The New York herald., 1875-01-05
THE vICKSBURG RIOT.

IMPORTANT TESTIMONY REGARDING THE ORGAN
IzArIoN OF THE NEGRO MOVEMENT UPON THE
CITY-CRosBYs ORDERS TO HIS HxNcHMEN-
THE FIRST FIRINa-GovERNoR AMEs' REspoN-
sIBHTTY.
VICKsDuR0, MISS, Jan. 4. 1875.
The Congressional investigating Committee met
at ten O'Clock. The nrst witness was Dr. Jones NJ
Hunt who testified as foows:-
Have resided mere since 1855; on the morning of
December T. owing to various rumors, Colonel
Miller asked me 70 go out on the Grove street road
agd see II the negroes were approaching; after
galoptng out i've or six miles ran into body
OF armed negroes, some OF whom cried, "Shoot
him"; asked, "Who Is In command fn owen
said. "l am colonel" and he ordered the men
TO keep quiet asked him what he meant by this
proceeding. he said he was going to vicksburg
under Crosby's orders; asked him to ride back
with me, which he did. On the way he told me
that there were 100 armed negroes and 800 on
another road, besides his men, and that General
Grant and Governor Ames were in vlcksburg;
that Crosby was III command OF all the blacks and
that he had his orders In writing. After we had
ridden some distance told him II he and MS men
attempted TO go into the city all would be killed.
Owen became frantic, and, showing pistol said
he would go or die. tried to reason with him.
and seeing that was Of no use, lett him.
ARREST OF CROSBY.
had not proceeded for before he overlook me.
and accompanied me to near Point Lookout, when
Ben Allen, now acting as doorkeeper OF this room,
signaIled owen, who stopped, and came on and
reported to Colonel Miller what had seen; ne
told me to secure Crosby; went to his house and
found Ben Allen there when l told Crosby l
wanted him he declined to go; | started 10 draw
pistol and he surrendered; after taking him to
the Court House l went out to where Miller's
crowd was; Colonel Miller asked me to get the
women and children out OF the valley in front,
and then to take owen to see Crosby, which did;
when We saw Crosby he told Owen to lay down
his arms and 60 home; owen said he would obey
the command II would take him back; when we
got back owen asked me to please write down
on paper, ''Tell the damned radicals to go
to hell, for l am done with them and
now intend to act with honest peope,n
and to put this In the papers; he then asked me to
get some ,a e cayary out or ms rear and he would
OF gap In his rear, and he marched or while re-
turned to the Court House; saw no lighting; the
excited men following, and told Colonel Miller,
who stopped them.
Charles E. Furlong was the next witness, and
was examined by Mr.. Speer:-
eral Ord and elected twice as republican; my
elected state Senator at the last cleo
Was in the federal army; on on the he morning r
Of the night l was in company with
se Sn 20 20
command. which began drlng; had no command;
am positive the negroes fred first; was armed
looms pocKet) ;there was no attack oy us; my mis-
sion was Of peace and defence; the action OF the
100 ex-federal soldiers were in the ranks; politics
mad noining tC DO with It; OF my personal kn0wl-
TESTIMONY OF LEADER OF TIE NEGROES.
Andrew owens, colored large man, With an
unn istakeable trace OF Indian blood and the
leader OF the negroes on the Baldwin Ferry road,
TO General hurlbut-Ltve twelve mites east OF
v vvicksoura, on the Lanier place, on the Baldwin
fight with about 100 men from Big Block Bottom;
we started about daybreak; alter the meeting at
come IN on Mondays my orders were to come
armed; he had sent out some letters and oils:
me at Montgomery's colored mems store In Vicks.
burg oh the saturday before; Crosby did not state
why ne wanted US TO come; only knew Of one writ.
ored man, on the Halls Ferry road did not read
It; cannot read; when we started thought the me-
aid; have no military rank; did not organize
my men; only half were then armed aud they with
old muskets; shotguns and pistols.
which dinered very little from his former state,
menti also his interview with Colonel Miller. Just
Colonel Miller's statement.
FIRED UPON IN RETREAT.
Witness continued-I came to the Court House,
where ! saw Crosby and asked him what to dol
Crosby said, "Dsband your men and 20 home :"
said ''Al rlRht;' went back and asked Colonel
se tod M %
they got on the bridge the citizens be-
gan firing, and the men wanted TO form
stnl kept up. ana some Of my men
formed into lne, when drew my revolver and
fail; then jumped into ditch, where was G cap cap.
tured had then fallen back three-fourths OF q
mile; think the Gring was begun BY mounted
Kearner captured me. and told the others
was was put in jail and kept ten days;
moved on Vicksburg because l was ordered by
Crosby; didn't have time to study it over; never
heard there was to be any violence or robbery;
had neard or the trouble about Crosby; ne never
told me what be wanted as to do;. said 1t did not
danger In coming; the order to Taylor was writ
ten the Rev. Tom Perkins was to nave carried 1t,
coming on different roads, but had no commune
cation with them; didn't know halt OF the men
that came with me; while IN jail was allowed TO
see any one wished; no propositions were made
to me to implicate any one.
MASTERING THE NEGROES.
To Mr.. Williams-Thougnt Crosby, as Sherin, had
authority Sheriff to order us In intended TO
submit ourselves TO him when arrived.
TO MIR. Speer-Had been In Vicksburg the Friday
and Saturday before, butoonly on business; the
night after Crosby was forced to resign ne came to
my house with Tom Broadwaters at eleven
O'Clock. and said he was going to Jackson; said ne
had been driven out OF his ONCE; think now his
business was to notify the republican party to
help him to be reinstated: notified men on Sunday
morning to meet at Hickory Tree; next morn
ing notices were printed for the republican
party to meet at Vicksburg; on Monday morning
sent them round by two men; about seventy five
or eighty men we're there that evening, and talked
about coming in; Nelson Wells read 1t to them;
wanted to come in for; told them did not know,
but they must come; met next morning
as day was breaking; thought all the
same thing; the order was to meet armed;
thought we were to obey any legal order OF the
Sheriff; II the sheriff had told me that the people