The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-24
The Grant Parish Prisoners.



The long array of witnesses filed into the
witness room, seated themselves and were
If the United States Marshal, whose duty
it is to attend to matters in general in the
court, would conceive the idea that an adj
diti0nal table, for the use Of the reporters
and counsel, would be an acceptable favor,
there is no one would contend that he
was mistaken and if he could by any means
summon energy enough to carry out the
idea, he would be looked upon as bene-
factor.
Court opened at 9 o'clock, and business
commenced with the examination Of
Levy Nelson.
He was in the fight, was in the Court
House, was taken prisoner, and told the
same old story.
He made an addition to the authorized
statement by saying that VIM. Irwin shot
Shack White. He was one of batch that
was taken out to be killed. He said that
one of the white men raised his gun, let fly,
with one shot. Witness "playea" dead /;
but the other man cried out, and continued
to cry out, and, to shut him up, they
plugged him six times, and he crOaked.
Cross-examined by Mr.. Ellis-He was not
familiar enough with history to stand search
ing interrOgati0ns. As long as Beckwith
had him in hand, and gave him leading
questions, he told pretty straight tale, but
in Mr.. Ellis's hands he lost the thread and
lied right straight through.
He started out by saying that he went up
to Colfax three weeks before the fight;
changed his mind said he did not know
how long it was; said he had not asserted
that he had been there three weeks ;
thought a little; compromised the matter !,
and said it was two weeks.
He then got patriotic, and said the reason
he went to Colfax was because when he
registered he swOre to protect the United
States, he then thought it was because
some one was.gOing to hang the officers the
people had elected, and then he thought it
was to protect himself, and then he thought
it was because Jesse Mckinney was killed
and he was frightened. He was sure of this,
because ne did not go to Colfax until Jesse
was killed.
1t will be remembered that Mckinney was
killed on the Sd aud the fight took place on
the 18th, and yet this witness first stated
that he went to COlfax two weeks before the
fight.
He saw Mr.. Hainot at Pete Bolans store,
when he (witness) was leaving Colfax to go
home.
Witness had been to Colfax to buy some
cloth, and had started home, but returned
to Colfax to get some thread he had forg )t-
ten, and it was on his way back again that
he saw Hadnot's party. He did not speak
to them; he did not say word did not
see pistol on Mr.. Hadnot; he did not know
whether or not Mr.. HadnOt and his party
went to COlfax.
On the last trial witness stated that he
met the Hadnot party on his return to Col
fax; that Mr.. HadnOt spoke to him, and
said that he (HadnOt) had been to CofaX.
He said, further, that Mr.. Hadnot had a
brace of pistols around his waist.
The crOss-examinatiOn was continued. He
said that when he passed Pete Bolan's store
the men were all inside; there was no one
on the gallery; he thought differently after
while, and said that Mr. Hadnot was on
the gallery.
He afterwards changed his mind again,
gave an accurate description of the arms
borne by each man in the party, and said
that he saw them because, when the men
got to Pete BOlans they had not dismOunt-
ed. Mr.. Ellis called his attention to the
fact that he had stated that the men were
in the store.
Witness recollected then that he had said
so, and stuck to it, and run the men with
their guns in the store he had not stopped,
he had ridden right on.
The man continued on the same style,
until Beckwith got tired, somewhat dis
gusted in fact, and made an appeal to the
Court. He said the defense was using his
witness for their own.
The Court sustained the objection, and
instructed counsel to. cOnfine themselves to
matters brought out by the examination.
Characterization resumed-When the
negroes were in the Courthouse the white
men never stopped firing until all the ne
groes were ont of the building.
All other witnesses that have testified on
the snbiect said thai there was call to
surrender, anu that firing on both sides
ceased for some time.
He was asked by Mr.. Ellis, how many
horses the negroes hadf
Witness replied three hundred, as far as 1
know.
Mr.. Ellis-Did you swear at the last trial
that there was only ninetys
Judge Woods-What is your object in
asking that question?
Mr. Ellis-To test the crediblity of the
witness.
Judge Woods-You cannot do that; you
have made this witness your own, and you
cannot impeach him. You have examined
him in chief on matters not developed in the
cross-examination, and by doing you have
admitted that he is worthy OF belief, you
cannot do this and when he makes a state
ment you do not like, you cannot disapprove
it,
Mr.. Elis-May it please your Honor. do
not see that this is examination in chief,
the horses were part of the armament and
part of the battle.
Judge WOods-That is very true, and do
not say otherwise, what do say is that you
have already made the witness your own.
Mr.. Elis-If your honor would locate
wherein we have made the witness our own
l would be pleased.
Iud.r. Wnn1S-Wan air in ono instance
You questioned him about the meeting with
HadnOt.
Mr.. Ellis-May it please your Honor, that
matter was brought out in the cross-exanl.
ination. The District Attorney questioned
him about the matter, and the witness
stated that he had seen Mr.. HadnOt, and
even told how many men he had with him.
Judge Woeds-I think you are mistaken.
al Mr. Ellis wanted the testimony read as
taken by the shorthand reporters.
Judge WOods put u stop to the matter
- ~l,s., tlo I.c,. had