The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1874-09-08
A Correct Account Of the troubles in LOui.
Siam.


A Correct Account OF the troubles in LOui'
siana.
Shreveport, La, September 1.-Major A.
F.Stephens, of De Sofa parish, who arrived
here to-day furnished the following account
of the Conshatta troubles, which is no
doubt substantially correct; 1t seems that
in Red River parish, where the negroes are
largely in excess of the whites, much appre-
hension and alarm has been felt by the lat
ter, owing to threatened outbreak of the
negroes, instigated, as was generally believ-
ed, by Edgarton, Devices, Twitchell, How
ell, Willis, Holland, and others.
The lives of several respectable white res
idents of the parish have been threatened
by the negroes, and few days ago Will
liams, respectable citizen of the Third
ward of Red river parish, was threatened
with assassination by two notorious and
desperate negroes, near Brownsville, in the
lower edge of the parish he having been
fired at by them with double-barrelled
shot gun.
Thursday night small party of white
men went to the cabins of these negroes
with view of arrestiug and lodging them
in jail, when they were fired upon from the
cabin, and one of the party instantly killed.
The negroes then attempted to run to the
woods when they were both shot and killed
by the party attempting to make the arrest.
On the next day, Friday, large body of
4.
dred in number, assembled near Browns
vile, swearing vengeance against the whole
white race, and declaring they would not
leave white man, woman or child in the
parish. This created great apprehension
and excitement at Conshatta and through
out the surrounding country and on Friday
night the roads leading into town were
piclxeted.
Two young men, Joe. Dickson and Mr..
Pickens, who were ON one of the posts, halt
ed negro who was coming into town with
a sack of buck shot, lie paid no attention
to their command to halt, and ran off into
the darkness, being fred at by one of the
party without effect however. They imme-
diately went into town to report what had
occurred, and were returning to their post
when they were accosted in the streets of
Conshatta by Homer Twitchell aud two no
torious negro desperadoes, named Andrew
Bosley and Bob Smith-all of whom were
armed.
They had a few moments conversation
x.,;II, tta.,, ,o4 30 q ,,;ola,f ,,ot,,.a ono bol
turned round to proceed to their post when
they were fred upon by that party from the
rear, without warning. Dickson was dan
gerousiy if not mortally wounded, and he
now lies in very critical condition. Mr..
Pickens escaped unhurt The firing party
then ran off-Bosley and Smith escaping
altogether and Twitchell for the time being.
That night and the next morning +. s.
Edgarton, Homer S. Twitchell, r. A. Dem
eco, w. r. Howell, G. Holland, and NJ. G.
Willis all whites besides number of ne
groes, were arrested and placed under
guard. All Of the party who held Office
then voluntarily rendered and wrote out
their designations, and they, with Others
voluntarily proposed, if guard was fur
nished them to Shreveport, that they would
leave the State and return no more. This
was at once assented to, and the pris-
oners requested john Carr, reliable and
trustworthy citizen present, to take charge
of the guard for rprotection.
On Sunday morning at ten o'clock, Carr
with guard Of about sixteen men, started
with the above named prisoners, except the
negroes released afterward. A party of
forty or fifty, supposed to be Texans. who
had come into Conshatta, started in pursuit
with the avowed purpose Of lynching the
prisoners. Later in the day, Carr was ap-
prised of this fact and put his horses and
those of the prisoners to the top Of their
speed to avoid being overtaken.
While nearing the Hutchinson planta-
tion, on Red river some thirty miles below
Shreveport, with view of crossing there
and destroying The fiat boat to prevent fur
ther pursuit, lie was overtaken by the
pursuing party. The guards were over
powered and the prisoners taken away from
him and three of them, Edgarton, Twitch-
ell and Devices shot on the spot.
The other three, Howell, Holland and
Willis were carried back short distance to
near Wards store, and there shot. Citi-
zens in the neighborhood met yesterday
morning and buried the parties who had
been killed-the first three in graveyard
near Hutchinson's Plantation, and the last
three on the spot where they had been Kill
led, near Wards store.