New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-05
THE GRAsT PARISH PRISONERS.


District Attorney Beckwith for prosecu-
ton; w. R. Whitaker and others tor de.
tense.
Sixteenth days proceedings. William J.
Cruik shank, John P. HadnOt, Thomas j
Hickman indicted as Thomas Hickman),
William d. Irwin Indicted as w. B. Irwin),
Austin p. Gibbons indicted as Oscar
Givens), Clement Penn, Denis Lemoine and
Prudhomme Lemoine, on trial for con-
spiracy and murder in Colfax, Grant parish,
in April, 1873, when Alexander Tillman
and others were killed.
REBUTTING EVIDENCE FOR PROSECUTION.
Wednesdays proceedings were brought
to close while Thomas johnson was on
the witness stand. At that time there was
q question as to whether witness could
identify Sylvester Dubois, as johnson had
declared that Dubois, a witness for de.
tense, had participated in the massacre.
Dubois was not present, but it was ar
ranged to have him in court yesterday,
placing him in the midst of several per-
sons to test witness knowledge of the
man. Dubois and four other men were
marched into the court room, and johnson
told to point him out. Witness did this
without the least hesitation, at the same
time saying he was positive about the indi-
vidual.
CrOss-examinatiOn-1w was a prisoner when
first saw Dubois; he was armed, riding
around the prisoners; he was at my house
on two occasions, months ago; he sold hog
meat: have not talked with anybody about
this matter since was on the stand before;
saw Jim Rutland the same as did Dubois.
Martha White-Know Jim Coute; he
looks like a SpaniarG; he is here as wit
ness; saw him before the fight when he
stole corn from my crib; he wanted to take
the old preachers horse and my mules; he
was told that was q widow, and that he
should not take my stock; he said he
thought they belonged to Calhoun; am sure
of him: he used to pretend to be doctor;
on my former examination l said that an
Indian looking man was at my house; saw
him again Easter Sunday driving horses;
Jim Rutland stole my horse, for l saw him
on it the Tuesday after the fight.
oss-examination-Did not say that d.
Lemoine broke open my crib and took my
corn; knew Coute during reb times; did
not tell his name the other day, because l
did not think of it.
Defense was anxious to learn how wit
| ness came to be recalled, but her responses
detied the best efforts. She knew that "she
knew Coute, and that he stole her corn,
and that was enough"
Dolly Hunter-Has known Sylvester Du.
| bOis two years; have seen him at Ferenzi
place. and saw him at Smthfeld Quarters
| at the fight; he was armed; he was with
| the other white men.
| Cross-examination-Is saw Jim COute, D.
Lemoine, Oscar Gibbons, John Hadnot, P.
LemOine Gus and 0. LacOur, Babe LacOur.
Crosse xaminatiOn-I have not talked
with anybody about this case since was
| on the stand the other day; did call Syl-
vester Dubois name the other day; the
shooting had begun before l left the quar-
| tiers; Dubois lives in the pine woods and l
have been in his house; bought potatoes
from Dubois.
i Henrietta Coleman-Known Matthew
CharbOHneau long time; saw him at my
door on the evening Of the fight; also Jim
Coute and other men; they asked me
where my husband was, saying that it he
was at COlfax he was dead man; they
wanted to steal my mules.
| Cross examinatiOn-I was in COlfax on
the day Of the fight, soon in the morning;
the road was black with men; saw d. and
p. Lemoine, Nash, Oscar Gibbons, John LIE.
moline: Nash stopped at John Miles house;
Jim Rutland was with him; they spoke to
Miles and sent him of.
Baptiste Elzie-I know Emeline and Ell
zina Morse; they did not see me break open
Rutland's house, because l was not there;
never drank any of Rutlands wine.
Caleb Saddler-Know Emeline and Elzina
Morse; they did not see me break into Rut
lands house, because was not there, and
do not know who did it.
Fanny Gibbs-I know Mrs. Rutland and
Mary DenisOn; never wore one OF Mrs. Rut
lands dresses.
Maria Carroll-Know Mary Denison; she
never saw me wear one of Mrs. Rutland's
dresses; never wore one of them.
Peter Frild-I know Lewis Meekin; never
went on any expedition with him out o.
Colfax; never went to Hadnot's house witt
twelve or fifteen men on the second o.
April: was at home OF the second OF April
Levin Allen-Dan Shaw and had a con
yersation when the white men were abou
to shoot at us: know James Patton and saw
him at Crafts store before the fight; never
told him that was going to clean out the
rebels; never had any conversation with
Patton.
James Johnson-Knew Jim Smith, color
| ed: have seen him in this city; was at the
Parish Prison once; we had conversation
as we came away; he had carried note tC
Cruikshank he told me that he was going
to make some money by forming club Il
swear in favorof PRISONERS; he could maxi
$500 he wanted men who knew the &C
cused; he was a witness in this case.
Cross-examination-L COlfax four day
before the fight; never told anybody abou
what Smith said to me-
Henry Carter-Never shot at Richardson
or his house; never threatened him; nevel
said that if l had forty good men coult
clean out the whites; never told him nc
Democrat could live in COlfax nor anythin
like it. ;,
w. S. Calhoun know DR.. Cockerelle
had a conversation with him; did not tel
him that l had been unable to get int
COlfax.
District Attorney Beckwith now intro
duced a large diagram of Red and Can
rivers, and one of the principal roads tina
end at the river. He also with toy block
directed the witness to place them as tn
buildings are located in Colfax, giving tn
/; iury a complete idea of the scene. Thl
! also explained the hitherto somewhat OF
5 scure testimony of several witnesses. :.
0 Cross -examinatiOn-Had cOnversatlo
Q with DR.. Cockerelle since the last trial; he dl
3 not ask me why did not testify to all tn
0 truth: did not tell him the reason about m
! | testifyipg; never told him any thing since
, | was examined. d.
Eli H. Flowers-Was in New Orleans i
March, 1873, and attended q cOnversatio
5 | between Richardson, Rutland and G0verno
] kellogg; was in Coltax in April, 1873; kno'
% | the Morse girls; did not break into Ku
lands house; they did not, therefore, sc
me: left Colfax on the eighth or ninth {
April; came down the river on the Is.
Hodge: Ward was on board, not disguised
Ward had the rheumatism, and l carrie
hin down the bank to the boat; at the col
, ! ference with the delegation from Montgon
ery Lewis Meekin came up and announce
that Jesse Mckinney had been killed; b
was armed, but did not use his gun; whe
! he made the announcement the col
+ ference was broken up, and Meek
rode off with me; Ravenel dre'
!. gun on somebody; did not order Butler
q leave Colfax; there was no firing at tn
: Richardson's after they crossed the rive
: Ward did not, after the first day of Apr