The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-09-13
THE TIMES AND THE COUsHATTA
TROUBLES.

The manner in which the Times manages t,
msstate the facts in regard to the Coushatt,
troubles is especially censurable in journa
that desires to be considered fair and impartial
It says:
= AS Red River parish contains large prepon
| derance OF cOlOre voters, they were easily per
| suaded to assume all attitude Of orga nzed resist
ance to the demand in question The idea had
evidently been insilled into their mil ds that there
was to be fight for supremacy in the parish be-
| tween the whites and the blacks and they were
easily persuaded to take part in the contest
| 1t would seem by this just published record
whites when they determined to force objection
| able Republican officials to resign: that armed
opposition had been organized by these officials
who enlisted the negroes in thei service; that
me hrst blood was shed by Paul Williams. ne
gro who shot at and dangerously wounded Mr.
Dixon; and there the record stops, without any
attempt TO show how it was, or why it was, that
ter the officials in question had resigned, to
save their lives, they were met by masked men
! and murdered
genious network Of misrepresentation. All
the published evidence goes to prove and
does clearly establish, that the first steps at
armed organization and violence were taken
by the negroes. at the instigation Of the car
pet-bag officials of the parish 1t is of record
that the officials referred to were not requested
to resign, and that there was no intention of re-
qnestlng them to resign. until after the shoot
ing Of Dixon on the evening, when majority
Of the white people Of Coushatta had assembled
at a ball or dancing party. with no idea of i'm.
pending danger. There are as the Times
sagely suggests, two sides to the story bnt it
is more than singular that, with positive
evidence at hand, it should ignore it and
look only upon one side Of the dark
picture. 1t has not word to sa" i'll
condemnation OF the horrible plot Of the
white officials and their negro allies to
massacre the men. women and children who
had unsuspectingly gathered together tor
mutual enjoyment not syllable OF sympathy
tor Mr.. Dixon who was shot down by the
black ruttian. Paul Williams, with ammunition
provided by the white carpet-baggers. All
these atrocities go for naught and the phials Of
its wrath are only uncorked when the white (.
rascals who had meditatel and attempted
murder, met a horrible but not un.
observed late.
That they deserved death is. in view of the |,
evidence now before us, unquestionable but !,
i is to be regretted that they were not caught |
1t the head of this armed negro force. and /
made to pay the penalty of their crimes then
and there. The part Of the trouble that is
nos. to be deplored is the killing OF The pris-
,ners when they were en route from the parish
iuder escort
Ia this same article the Tines says:
There evidently existed AZ intent On the part
u those who affiliated with the White league 10
urce the Republican officials of Red River parish
o resign. This indeed is proved by the success
III accomplishment Of the purpose.
Ii assumes the intent as a fact, and then
',tempts to prove it by the subsequent resis-
sation of the officials, Which is verv much
5 though it should say th..t Mr. Smith, who
sss se, upon by garroter last night, should
" arrested for murder, inaslnuchas his killing
he garroter is evidence Of preme,litated
to commit murder.