Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-09-25
TIE 90 TSITIT TIL LTORROR.
Statement Of Returned Coushatta
Prisoner.

The Coushatta tragedy, arrived at Ncwianc |
On Wednesday Of last week, and others OF !
The survivors who went from that town are |
soon by the use Of extraordinary |
caution, Mrs. Twitchel was kept in entire ig- |
norance Of her husbands fate until her ar
rival home, where she now lies PROSTATE
with the grief and exhaustion incident to
her terrible hardships. Mr.. Miller-who is
a young man of about twenty years-has IA
vorcd us with the following narrative:
FAYETTEVILLE, VT, Sept. 10Th, 1874.
Mr.. Editor.-Dedr Sir Having just re-
turned from the South a late prisoner of
the White League, and having pretty
good knowledge of the bloody deeds which
have lately boon enacted there through
their influence and agency, l have been re-
quested to give you and the re aders of your
paper a few facts relative to the above,
which will not pass unnoticod. The White
League Is secretly armed organization,
composed only of white mon, who have
leagued themselves together against the
government. 1t ~ not intended TO secure
good government, but To obtain control of
the State. In word, ii is the device of
hungry and blood-thirsty politicians, who
are numbering innocent men to obtain Of
fee, and the Democratic party Of the South
are responsible for it, for the convention
which recently assembled at Baton Rouge
gave 1t sanction and authority. Since its
organization in Northern Louisiana, strong
efforts have been made to induce and COM
pei all white men to join it, and when pc
litical arguments failed, such measures
have been resorted and submitted to, rs
would cause any Northern mans blood to
run cold with horror. Deeds which even
the "Modocs" would not be guilty of have
boon committed without number, and facts
are now brought to light which plainly
show that this "massacro" had long been
premeditatod, and they could only quench
their thirst for these men by numbering
quiet and inoilensive freedmen. They
have repeatedly threatened TO kill every
black or white Republican who would not
vote their ticket or leave the State, and
their threats have been partially carried
out, as has been the sad experience of too
many of the Republican party. After do
ing everything in their power TO compel
the negroes to action, and being unsuccess-
full they advertised large dancing party
to he held in Coushatta, on Thursday eve,
Aug. 18th, as a cloak for getting sufficient
number Of white men together to compel
the Republican officers to resign. This
fact having been reported TO sheriff Edger-
ton on said evening, and as the white men
kept pouring in from every quarter and
many Of them armed, it became evident to
the officials that something serious was
soon to follow and as protection to them
selves and families and prevention OF an
outrage which force of armed men might
see fit to commit, he placed guard of thirty
men around the residence of Homer
Twitchell. This guard is the "great gang
of negroes which the White League say
were assembled in Coushatta that evening
for 1.-THE purpose OF burning the village
and numbering the women and children"
Docs this look reasonable, that thirty men
would undertake to cope with n force of
500, and commit the dastardly plot of which
they arc accusod7 Is 1t reasonable to sup
pose that Homer Twtchcll would lead
forcs OF thirty men for such base purpose
when his family, his friends, his property,
and no himself would he sacriticed2 No
person OF sound mind can for an instant
believe this, and l p .iniedly assert that ii
WAS base lie, gotten up ~ an excuse for
getting 1900 armed horsemen into Cuushat-
ta Having been Informed that Twitcholls
house was under guard, they pickotcd the
town 10 prevent his getting help, the pick
cts having been ordered TO fire on any man
that broke thoir lines and did not halt at
tho word. They waited lmpatently for the
guard To make move, and finding them
solves fooled sont two of their men TO ap-
proach them, knowing that through their
sudden appearance the negroes would be
come alarmed and fire. This they did,
wounding Mr.. Dixon in the arm aud leg,
after which he went his ways and all re
manned quiet. 1t being about IL o'clock
the remainder of the night and following
forenoon was devoted by the White League
In holding counsel to ascertain the policy of
arresting Mr.. Twitchell and his guard. in
fer from what followed that an arrest was
not deemed necessary, for on the. afternoon
OF Friday, about hali-past four, An armed
mob, TO the number Of fifty, waited on
| Twitchell and Scott at their homes, led by
Joe Peirson, who Immediately accused Mr..
| Twltchell as the would be assassin of Mr. Dix
on and demanded his immediate surrender.
This demand was adhered to by Twitchell
and Scott, and also by Clark Holland, who
was in Mr.. SCOTS house at the time, but was
at home the evening before, three miles be-
low Coushatta, and knew nothing OF the
shooting. At the same time another compa-
ny waited upon II. A. Devens at his boarding
place, as also Gilbert Cone, f. S. Edgerlou
and w. F. Howell, accusing them of being
accompllces in the shooting of Mr.. Dixon
and in a short space of time they were all
imprisoned with eleven negroes in the new
store-house OF Alsney & Love, and a strong
guard placed over them. On Saturday the
! village was filed with members of the White
League, who came from adjoining parishes
and States; and IT was with the utmost dit
ficulty that the mob was kept from entering
the building where the prisoners were CON
fined, so eager were they for an opportunity
to murder them. After whole days inves.
tlgation by a confederate court martial,
nothing OF the slightest nature could be
proved against the white prisoners, and in
stead of being released, and owing las the
White League say) to the bitter enmlty which
existed toward them among their own party
they were advised to leave the State, and
promised protection If they would never re-
turn. This proposition was accepted las any
forced prisoner would accept a proposition
and those OF the party that were ofhce-hod
ers rendered their designation. Meanwhile
NJ. e. Willis was arrested at his home, foul
and a half miles above Coushatta, but IL
sooner had he been arrested than an orde
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