The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-09-22
The Red River Massacre.


The Boston Journal publishes the following
letter, written for it by United States Com
| missioner Jewett of Louisiana, respecting the
recent autrages at Coushatta, which it vouches
for as reliable report of the cowardly and in
human proceedings in that section. 1t will re-
pay perusal'
GREENSBORO, LINCOLN PARISH, La, !
Sept II, 1874.
As YOU have expressed desire to learn the
history of the massacre at Red River Parish,
and of the murdered men, l will say that at
short dates following the close Of the war, Cou-
shatta, now the county seat of Red river Parish
then in the Parish of de Soto, and an abandoned
little hamlet of half dozen ruined houses, was
resettled by few Northern men, prominent
among whom were NJ I'll. and II. j. Twitchell,
formermerly of South birmingham, Mass,
Edward w. and R. A Devices, also Of Massa-
chusetts, John T. Yates, Clark Holland, Gull
bert Came, formerly of ColeIaine, leach of whom
from time to time, invested money in lands,
ishing little town was shortly built mp on the
east bank of Red river, and in 1870. emigration
having been thereby attracted to the surround
ing country, and separation of interests hav-
ing occurred between the new community and
the neighboring parishes, the new parish Tor
county, of Red river was created and attached
to the 21st Senatorial district.
At the election in that year I'll. 81. Twitchel1
was elected Senator and II. w. Devices to the
Lower House, from the adjoining parish of De
Soto. In 1872. Mr.. Devices having moved back
to the new parish wasjtheren reelected to the
Lower House. John p Yates was elected
Sheriff, and having resigned last spring was re-
placed by Frank G.. Edgerton, also a northern
man. A. o. p, Pickens, an old Confederate
soldier, was elected Parish Judge in 1872 but
having resigned to accept the attorneyship Of
the 18th judicial district, was replaced in the
legal manner by Hon. A. G. Penny NJ G.
Willis was elected Justice Of the Peace in 1872
W. III. Howell was appointed Parish Attorney
in the legal manner. CLARK Holland. mer-
chant of Coushatta. was one month ago ap.
pointed Supervisor of Registration in the usual
manner. The facts stated that these gentle
men, or such of them as held offices required
to be elected by the people, were duly elected.
are admitted by the Democratic party. The
Warmoth and Forman boards of returning
officers both run in the interests of the Ku-
Klux Democracy of Louisiana, both returned
the Republican candidates for all the offices in
the Red River parish elected by majorities
varying from $50 to 800.
About the middle Of last month the White
League of Red River parish, in pursuance of a
pl concerted and general plan, demanded of
these officers the resignation of their several
offices. They refused to resign, and F. s. Edger-
ton, sheriff, in accordance with his sworn duty,
whom were white, to protect himself and the
other officers in the discharge of their duty,
The White lIeague alone summoned from the
surrounding parishes every desperate scOundrel
who, for drink of whiskey and the chance to
steal horse, would commit murder. to rally
at COushatta, and about 400 bowling, drunken
desperadoes assembled there from Natchitv
ches, De Soto, Caddo, Bienvlle Bossier, Grant,
Jackson, Webster, Claiborne, and Lincoln par.
ishes, and overpowered the sheriff s posse.
After killing Gilbert lCame, ESQ.,. deputy
sheriff, and six colored men, to save the lives
or their political friends, then in the power of
the desperate mob, the officers of Red River
parish and r. A. Devices, Esq, a collector Of
De Soto, who was present, offered to resign
their several Offices and leave the state. The
tured posse consitdtus, and pledged them
selves to guard the officers out Of the
state via Shreveport that night. Fl. j.
Twitchell, r. A. Devices, M. G. Willis,
Clark Holland, w. j. Howell and f. G.. Ed
gerton were lodged in Coushatta Jail, guarded
by the League. The next day guard was Sc
lected to take them to Shreveport. They actual
ly took them by an unfrequented road into Bos-
sier Parish, and there, 30 miles below Sbreve-
port, they were foully murdered by the guard
given them for their protection, assisted
by about 40 men, who rode out from Shreveport
toward the scene of murder the night before. I
state nothing here that do not know to be
true. The murdered men had married in
Louisiana all had property in Red River Par
ish, all had young families here, and to them
duu tu0lE lIiouuS, LIZ lWibGuoii, II W.
Devices and Judge Plckens, all the great pros
perity of Red River Parish is due: Thse last
fortunately escaped, being absent from the par
ish at the time Of the massacre.
The history of Red River is the history of
many North Louisiana parishes. 1 do not
speak of my own experience in Louisiana. 1t
is we'll known and has been brought prominent
ly before the Northern people very recently.
At each recurring election these scenes of blood
disgrace nearly every parish in this portion OF
the State. In each of these northern parishes
some Yankee dies for his old flag and for the
freedom of the slave at each recurring conflict
L could name many dear old Northern comrades
whose blood has Redeemed the soil of Louisiana;
could give you history of blood which would
scarce find credence among our law abiding
Northern friends. but what 1 tell you of Red
River may be accepted as specimen Of politi-
cal conflicts in this bloody State. Imagination
may FL up blanks in the sad history and can
hardly in its widest fights exceed the bloody
truth. Excuse the hasty imperfection of this
statement and believe me, yours truly,
J. MA RWETT,
o. S. Commissioner in and for the district of