The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-28
Fourth Days Proceedings.
Merrill and His Men.
Their Ideas on the Situation.
sThey Draw Pen Pictures of Pande-
mOnium.
Nerrill's Official Reports Taken as
Evidence.

L. l.. PicrsOn the Stand.
Pierson, on taking the stand, said he de
sired to make some explanation in regard t.
she election Of 1S72-that is, his connection
I with it. Was Supervisor Of Election, and or
ganized the parish a precinct under the law
\ governing the election; established only foul
I polling places: there was no effort on the part
/ of the white people to deprive the colored
4 snen of their right OF suffrage, but it is true
that the colored men did not poll full vote.
Cannot say that he had instructions to con-
4 duct the election with view OF defrauding
Z 1he Democrats, however, this may have
4 been suggested by interested parties. As
Supervisor followed the law to the letter.
Before the year 1868 the rate Of taxation
4 was only about four or five per cent. Might
4 think that this repugnance to Republicans
in the parish of Natchltoches was owing to a
belief on the part Of the people, that the Kel-
iogg government is a usurpation, if there was
y not expressed against witness an apparently
undying hatred simply because he is a Re
Il publican.
Witness cannot say why this should be, be-
cause he cannot be charged with anything
but a change Of politics. Concerning the
moral condition of the community, it was not
higher than that of any other probably.
There are many larcenies committed in the
parish by both white and black; considerably
people however. A portion Of the debt Of the
parish was contra ted during the In
1873 majority of the Police Jury were Dem
ocrats, and in 1874 two of the members were
Democrats. Joined the Republican party
because he thought he could better serve the
interest OF the people.
On being cross-eXamined by Mr.. MARI
witness replied that the feeling against Judge
Meyers was because 1t was said he was COR
nj ptf1n oil of
notoriety that Meyers was one of a ring who
were specializing at the expense of the parish
The ring bought up parish obligations and
chen procured judgments against The parish
The school funds of the parish to the amount
of S10C coo or more were abstracted.
Witness is now making investigations re-
fyarding the missing school funds. The fact
that Meyers bore the reputation of corrupt
official and the influence which he exercised
over the negroes were the reasons alleged by
Che people for driving him from the parish.
Wells Again.
Wells said that the reports in the papers,
which are that he at one time admitted there
would be from seventeen to twenty ma jority
in the House for the Conservatives, was an
assault upon truth . Wells wanted Dr.
Scruggs subpGnaed to testify in regard to the
attempted assassination at the City Hotel.
William GerIoch.
Is an officer in the United States army and
since last September has been on garrison
duty at Shreveport. Has always been well
treated by the people in that section, but has
heard Republicans say that they feared to
give expression to their political sentiments,
because they stood in fear Of the white people.
10 be an active Republican in that part of
the State would ruin mans prospects com
pletely.
This is witness opinion, based upon his OBJ
servation: To be an active Republican is de-
cidedly dangerous, no matter how good the
mans character may be- has heard it publicly
said that, in the event of certain Republicans
accepting Office, they would he hung Rela-
tive to the feeling toward the Federal Govern
ment, there is a class of moderate men in
Shreveport who are most loyal; but there are
many men who respect only its strong arm.
The Shreveport Times is largely supported
by the people Of that country, and it has adj
yocated violent measures toward Republicans.
Thinks the election would not have passed
off quietly, had there been an absence of
United States troops. There would doubtless
have been trouble. Troops are quite neces-
sary to insure the safety of Republicans.
There appears to be no enforcement of law
there, and peace is maintained solely by the
presence Of troops. Never saw any act Of
violence perpetrated against Republicans.
On election day, while accompanying mar
shall to Comprobello with body Of troops as
a posse cOmitdt,ts, saw a number Of negroes
who were armed.
Met large crowd of negroes and all were.
Saw also some white men who were arm ed.
The negroes said they were armed for pro-
lection. In illustration Of the assertion that
there exists hostility to the General Gov
eminent, the witness said that several per-
sons said, in conversation, that in the event
of a foreign war, they would not fight for
Uncle Sam.
Relative to the business condition of the
community whereof he speaks witness said
there appears to exist d very general want of
confidence between the two races and, to a
great extent, depression in business is attrib-
utable to this lack of faith.
There is no doubt but that the country is |
not in a prosperous condition. and that mat
ters are growing worse daily. ....
The witness related that during an eXcur- |
sion from Shreveport to Campobello he met a |
negro boy who described the Coushatta mas
sacre-the mangled appearance Of the bodies
of the murdered men, etc.
MIR. Frye desired to know Of the committee |
if it would not be well for the witness to re-
produce the negro boys narrative, that it
might be determined what effect the story, |
repeated, as it might have been by the boy |
and others, might have had in the way OF in |
timidating negroes.
Accordingly the witness told the story.
Capt. Arthur W. Allen.
Is an officer in the Sixteenth Infantry; was
stationed at Colfax last year; on arriving at
Colfax made it point to ascertain the neces-
sity of keeping up that post.
Went through the country and conversed
with the people generally. Found in CONVEX
sation with Mr.. Cosgrove, editor of the
Natchitoches indicator, that there existed an
organization known as the White League.
The League was organized to work upon
the fears of the negroes, every other method
to secure their political support having failed.
When the man Who had hSen arrested and