New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-09-02
BY TELE CIR APH
WHITE LEAGUE.
A Labored Apology for the Coushatta
Murders.

Murders.
SHREVEPORT, September l.-Major A. F.
Stephenson, of De Soto parish. who arrived
here to-day, furnishes the following. &C.
count Of the Coushatta troubles, which Is no
doubt substantially correct:
1t seems that in Red River parish, where
the negroes are largely in excess of the
whites, much apprehension and alarm has
been telt by the latter on account OF a
threatened outbreak Of the negroes, instl-
gated. as was generally believed, by Edger-
ton, Devices, Twitchel, Howell, Willis,
Holland and others.
The lives of several respectable white
citizens of the parish had been threatened
by negroes, and few days ago Mr.. Will
liams, respectable citizen Of the third
ward of Red River parish, was attempted
to be assassinated by two notorious and
desperate negroes near Brownsville, IN the
lower edge of the parish, he having been
fired at by them with double barrel shot
guns.
On last Thursday night small party OF
white men went to the cabins of these ne
groes with the view Of arresting and lodg-
ing them in Jail, when .hey were fred upon
from the cabin, and one Of the party in
stantly killed. The negroes then attempted
to run to the woods, when they were both
shot and killed by the party attempting
the arrest.
On the next day, Friday, large body OF
| armed negroes, between 300 and 400 in
number, assembled near Brownsville,
swearing vengeance against the whole
white race and declaring they would not
have white man, woman or child alive in
the parish. This created great apprehen-
sion and excitement at COushatta and
throughout the surrounding country and on
Friday night the roads leading into the
town were picketeds
Two young men, Mr. Joe Dickson and
Mr.. Pickens, who were on one OF the posts,
| halted a negro who was coming into town
| with sack of buckwheat: he paid no at
| tentiOn to the summons to halt, and ran off
into thetlarkness, being fred at by ono Of
the parties, without effect, however, They
| Immediately went into the town to re-
port what had occurred. and were return
in the streets of Coushatta by Homer
Twitchell and 9wO notorious negro
desperadoess Andrew Bosley and Bob
Smiths all of whom were armed.
| They had al few moments conversation
\ with themO not of q violent nnture, and had
turned round to proceed to their post when
they we're fired upon twice by this armed
party from the rear without warning
! Dickson was dangerously if not m0rtally
J wounded by this fire. He now lies in a
very critical conditions IIr. Pickens es-
capped unhurS. The firing party then ran
off, Bosley and Smith escaping altogether.
and Twitchell for the time beingo
! That night and next morning F. S. Eds
! gerton, Homer j. Twitchell, r. A. Devices,
1 We T. Howell, C. Holland and NJ. c. Willis,
! all svhitese besides o number of negroes,
| we're arrested and placed under guard. All
of the party vino Eeld office then volun-
tarily rendered and wrote out their resigna-
! tionso and they, with the others, voluntarily
\ proposed j a guard were furnished them
I TO Shreveport, they would leave the State
| to return no moreo This was at once as
! sented to- and the prisoners requested Me-
John Carr reliable and trustworthy citi-
. zen present, to take charge OF the guard fog
| their projections
I On Sunday morning as Cen O'clock Mr.
Carr, with guard of about sixteen men,
started with the above named prisoners,
except the negroes, who were released. Not
long aftegward party of between forty and
fifty men, supposed to be all Texans, who
had come In Coushatta, started in pursuit
! with the avowed purpose Of lynching the
prisoners Later in the day Mr.. Carr was ap-
prised of this fact, and put his horses and
I those Of the prisoners to the top OF their
! speed f0 avoid being overtakene
While nearing the Hutchinson plantation.
or Red Siver, some thirty miles below
Shreveport, with the view OF crossing there
and destroying the 1atbOat. to prevent furs
ther pursuit. he was overtaken by the pur-
suing party. his guard overpowered and the
prisoners taken away from him, and three
| shot on the spoto The other three, Howell,
Holland and Willis, were carried back q
short distance TO near Wards store and
! shere shoto The citizens in the neigbOrhood
! assembled yesterday morning and buried
4 the parties who had been killed, the first
I three IN Che graveyard near Hutchins'
! plantations and she 3ast three on the spot
where shey had been killed. near Wards
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