New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-28
THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE
IMPORTANT TESTIMONY GIVEN
EVIDENCES OF INTIMIDATION

being present. Attorneys and witnessel
came up looking fresh, the latter seeming
anxious to testify to something.
E. L. Pierson recalled-The election Law
OF 1872 gave the supervisor II was super
visor) a right to place what number o.
boxes he pleased in the parish; there wal
NO restriction or definite direction as tt
boxes; there was less interest in the election
Of 1872 than in that of 1874; / put up only
four boxes in 1872; changed my politics
because the parish was largely Republican
better as Republican, and advised nv
friends to go over with me; l deemed tina,
it was best for me to assist the colored peo
pie; there have been several murders in nv
parish, but l can not say that politics waa
the cause; l learn that there have been
three murders in NatchitOches parish since
left; officials who hold commissions from
Governor Kellogg are not allowed to per.
form their duties; portion of the parish
posee.
CrOss-examination-I came to New Or
leans in August last; once charged Judge
Meyers with having embezzled the school
fund; that may have been one cause of the
bad feeling existing toward me; l never re-
signed my position as parish judge.
Lieutenant William Gerlach-Am in the
/ Ou1tCU CtdICc eCISACC duu du SI6IlOQGO At
Shreveport; l have been kindly treated
there; a friend has complained to me he was
treated badly by the people because he was
Republicans; another declared to me that
he felt his lite unsafe; others said they were
socially Ostracised for like cause; to the best
Of my experience and belief it would be
decidedly dangerous for man to declare
himself an active Republicans; he would be
publicly abused and he could not do busi-
1 hat hvy %1n
| gerous l mean tina. he would get a
| "rope." no matter what his individual
| character; it would not be safe for resident
| to declare himself Republican there; the
people would make things decidedly un-
pleasant for him, and it is likely that he
would be invited to leave; the feeling in a
| certain degree is one of respect for the ma
| tional government, but there is not much
love; there is epirit Of hostility to
dislike to the general government; men
in Shreveport have told me that
| they would not fight for the id
Yankee government under any circum-
stances; colored men living near Shreve-
port complain bitterly of the manner they
are treated by the whites; on election day
did not see colored man actually interfered
with; only one colored man complained to
me; my belief is that had not troops been
there colored men would not have had a
fair chance to register or vote; two men
told me they belonged TO the White League;
white men do not need protection against
cOlOred men; never saw civilians drilling:
the Shreveport Times contained articles
calculated to intimidate colored peoples nv
impression is that the whites. in few in
stances, were intimidated by those articles;
it has been reported that bands of white
men secured the country; the presence of
the United States troops after the election
was and is decidedly necessary to protect
Republicans.
Cross-examination-I know Of no Repub-
licans who do not support the kellogg gov
erHment; some Of the men say they hate
the stars and stripes; some say their ami
mostly is IN consequence of bad State
government; on the morning of election
saw squads of colored men, majority
having arms; white men were ranging IN the
neighborh0Od at that time, about A. NJ;
one of the men who said he would not fight
for the Yankee government is q clerk in a
drug store: l do not know their names; a
person connected with the Shreveport Times
talked in like tone; business generally in
that section is very poor; lad described
to me the particulars Of the Cousharta
massacre, as he had seen it; he
was very bright lad; he said
that on the day it occurred he was
not far from Wards store; he saw white
men running and heard much shooting:
everybody got out of the way; after the |
shooting was over the boy went down and |
saw the dead bodies; they were full of bull |
let holes; he said that the faces of come of !
the parties were covered with handkerchiefs: !
later the handkerchiefs had been removed; |
the boy also said that the colored people |
we're badly frightened at the circumstance; |
he asked me when the troops were going |
down there to look after the colored people; |
l think that the witness can be found, as |
also many another.
Captain Arthur w. Allyn-Have been
stationed at Colfax, Grant parish. since last
November; soon after arrived there dis
covered the existence of a White League
n Natchltoehes parish; Mr.. Cosgrove stated
tnat it had been agreed to work on the
fears OF the negroes in every style possible;
ne was opposed 70 the Republicans; con-
yratulatory meeting was held in Grant
parish on the return of the Grant parish
prisoners; after the meeting adjourned two
black men were murdered; the coroner
Jared not hold an inquest until he had !
guard; l told the sheriff / would assist him
% arrest the perpetr at0rs; two men were
'rrested for the ofense by United States
0ldiers; an examination was held: there
vas evidence against one of the accused.
)ut no one appeared to prosecute, and
witnesses could not be found; l
,elieve it was fear of consequences that
witnesses testifying in the mat
er; from my observations at that time 1
hink their fears were well founded; after |
hat there was little trouble until meeting
vas held in Colfax to demand the resigna-
ion Of the parish officials; Cosgrove de-
Jared that the people must enforce their
emands with arms;this was about the time
the Presidents proclamation ordering Y
be White League to Gisband; l in
ormed Cosgrove that the intended
emonstration must not take place, and it
id not take place; have heard of Republi- (
ans being forced to leave their homes: ,
trough that section of country, the mob
Dntrolled and the press sustained the mob; t
majority of the Conservative-D Democratic | .
arty did not sustain such a course: never :
card OF Conservatives advising change
action; do not believe it possible for an
npartial and free or full election to have a
cen had last November in Grant parish; f
)lOred men are in constant fear of personal ;.
iolence; the presence of the troops was
ecessary to prevent the killing OF Republi. Il
oops: four murders have come to nv
since went to that section; am
present stationed in Mississippi; it
Ould not have been safe for man to ad-
)cate Republcanlsm; there is a combina
on in the bitter feelings of the trading
en-, mixed as against the Kellogg and
le national government; there was much
'umbling about taxes.
Lieutenant D. McIntosh-I belong TO the
nited States army, and have been sta.
oned at Shreveport; had company of
Ivalry there; was at Natchitoches OF Z
ection day; knew of persons being driven
T. last October took some of my men, Z
lth United States marshal, and acted as E
posse comitatus to make arrests of persons g
larged with having violated the enforce Ii
ent act; We arrested twenty y-seven men: v
und the state of society upturned; could
II Obtain assistance. fha earna in Ia So4o | =