The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1875-01-08
LOUISIANA CONGRESSIONAL. COM
NfiTFEE.

DlSu IN the United States Circuit Court
room, 4 large number Of spectators
being present. The first witness was
General T.. n. Ogden, who said 81 am
commanding officer of the white league
in the city. Our organization is simply
/. for defensive purposes; the condition
of affairs in Louisiana called for such an
organization; it was established in July,
| 1874; we called it the white league
because we could only rely upon white
people; with political officers we have
nothing to do; in New Orleans our roll
will call from 250O to $500 men; l have
orEanized out of these two regiments of
infantry and one of artillery; we have
officers for these regiments. Governor
Penn authorized me to organize u
militia when he was acting Governor.
l was under Gov. penn's orders Sep
tembcr lith. Some of the organiAa-
tions now are armed. l can't say how
much, IS l have not received my re-
ports. We have no artillery except
what we made ourselves for tho lIth
of September. Some of the arms cap-
tured then were taken by parties out
! side of my command. Those immcdi-
! ately under my command took mono OF
tho captured guns. Sons Of these out
side parties who took guns have since
reported and claim to be members Of
the white league. Don't know the
strength of tho league in the parishes.
TO Mr.. Phelps: Immediately on
the organization of tho league, it as
sumcd u military character. We had
no arnory. The guns held by the
members of the Crescent City White
League were obtained by themselves.
We have had very irregular meetings
since Sept. l4th. We have other COM
| h,f I I Inv u
no orders since the Ilth Sept. regard
ing drill. Company officers attended
! to that. ! sometimes prevented drill.
We have no armories that l know of.
The leagues have not met lately for
discussion. The last meeting WAS about
two weeks ago. ! then called Il meet
ing of the Crescent City White League
Club to get funds to pay the expenses
of a procession held after the election.
We also passed resolutions of non-intcr-
ference with the Returning Board.
This club was really the only club of
the league organization. 1t has taken
no political status since tho lIth Sep
sembcr. We passed resolutions bind
ing any member to discharge Il negro
voting the Republican ticket. We had
no pledge that anybody should vote
any particular ticket. Before election
l summoned my staff and Il few other
gentlemen to take steps to police the
city. On November I'd divided my
command into three divisions, one I'M
der Col. lSchnn, another under Col.
Flynn, and Il third under Major Blank.
They were to place fifteen men near
eac}i poll to prevent disturbance.
did this because was told that mons
l,rcS would bc taken to Great Il quarrel.
The leagues in the State are not under
my command, though | believe they
would obey me if l issued orders,
There is no central or federal Org;,uiZa-
ton; believe the league existed III one
! of the nothrrn Parishes before il did in
New Orleans; don't know that any Re
publican is ~ member Of our club;
Il gentleman who was in the Federal
! army, fell with us on the 18th of Sop
tcmbcr. New Orleans is not rs pros-
porous in my business ;,s hcrctpiorc;
| the decline OF prosperity in New
| Orleans is owing to- our administrations;
| some of our trade with Texas has been
taken away by st. Louis; don't know
| whether the loss of our Texas trade is
the cause of our decline. My men in
formed me that many colorcd men
voted the Conservative ticket ut the
elections; many cOlOrcd men came to me
for protection from the Republicans
after the election and gave it.
TO Mr.. Potter: I put out men cicc-
ton day to prevent any disturbances,
;,s anything of the kind would be con
Strucd into intimidation; the Organi-
zation grew out of the condition of al-
fairs here; our people were in terror OF
tho Metropolitan Police, who commit
ted Outragcs, and were sent out into
the parishes to execute orders Of the
usurpation; the metropolitan brigade
were all armed, they turned out on the
streets and drilled with arms; there
was negro militia; heard there was II
black league, but never saw it.
TO Mr.. Foster: ON September lith
we went to get the arms belonging 10
us, on board the ship; the police were
on the lcvce, and as we were going to
get the arms / was informed Of the adj
vance OF the police; then formed nay
line of battle; the white league Was not
an organization for the purpose of help
ing the Democratic party; we helped
both parties in preserving the pence
the meeting held that day demanded
the abdication of the Governor; ! was
acting in concert with the people. one