New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-01-05
THE MISSISSIPPI INVESTIGATION
FURTHER EVIDENCE REGARDING THE
VICKSBURG RIOT.

| COLOhED LEADER IhAL NhOooh I'm
DERED THE NEGROES TO ARM
VICKs3URG, Jan. 4.-1he Committee met at
10 O'Clock. The first witness DIR. Jones NJ Hunt,
who testified follows: Hste resided here since 1865
the morning OF Dec. 7. owing various rumors COL
Miller asked ne to go the Groge-st. road and
| see II the negroes approaching; after galOp'
| ing out five six miles, ran into q BODY OF
! armed negroes some of whom cried Shoot hml" l
! asked, "WAO is In cOmmandl" Owen said, am Col
one," and he ordered the 20 keep quiet. asked
him what he meant by this proceeding. He said lie was
going to Vcksburg under CrOsDys orders asked nm 20
ride back with me- which he did. On the way he told
me that there TOO armed negroes and 800 gu an
| other road, beside his men, aud that Gen. Grant
aud Gov. Ames In VlcksOurg; that Crosby
in command OF all the blacks, and that he had his
orders In writing After We had ridden distance
told him If he and his attempted 10 go into the CITY
all would be killed. Owen became frantic, and showing
pistol said he would go die tried to reason with
hun. and seeing that 1t was no use' leit
! him. had not proceeded far Deiore
be overlook and accompanied nc 10
Point Lookout when Ben Allen, now acting as
doorkeeper OF this room, sgnaed Oven, who stopped
and on and reported Col. Miller what had
seen he told me TO secure Crosby went TO bis house
and found Ben Allen there whom 1 told Crosby
wanted him be declined go started TO draw pis
Ol and he surrendered; after taking bun TO the court
house l went Olt to where MIXERS crowd was !;
Col. Miller ASKED To get tho women ana
children ont OF the valley IN and then 10 take ven
10 Crosby, which did; when we saw Crosby nc tou
owen law down his and 20 home owen siid he
would obey the command II 1 would take him back;
when got back owen asked me to please wGle down
paper, Tell the R ideals To 20 o., Tor an dOhe
with them. and intend tn with honest people
and to put this In the papOrs " he then asked me 10 ges
cavalry out Ot his and lie would take MS mon
home; got some mounted of gap IN his rear,
a on ,yill
the Courl-house; iglting the negroes were
moving of when eft saw some excited men follow
ing and told Col. Miller stopped them. DE- Hunt
stated that afterwards he detailed TO attend the
wounded.
Charles L. Furloug the next witness and was *
amined by MI. Speer: formerly Sheriff; first APP
pointed by Gen. O, and elected twice as R'puhhc1n;
my last terra expired last January elected State
Senator at tho last election, but DOtn parties voted
for me; / was IN the Federal army; on tue
morning OF the heht was in company WIN
Nj Lanler; went out the Jackson road to try anu
get them TO go back; ovens com nand, which be-
gan firing; had command am positive the negroes
bred frst; armed tLen as now producing pistol
from his pocket there attack by US; my mis-
sion was OF peace and Defense the acton Of the citizens
that day was specYe Of party about 100 exfedera
soldiers were ranks politcs had nothing to do
with II: OF my personal knowledge know OF nc official
corruption.
To Mr.
bond was only protect t1xpaYers not because he was
colored never heard any Gay tnis bond sul-
Client knew personally it not; by legal process
we might have made sOO)) $4,000 out OF 1t, but 40
more the bond was for slGOO0O; during January the
taxes amount 10 s50.0O0.
To Mr. Conger-rIere were 30 or 90 men on CrosbY's
bond but we could not make $4,000 out OF them.
To Nrr Huribut-The papers hero had formerly abused
me- ike the papers at Memphis used abnse you, but
now the r publican papers ar3 taking up the abuse.
Policemen Walsh ana Hays were then examined in
regard 20 aking tue VI iF"rS PrOcainIJn Out 10 m'et
the aud being hred on while waving handkrr.
chiefs, which they substanlLJed tho satement OF
Andrew owens (colored), large man with an unmis-
takeabe OF Idlu blood aud tile leader OF the ue-
roes on Baldwin Ferry road. The ext witness.
To Mr. Hurluut-Liv twelve miles east OF Vicks6ur2.
on that road day the h-ht, Win about 100 men
from Big Black Bottom started about dayDreak
Crosby told me hms n to COME in on
Monlay my ordeis were mi, 10 come o,do nI Ier
verbal, and given 10 me NJ MOn.gomerys cnlored
crosby did not state he wanted us TO come only
knew VI written order; that was TO JOhn Taylor
read II cannot when we started tnougnt the ne
grOes of the country generally understood it as
we id have no mtiItary rank: did not organize my
men; only half hen armed, aud they with old
maskets sh0t-guns ana pistols lie tYen detaleu Tue
meeting with DR.. Hunt, wnrn differed very little from
his statements also his interview with Col Miller, lust
outside the city which DstanIaIly agreed with Col
Witness continued I came to the Courthouse,
where Crosby and asked MIN what 10 DO; crosby
said Dsband your men and 90 home - SAID, All
right :" 1 back aud asked Col Miller 10 get some
cavalry OF lear, which he dd tnen tOld my
meu TO go home; wnen they got GU me bridge, the
citizens began drug ana the men waa' EN- S enn nm
and some OF my formed mic line. when drew
my revolver aud forced them to 90 on; soon
where was captured had then fallen back three
iourths OF a mile think the firing vas begun by
mounted men II my meneyer nred did not KNOW II;
The firing only lasted ten minutes.
To Mr.. wlliams-rHougnt Crosby, as sheriff, had an
hurity sheriff 70 order US IN; intended " suomi
ourselves to him when arrlYeL -, ,,-,,,
To Mr.. speer-Had been in Vlcksburg the Friday and
Saturday before nut only business; the night after
Crosby forced 90 resign he came 20 my house Win
Tom Broadwattrs at II Ociock and sara no was going
think now his business was TO call on the Republican
party to help MIN renstaed; told men on Sunday
| morning TO meet Hickory Tree; next morning
Marty TO meet at Ylcksburg; Monday morning sent
| mem around by two mou; about IS or 80 men were
there that evening and talked about coming I'M Nelson
| Wells read TO MIN; good many wanted TO know
| them I did not know, but they must come;
| met next morning as day was breaking
! thought ali the colOred in the county were
doing the thing; the order was TO meet armea
Thought we to obey any legal order OF the sherH
II tne sheriff had told me that tue people OF VeKSDurg
had put Il out arrest them al ana put them IN
! gggo / belonged To society which required
colored people to swear to STAND by eash
| I saw crosby in jail didnt reproach
! him. was not angry with him; when / got oaGk 70
Coz. Mler's didn's curse or threaten CrosDy d0nt
think the OBJECT Of Col Mi,lers men at the TINE
| of the firing TO Kill my men, OlIY 10
| Tighten them; have Ill-feeling toward Col.
MIXERS OeIeye some ms or III, 1ae ,n YOUNG nS
! c,tizens would not; would think II my duty to
obey the Governors proclamation; wouldn't obey the
oruers Of preachers to commit violence the tickets
| which vote are marked dOut thlhk Tue eoioreu
peope would allow negro 20 vote one not marked, put
| would not mistreat MIN Tor doing 80.
| To MIR o. Brlen-Fne colored people generally belong
TO societies don't think they could do better with
their old masters than with any Que else some OF my
got to the city said Gov. Ames had ordered the
men to meet.
when took that oath, United States Senator