of
the CITY, They came in conflict with three sepa-
rate bodies OF armed negroes, numbering from
two to four hundred each. on three different
roads, and defeated and repulsed each body.
1t is estimated that from fifty to q hundred
negroes were killed aud wounded, and about
thirty were captured, all Of whom, except four of
The leaders, have been released and permitted to
90 home. |:
The statement goes on to say that the prisoners i
assert they came to the city under orders from
Crosby who gave An,es as his authority for call
n& them out. The address concludes upoo this 5
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