New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-05-30
THE GRANT PARISH PRISONERS.

| Trial in the United Seates Circuit Court
Judge Woods presiding, District Attor
ney Beckwith for prosecution; w. r
| Whitaker and others for defense.
| Eleventh days proceedings. William J.
CruikshaDk, John p. Hadnot, Thomas j.
Hickman indicted a. Thomas Hickmsn) J,
William ID. Irwin indicted as w. B. Irwin,
Austin p. Gibbons indicted as Oscar Civ.
ens), Clement Penn, Denis Lemoine and
Pradhomme LemOine, ON trial for cOnspirac y
and murder in Colfax, Grant parish, in
April, 1873, when Alexander Tillman and
others were killed.
TESTIMONY FOR DEFENSE.
H. B. McCane was called to the book and
sworn when Mr.. Beckwith objected to his
testitying on account Of defense intending
to give statements concerning single facts
not relative to the issue-that il, has uoth-
iLg to do with the killing of number of
colored men in Coltax. Defense stated
that it intended to show that the colored
mems meeting in COlfax was not peacea-
bic assembly, and that their tthe colored
mem Intentions were not peaceable. The
court finally permitted his evidence to be
heard conditi0nally.
Witness testified that on certain occa-
sion before the fight he was on q steamboat
which stopped at Colfax; two colored men
boarded the vessel, one of them wearing
sabre, about fifty men were on the bank,
walking about; one of the two men said,
There is going to be lively times here to-
night" that was on the first Of April; passed
Colfax again on the twelfth; saw armed
colored men at the courthouse, some mount
ed and others on foot. ...
Mr.. Beckwith objected to further testi-
mony of this kind as too distant, but the
court permitted the witness to proceed,
saying that it would consider the subject,
and. If incorrect, the jury would be 80 in
structed.
We have already published the substance
of McCane's evidence.
Mr.. Beckwith made Q standing objection
to all such testimony.
Mrs. A. Richardson-Detailed some of the
occurrences of an attack made on her house
in Colfax by q man who threatened her;
next day they moved over the river.
Judge Woods expressed thought that
such testimony could not possibly mako out
proof that the cOlOred assembly was riot
GUS or unlawful one-there is no connection.
Sam E. Cuny-I lived at Colfax, in April,
1873, now live in Alexandria; kept little
store three-fOurths of a mile from the court
house; left Colfax. three days after the
fight; before the fight the oolored men
drilled in Colfax; was opposite Coltax
during the fight; was driven away from
COlfax by an armed cOlOreC man; had a
guard at my place but Levin Allen took them
away; jackson Thomas drove me away
CrOss-examination-Iw was postmaster and
had the pOstOfice in the same room as the
store; the store was closed but the post
Office was open during the troubles: mails
were few at that time; never quarreled
with the colored people in Colfax and never
heard that they considered me spy.
The wife of the last witness was deputy
postmistress. She testified that there had
been no trouble at the postoffice; that the
guard had been asked for through fear that
there would be trouble; no one had threat
ened to disturb the postofice: knew nothing
Of the Colfax fight.
NJ. j. Butler-Was in Colfax on the first
day of April, 1873. when old man Hadnot
and party of fifteen called at the store;
Eli Flowers ordered me to leave Colfax:
visited Rutland's house the day after it was
robbed; things were badly broken.
Defense desired to connect this robbery
with the assembly in COlfax, but the court
was unable to see what good results would
follow, so ruled it out.
CrOss-examina minatiOn-Never had personal
quarrel with Flowers about my wife; he
never caned me; do not know who broke
into Rutland's house; do not know how the
piano came to be broken; had few words
with Flowers about the robbery.
Mrs. Butler, on cross sexamination-My
husband and Flowers often quarreled; were
always spatting; knew Flowers in Missis-
sipp; don't know what they quarreled
about.
Mr.. LeMay, when cross-examined by Mr..
Beckwith, stated that Judge Cazabat, when
pretending to be judge, held court in an old
warehouse; witness had heard that Judge
Register was holding court in the proper
room at the time. -
o.. pafer Ro1onA-"oc in tho
occasion of the visit of old man Hadnot
and party; saw Hadnot and noticed nothing
peculiar about his clothing; they bought
whisky; on the eighth of April the state of
affairs in Colfax was such that took my
goods and started for Alexandria; did not
see the men in Colfax drill or attempt to
drill. s......r
Thomas Allison-Saw bands of mounted
and armed white men and black men; heard
the white men say that they would have
for something.
Narcisse Frideau-Saw Clement ten miles
from COlfax on the thirteenth of April, 1873;
his fost was wounded; he asked to be sent
across the river; he got some one to pull
him over: knew there was to be tight;
heard of the fight Easter Sunday evening;
have no idea who was in the fight.
Della Smith-About week before the
fight, I dressed the wound on Clement
Penn's foot; he left home at breakfast time
to go, as he said, to Cane river; he did not
get back home until Monday night.
David McCall-On Easter Sunday saw
Clement Penn en- Cane river; one of his
feet was tied beneath his foot, as if wounded. |
Auguste Frideau-Was at Bob AarOn's |
store Easter Sunday, and he spoke with me |
1t the mouth of Cane river.
Other witnesses brought out old alibi for !
Mr.. Penn.
The court adjourned until nine o'clock |
his morning. |
The Temperature.