Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-09-10
General News.
The Southern OUTRAGE.

The Southern Outrage.
NEw ORLEANS, seIr. 3. Gov. Kellogg
has Issued proclamation placing a reward
OF s. 600 head on all persons implicated
in the conshatta affair aud accompanying
his proclamation by the following state
ment:-
To THE PUBLIC Having felt It my
duty 10 issue NV proclamation oitcrifg u
large reward for the apprehension aud CON
'icfton of the murderers in Cou>hatta and
that the law-abidlnc citizens OF the State
may fully comprehend the magnitude Of
the crime committed and be- induccd TO
render more active assistance IN the officers
of the law, deem it proper to make the
following statement
TIiE WHITE IEAGrE AT WORK.
These facts are gathered from reliable
Information received at the Executive De
parilnent On or about the 2Sth day Of
August, 1874. body OF persons belonging
To "a semi military organization known as
the White League OF LOUISIANA. assembled
in the town of Con-hatta. Parish OF Red
River. in this State, for the pnrposc Of
compelling by force OF arms the State off,
ccrs OF that Parish 10 resign their posi-
lions. The officers were men OF good
character, most of them being largely in
tcrested In planting aud mercantile pur-
suits; they held their position with the
full consent Of an admittedly large majority
Of legal voters "f the Parish. This bviuy 4
heavily Republican Parish rs admitted by
the Fusion Returning Boards. the only
known objection to them was that they
were of Republican principles.
the SHERIFF ovERrowEREp 30 -''r our
rss-srs.- --s.-ss THROWN tsrD
JAZZ.
Frank Eigerton, duly qualified a sher-
IN ofthe Parish. In strict compliance with
the laws ofthe State and OF the United
States, summoned tposse CONT atusj Of
citizens, white aud colored. To assist him
in protecting the Parish officers in the eS-
ercise of their undoubted rights and du.ics
from the threatened unlawful violence OF
the White League. His posse OF sixtv-iiye
men were oyerpowered by a superior force
assembled from adjacent Parishes aud hn-
ally. after several colored and white men
had been Killed. surrendered themselve.
prisoners, with the explicit guarantee that
their lives should be spared If the more
prominent Republicans would agree 10
leave the Parish. and those holding office
would resign. These stipulations though
unlawfuly exacted. were complied with.
Part of III" Republican Off 'ials were lock
ell up IN JAN Tor tue tai 1ht.
THE VICTIMS.
The following persons were among those
who surrendered and resigned: II.
Twtchcll. planter and Tax Collector or
Red River Parish and deputy l. 5. Z. N.
In charge of the post Office at Conshaiia /;
| Robt \. Dewes. Supervisor of Re.istra-
| ton. of De Soto Parish; Clark Holland, a
merchant and Supervisor Of Registration
a 4 l.
i-h Attorney and L. :. Commissioner
Parish and VI. Z. Willis, a merchant and
Justice OF the Peace.
MURDERED IN COLD BLOOD.
On the following morning SUNDAY, the
| 30th( these persons were bound together.
| two and two. conducted by AN armed guard
10 McFarland's plantation just over the
Parish line of Red River. within the bound
| aries of Bossier parish. about 40 miles east
of the Texas line. There they were set
upon and deliberately murdered in cold
! blood.
81 THE MUEpERERs.
Ga the Night preceding the murders
members OF the White League of Caddo
Parish mosn,ed aud armed. left Shreve-
! port and were seen riding In the direction
of the place where the murders were com
| mitted. The bodies Of the victims were
buried where they fell. without inquest or
any tormality whatever.
(Signed) VIM. J. KELLOGG.
Governor.
PRESIDENT INSTRUCTIONS TO TIE SEC
RETARY OF WAR.
As a result Of the conference at Long
Branch between the Pres dent and Attor.
ney General Williams the following letter
OF instruction has been sent TO the secYe-
tary OF war;
To Gen. w. W. Belknap. Secretary of
War: The recent atrocities in the South
particularly In louisiana. Alabama, and
South Carolina, show disregard Tor law
civil rights. and personal protection that
ought not TO be tolerated in any civilized
government. IL looks as If unless speed
lily checked. matters must become worse.
until life and property there will receive
no protection from local authority until
such authority become powerless. Under
such circumstances il is the duty OF the
government TO give all the aid for the pro-
lection of life and civil rights legally au-
thoriZed. 20 this end wish you would
consult with the Attorney General, who
is well informed as to the ou,rages al
ready committed and the localities where
the greatest danger lies. and SO order
troops as to be available in the case of
necessity. All proceedings for the pro-
lection of the South will be under the Law
Department of the government and will be
directed by the Attorney General In .ac-
cordance with the provisions OF the enforce
ment act.
No instructions need. therefore. be- given
the troops ordered into the Southern States
except as they may be transmitted from
time to time on the advice from the Atror-
ney General or circumstances may deter
mine hereafter.
Yours truly. U. s. GRANT.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
Washington, D. c., Sept. 8.
Sir:-Outrages of various descriptions
and i'm some cases. atrocious murders have
been committed in yoar district, by bod
les Of armed men sometimes in disguise.
and with view, 1t isjbelieved 0yer.aweing
and intimidating peaceable and law abid-
ing citizens, and deprivi0S them Of the
rights guaranteed to them by the Consti.
tuition and laws Of the United States. Your
attention is directed to an act of Congress
passed April 8, 1866, entitled an act to
protect all persons in the United States 10
their civil rights and to furnish means for
their vindicatlon, and to another passed
April 30, entitled an act to enforce the