New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-03-11
THE GRANT PARISH PRISONERS.

Fourteenth days proceedings in the trial
of w. j. Cruikshank and others in the
United States Circuit Court, Judge Woods,
presiding, charged with conspiracy and
murder, in Grant parish in April, lS73
H. E. Trent recalled for defense-Heard
Mr. Nash request Mr.. William Irwin to go
to Cofax with him short time before the
fight; Nash made the request as G sheriff;
it was general understanding that Nash
was sheriff; Nash finally insisted when
Irwin tried to excuse himself;
Cross examination-Saw Nash in nv
neighborhoOd before that time; Nash called
the people gathered in Colfax mob; heard
that there was much excitement in the
country.
G. w. White sworn--I live six or seven
miles east of COlfax; was not in COltax
from the first to the thirteenth Of April;
cOlOred men stopped me from going to Col
fax the Friday before Easter Sunday. three
miles from town; the man who stopped poe
had no gun; he was not alone; there were
dozen men with him, some Of them armed;
one man said was prisoner and could
not go to Coltax; they said would tell
what saw: they said they were well fixed
for Fl hit. and when old HadnOt came there
woula be fight; they bOasted that they
had abundance of ammunition and pro-
} visions: ! was soon after allowed to depart;
knew none of the colOred men; one man
| told me he was foreman Of the guard, and
told me that'they were going to kill from
the cradle up, and burn.
Cross -examnation-Have travelled the
| road before and it is not the shortest route
| from my home to Colfax; never traded
much in Colfax; Knight, Richardson
and Allison live near me; it was the
Friday before the fight that l was stopped;
heard that there was trouble in Colfax and
| heard there was to be fight; heard that
| there was a number of armed white men
camped on the Darrow; knew the fight was
| in progress Easter Sunday when l heard a
cannon firing; no white man ever told me
| he was IN the fight
B,F. Stuart swOrn-I lived IN Alexan-
| dria last April; on the twelfth left Alexan-
| dria; William Cruikshank left with me; re-
| NAMED to yether until Monday, not far from
| Colfax; stopped at j. Camps Saturday
| night; next day started for COlfax. CruIk-
shank still with me; he went into Colfax
| and brought out P. Chambers, one Of his
| hands; Chambers went to the plantation;
| Cruikshank and l then started back for
| Alexandria, and got there Monday; when
! we we're within six miles Of COlfax We
! heard firing; Cruikshank was absent about
an hour aud quarter when he went into
Colfax.
'Cross-examination-W employed by a
| railroad company at Alexandra; known
| Cruikshank five years; know Dave Paul,
Stafford and Texada, who left Alexandria
| on Thursday; did not see armed white men
| leave Alexandria; saw armed white men;
l there was much excitement in that section;
| at the Darrow met Cazabat and others;
| Cruikshank was armed; did not 60 into
| Colfax; when he returned to me it was
nearly dark, and the place l was waiting at
| was a mile and a quarter from COlfax; car
Il ah ma frnv a r
! rived in Alexandria, Monday, about nine
| o'clock; carried no arms; saw armed white
| meu on my way back; did not go with an
armed squad under command of Stafford or
| Hoa; formerly lived in Kentucky; kept
| a boarding house in Alexandria; when l
| left that village understood there was to be
| trouble at Colfax; never heard man say
he was in the fight; was not in it myself;
Stafford or Cruikshank never gave me de-
| tails of the fight; heard that the fight had
| taken place after l arrived in Alexandra,
about two o'clock in the evening.
Mro Beckwit cross-examin cd this wit
ness extensively concerning ills lStuart's)
personal history.
! T. G.. Tracy sworn-Anf resident of
| New Orleans; by profession am journal
? ist: connected with the New Orleans RE-
PUBLICAN; am manager and editor OF that
paper; have a list of our Grant parish sab
scribers in 1873; B. w. Bullet was the only
subscriber 20 our paper at that date in
Grant parish copies of the REPUBLICAN
we're taken up by the steamboats,; onr mail
clerk, young Brennan, has charge OF such
things; Mr.. Register was never subscriber
that know of; l am cognizant OF all such
y mat ers inside our office.
Mr.. ShacklefOrd recalled-Judge Rutland
and Mr.. Calhoun had the New Orleans
REPUBLICAN regularly as the mail arrived.
The object of Introducing this testimony
was to prove that it was generally known
in Grant parish, through the medium of the
REPUBLICAN, that Mr. Nash had been ap.
pointed sheriff by the Governor. .
Counsel for defense offered a map OF
Grant parish, or part OF 1t, Tor the use OF
The jury, but the court , would ~, not permit i''
Judge Woods called on the district
attorney to bring forward witnesses, If he
had any, for the United States.
Judge Phillips called for the prosecu'
tion-Was present in the Governors offlce
in March year ago when Richardson
Ward, Rutland, Flowers and others were
present: Rutland and Richardson had been
there before: Richardson and Rutland stated
to the Governor that the officers he had ap-
pointed had failed to qualify; Richardson
and Rutland desired to have Nash appointed
sheriff: the Governor said he could not ap-
pOinr him; Richardson said unless his nom
inees we're appointed there would be blood
| shed: Ward and Flowers were present; the
conversation was not entirely friendly; the
Governor was very emphatic.
Richard Reed called by prosecution
Was in Colfax Easter Sunday; was there
three weeks before that; was INSIDE the
earthworks when the fight began; then
went into the courthouse; left the building
and ran one hundred yards; was wounded,
fall and remained on the ground until
man took me among the prisoners; guess
there were 600 armed white men; saw Bill
irwin as | was near the courthouse; when
the wounded men were placed on gallery
| escaped: l heard that Jesse Mchinney
had been killed, and then l feared for my
own life 40 went to Colfax; never heard
any colored people say they intended to
raid on the white people; saw no drilling.
Latimore Nelson for proscutlon-W as IN
CoIfax last Easter Sunday and before; was
there nearly all Easter Sunday, and saw
mart of the fight; knew and saw Nash and
the elder Hadnot that day; saw Denls i-e-
moine day or two before riding around.
Washington Brandon tor proseeu1lon-
Was in Colfax before the fight; kne"
voung white man named Terry; ne was
with ms: never told Terry that would XII
white people or burn houses; did net see
| Judpe Richardson when he lett, and never
threatened him or his property.
Ned johnson for prosecution-Was IN
Co,tax until the thirteenth of April. and
SAW the fight; did not get away until after
! had been shot at; saw plenty armed white
men en- at the fight; saw Denis and ?. Lemolne'
John Hadnot, Hoa, William Crmkshank,
Clement Penn; saw them killing men; dld
not see Clement Penn until l was prison
er: he spoke to Etenne Eizle.
Crossexamination-C Penn spoke
70 Et;enne Elzie about the time OF the
Phillips trouble; he had gun, which, l
think. was a musket; one OF his feet was
outside his shoe; when ! eaw Denis lie,
mo;na ha was mounted, and kad gun; dld