The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1874-11-06

VI A<auSSAhs NSiSotcuEut " hohh'e ON viz
10Th, under n cavalry escort. Huey and
Richardson We're handcnffed to gether. The
prisoners were imprisoned under close
guard in the SheriH's office, their counsel
| being admitted only on written order.
The gentlemen brought from Claiborne
were charged with attempting to break up
Republican meeting in Homer on the lith
| OF July last; those from Lincoln with an
attempt to COMPEL Jewett, by whom the
warrants are issued. to resign as United
States Commissioner in Lincoln. The
prisoners declare they did not know he was
| Commissioner and never made such Il
demand.
These gentlemen We're arrested without
resistance, but hurried from home without
time to consult their families or get u change
of clo,he
We submit q report, in part, of the testi-
| mony taken before Jewett in the Claiborne
parish:
SHERIFF AvcocK.
l was sitting in my Office; some one said
there was about to DO n difficulty; I saw
| some or 300 colored men on the streets
Demetz, white man, was near the confer
of the crowd, pistol lit hand, saying. stand
back if you crowd me, l'll shoot" hur-
ried to- tho place; got to tho cdge of the
crowd, and a pistol fired made my way
! through the crowd, and by that time Well,
| and one or two other white men had got to
! tho parties engaged in the fight. l walked
up and ordered them to part them took
| hold, and called for aid. was upon duty
| at the time us sheriff. We'll and the other
white men seized pcmclH; and l took hold
| of the freedmen, and as did so. II number
| of voices of freedmen said, cd din him
knock him ioosc!" I told them was an
| officer in discharge of my duty and that 1
would kill the first man who struck me.
\ large crowd OF negroes rushed out in the
direction of callihan's grocery to where
DemetZ had been taken, and hnlloacd out
ut the same time, ''Go for him, cd d-n
him. \ numbr" OF pist ,ls were drawn by
! The freedman, and from all appearances l
thought we were going to have u general
riot; and ordered "a great many white
! mon, don't recollcct who, to quell the riot
White mon up to that time, had mott her done
nor said anything. The parties summoned
by me and others, got their guns nnd
! assent led near Wells store. Tho freedmen
had assembled at MnNey's store. around and
IN front. Threats were made ny the freedmen
that they would arrest bennett. or die. The
white mon did not move forward, but re-
mained still. Myself, Mayor Richardson,
J. II. Jordan, Judge Scott, Esquire Fcrg,-
son. Recorder Ramsey, Deputy Shcrin
Nawlc and w. IL. MaXoy were bet tween tho
whites and tho blacks, and commanded the
peace. 1t WIS but short time before both
parties dispersed. Tho greater number OF
white mon put under arms were ,hure by
the order of myself or deputy; I expected
IN case they wore needed, to qucll riot.
Tho freedmen were notified ut the time by
myself Judge Scott, Esquire Ferguson, and
Mayor Richardson that they could hold
political meetings III the court room or any
otlior place in town, and be prot cctcd by
the officers. l hoard citizens complain TO
;..l,, l,,t
annoyance. The Mayor issued an ordcr
notifying whites and blacks thai there
should be no moro drum-bcating on the
streets OF Homer. Mr.. Maxcy WIS the only
white Republican who assisted me to qucll
the riot. arrested DometZ immediately,
and no was held in custody until discharged
by the courts. The crowd of negroes told
me if did not give up Dcuctz they would
take him, and that was tho only cause for
calling the mon t" arms. Politics had
| nothing to do with the trouble; 1t was /.
private difficulty. Mayor Richardson was
| out trying to quell the riot; l spoke to
Ramsey, aud Judge Scott was Il peace
| officer. Tho white men were called into
line for the sole object of protecting
Demetz.
J OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES.
| There were between four, five or 81 hun
drcd freedmen in town that day. About
! iiteen or twentE rushed to tallihan'S to
! seize Demctz and there were about two
| hundred in the rear crying 600 for him,
cd d-n him!'' ] think there was forty or
or fifty colOrcd men who were pcrs,in,iing
The negroes to dishand but they said one
of their men had been Killed, and they
| meant to have blood. ! saw some % or 80
pistols in the hands of freedmen. Rccollcct
only few of those | summoned, among
the number was ID. II. Hayes. J. II. Jordan
and Ramsey. There were not more than
forty or fifty white men on tho streets the
whole time. know very well from reports
following such occurrences, il would be
claimed that this was intimidation of the
freedmen, and therefore ] went and told
them they would be protected. There was
no political meeting visible that day but
heard there to lie ono from jasper
Blackburn. The Republicans have held
meetings In Homer since once 10 nominate
officers.
TESTIMONY Of SCOTT RAINS.
Scott Ruins, a Sc"dy looking old darkcv
with phiZ eloquent Of '.diHh' and deceit
was the principal witness for the prosccu-
ton. His testimony amounted to this -
That there was Republican meeting. in
Homer the 18th pf ,Jn1v niStDI