The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-27

Inc heautaes Oh the enforcement Act
The people Of Alabama are undergoing a
rather unpleasant experience just now, but
they should possess their souls in patience,
as they will doubtless be allowed to enjoy
their ordinary repose after the election is
over. The United States marshals are too
busy creating reign of terror to allow of
much comfort among democratic voters.
They commonly choose the night for their
visits to suspected parties, it would seem,
and succeed in getting up very dramatic
effects out OF exceedingly small mater
ials. The Alabama papers devote them
selves mainly to the publication OF affidavits
showing the outrages perpetrated by the
marshal and his men, and the stories which
are rehearsed, if less bloody than those of
Congressman Hays, are certainly more
amusing. The soldiers evidently take up
the business of making domlclliary visits in
the spirit of fun, tinged at times with malice,
and will not kill anybody unless they happen
to miscslculate the strength of some south
ern woman's nerves single number OF
the Montgomery Advertiser contains three
or four incidents illustrative of the style in
ton of Right are observed In the
south. One AFFIDAVIT details in mournful
terms the case of a negro messenger who
was dispatched in the night from Judge
Nash's place to Livingston after doctor.
The judges son was sick of fever, and the
symptoms were so unfavorable that the
physician was sent Tor in accordance with
his directions. The negro met squad Of
federal soldiers as he drew near the town,
and they took him off as guide distance
of twenty-five miles. The affisnt tries to
make it appear that the sick boys case was
made extremely. hazardous by the delay in
notifying the doctor, but that is stretching
the matter too far into the re-
giou of consequential damages. The
real point at issue is not in any
way affected by the patients recovery.
Another case is still more curious. 1t is re-
lated under oath by a colored lad bearing
the euphonious name OF Beauregard Sledge,
and the son of old Sledge in all probability.
On a certain Wednesday night the bold
Beauregard was awakened by the Barking
of the dogs and was ordered by his mistress
to go and see what the dogs were barking at.
He opened the door and asked who was
there, probably expecting to be snatched
away by some evil spirit every moment.
From behind the trees came the not very as
surfing answer,i ''Friends of friends"
and Beauregard saw advancing to-
ward him a soldier with a lew
eled musket. Several others stepped
forward at the same time and began to beat
a tattoo on the front door. Signior Beaure-
gard Sledge stood not upon the order OF his
going, but went at once. One of the sol
dlers fired at him as he was disappearing
around the corner of the house, and the ball
happily lodged in the said corner, where the
curious Beauregard found it next morning.
This transaction took place on clear moon
light night, but even if it had been dark the
story would have been fully as minute per-
haps, as this class of witnesses are as much
at home in midnight obscurity as the cats.
Other affidavits detail the proceedings of the
soldiers after the flight of Beauregard
Sledge. A Mrs. c. w. Clary describes how
she had to get up to save the doors and ad
init the visitors before she "was in a present
able condition TO be seen by gentlemen" She
don't mean to say that she was not dressed,
but insinuates that she had no leisure to put
the finishing touches to her toilet. She
probably was obliged to appear without
putting in her teeth, or arranging her CHG
non, or adjusting her panier. Like the eele-
brated visiting committee in Don Juan, the
marshal and his men seemed to have little