New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-27
THE GRANT PARISH PRISONERS.


Trial in the United states Circuit Court.
Judge Woods presiding, District Attor-
ney Beckwith for prosecution; w. X.
Whitaker and others for defense. Eighth
days proceedings. William j. Cruckshank,
John p. Hadnot, Thomas j. Hickman
indicted as Thomas Hickmanl, William d.
Irwin indicted as w. B. Irwin, Austin ?.
Gibbons indicted as Oscar Gvens), Gle
ment Penn, Denis Lemoine and Prud
homme Lemoine, on trial tor conspiracy
and murder in Calfax, Grant parish, in
April, 1873, when Alexander Tillman and
others were killed.
Given White testited-Lived in Grant
parish in April, 1873. three miles from Col
fax; was in Colfax at the fight, and went
there after Mckinney was killed; was out
side the courthouse Easter Sunday, when
the first gun was fired; was with Levin
Allen when there was conference with
Nash; Nash said he would give half an hour
to take away the women and children;
Nash asked Allen what he intended to do;
Allen said he would remain until he got
further orders, but did not want any
trouble one of the shots struck my
brother and another man: when things
got too hot, l ran toward Cuny 8 mouse,
remaining in the thicket two or
three hours, and from that point saw the
courthouse burning; before | left Colfax l
saw Bill Irwin, Cruikshank, Gibbons, the
Lemoines and Clement Penn: these men
| was well acquainted with; d. Lemoine,
Cruikshank ana Penn were together; was
in the earth works when the white men at
tackled Us, and then it was that l noticed
the persons named: l remained in the
woods all Monday, where / saw about ten
armed mounted white men going toward
Colfax; l then returned to the woods.
Cross-examination-- Mckinney
was killed, word was passed for all OF us
to 90 to COlfax, as trouble was expected,
and that white men would kill more; first
saw the white men when they appeared at
Smithtield Quarters; was with Allen when
he held conference with Nash; Nash said
that Hadnot's party had disbanded; Allen
said the colored people had no objection to
white people going to the courthouse; heard
nothing about a letter from Allen to Had
not: at an election l took an oath to pro-
tect the United States, and for that reason
went to COlfax, also for my own protec-
ton: Boyd, Monroe and Hall were with
men in the woods near Cunys place; saw
Cruikshank and Bill Irwin during the time
! of the fight. WITNESS detailed the posi-
| tiors Of the men named as he saw them at
| the fight, and saying that he saw each
| of them shoot. Each of the above
were personally identified by witness.l
| There were white men on picket duty from
| the turning road Out near to the woods at
Cuny's, and they were about eight PAGES
apart: they remained on duty from period
| before the fight until dusk; | saw them
| plainly, as | stood on the edge OF the
| woods.
Henderson Dean-Was in Colfax at the
| fight, standing at the courthouse corner;
| was shot in my left groin, fell, when
| Richard Kimball put me on a horse and
carried Inc off; before the fight | saw
armed white men riding through the
| Ferenzi place, before and after Jesse
| Mckinney was killed; recognized the
| Swarter brothers. Hunnicut, Bill Simmons,
| Story, q. Lemoine, Bill Irwin, Oscar Glib
| bons; sa different squads, numbering from
| ten to fifty men; after Jessee was killed
went to Coltax fearing that | would be
killed if remained at home.
! Cross examination-Can't remember what
| date it was they killed Jesse Mckinney,
| was so badly scared.
| Eandy Harris-Was at Colfax during the
| fight when the cannon was fired and the
| colOred men ran into the courthouse ran
| into a pond to hide, and after went into
| the woods; the pond is about half mile
| from the courthouse: two white men toll
| lowed me- but when got near the wood
| threw up my gun and then the men halted;
! knew Dennis LemOine, Clement Penn, O3.
| car Gibbons and Nash before left the
| courthouse: remained in the bush about
the men have named, except Nash, were
armed; am certain they are the men.
Cross-examin ation-When | heard that
! Jesse Mckinney was killed | thought 1t
! best for me to go to COlfax for safety; my
| brother also was scared and he went to
! Colfax: when the white men first appeared
two punches of us went out from the court
house toward Smithfeld, they fired at us
| and wheeled off; our party did not shoot,
| that know of.
Levin Jones-Lived in Grant parish near
! Colfax, in April. 1873; was in the fight;
| Nash and Lis men were at Smlthfeld Quar-
ters before started for Colfax; when we
were driven from the courthouse l ran
| away; then the cannon was on the river
bank; before l got to the woods or pond
! was pursued, but was not hurt: returned
home next day; saw only two men l knew,
John Gwin and John Henry.
| Wade Ross-Lived in Grant parish in
| April, 1873; went to ColfaX because
couldn't stay at home in peace; threats had
! been made that all the cOlored men would
| be killed; was at the courthouse; saw Denis
and Prudhomme Lemoine, Tom Hickman
| and John Hadnot in the scrimmage; also
saw them when l was at the courthouse;
saw the cannon fired: l passed that night
IN the pond with others.
| Sarah Smith, lived on the Ferenzi
| place in April, lS73 was not there on the
| day of the fight, but was two days after;
| saw armed white men near COlfax before
| the fight; Denis Lemoine was the only one
| l knew; also Nash and his company, who
| took my horse and all my corn week be-
| fore the fight; was greatly alarmed, so ran
away from home on two OCCASIONS" saw
| Nash and D. Lemoine when they took my
corn saw the body of my dead son, Kit
| Smith, Tuesday, after the fight; it and Jack
Simms body were lying back OF Shackle-
| ford's house.
Cross-examination-I was wrong about
the day they stole my corn-it was Sunday;
can't remember when my horse was stolen.
Maria Carroll-In April, 1873, lived in
Colfax; was in the quarters at first, but
| when Nash came | went under the river
hill and remained there until a stranger
told me to 90 to house and cook some
thing; only knew Mr.. Roberts and his son
Merritt, after the man left hid under the
banh again, where l remained all Sunday
night; Monday merning l saw Aleck Till
man and many other cOlOred men dead on
the ground not far from the courthose.
Mary Brandon-Went to Colfax Monday
and Tuesday after the fight and saw the
body of my husband; saw plenty other
dead colored people.
Winnie Brim-Was in Colfax on Easter
Sunday morning; when l saw the white
men coming 1 ran off; saw white men on
horseback chasing colored men who were
on foot running.
Charlotte JOhnson-A lot of white men
camped in a field on Wheelers place, north
OF Colfax, remaining there until the fight;
saw Nicholas Lowe, Henry Roscoe, Glenn
ent LoDdsdale, Charley and T. Wheeler,
Milton Dunn and Austin Gibbons among
them; they had been there two weeks; saw
them after the fight, Nash and Hopkins be-
ing with them.
Sophia Reed-Was in Colfax and saw