The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-31
LOUISIANA A.
Testimony Before the Con-
gresSiOnal Committee.
JUDGE MYERS AND HIS TROUBLES.
Colored Voters Recite the Story
Of Their Wrongs.
GOVERNOR KELLOGGS GOOD INTENTIONS,

uUSEhNVn MEbLUdGN GUCD lNTENTlUNN,
NEW ORLEANS Jan. 30. 1875.
The Congressional Committee continued its In
vesttgation to-day.
MAJOR HEADS STORY
George II. Head testified IL am major OF the
Third Infantry and came to Louisiana about Sep
TENDER 10; went to Monroe on the 25th of October
was requested by Marshal Seelye TO assist him In
making arrests was shown warrant by the Mar.
sAal and a list OF $50 names of persons TO be
arrested; on election day Marshal seelye sent q
detachment to the town OF Cuba to make an ar
rest; cannot say whether the troops were used
for any specific political purpose; seelye had .
plumber OF blank warrants In his possession wnilo
1t Vienna; 1t was not stated by Seelye that he
had failed in executing legal processes; he was
unpopular, aud probably would have been
unable to make arrests, but other men
could have done so; c0uldi 6eelyo
was active In his cooperation with the republican
party; the troops were kept In their barracks on
election day with the exception OF the expedition
to Cuba; there were no disturbances In the
parish at the election Or since; when seelye was
N the venue lsl rs Prop9ssa Z rs {bas sa9yIa
d out one OF the blank Variants In my Pos sessi6H
with seslye,s name, and arrest him, so as to get
MIN Out Of the clutches Of the authorities; he
u
warrant charging himself with embezzlemeMt.
JUDGE MEYERS TROUBLES.
Judge n. c. Meyers testifed-l reside In NatChi-
| toches parish; have been there for twenty
years; the principal trouble among the people
originated from the taxes As 70 intimidation, Mr..
mass meeting near the town OF Natchitoches
and several extracts from parish democratic
papers, He said that during the last election
he does not think many negroes voted the con.
servatlve ticket, and sia'ed that he Is AFRAID TO
return to Natchitoches ana that ne was threatened
through the papers; Up to the time OF the mass
meeting the republicans were IN no danger; never
but there have been about thirty murders in the
past lew years; the population ranges rom 1900
Mr. Frye then asked a few questions as to the
relative registration, &c., the witness stating that
he knew OF but i've or SIX negroes there who
stated in reply ina. i was sSm lear q
ON nef' the up ssa o. Jus ~ ssas
not think is safe to return to Natchitoohes; that
there are no courts held there now except magis-
Of na We
been killed since 1855 twenty-two were colored
men; there has been no punishment A. ior murders;
PROSECUTIONS OF MRS. MYERS.
Mrs. Octavia Myers, wife OF Judge Myers, testt-
fed as to the causes which compelled the Judge to
leave home, aud corrobOrated iully the statement
made by him IN his testimony as to ostraclsm. per.
secution. &c. She said BEFORE Judge Myers
came down 70 the Convention he was much liked,
the papers; my husband was once at the pointof
death Tor weeks, and there were no democrats to
sit up with him; on the 9th Of July mob came
into the town TO ask the officials to resign.
MORE INTIMIDATION
Mr.. Isnach OF Natcnitoches, was next sworn. and
corrObOrated the previous testimony as to lntm-
and was shot at on Inc night alter the cleo:
oS. s Te' that was 1ed az P.rson
eral Intimidation prevailed, he be-, said tnat
on duty as policemen on election day. while ordi.
nariy there were only Two policemen; witness
was tnreatened and prevented from performing
his duties as supervisor! oy threats from the
to VOTERS O tSey Would but nm and
his looks out OF the way.
About two hundred colored
men were prevented from voting by intimidation;
so no violence at meetings toward colored men;
was two hundred yards from the Court House
AZ with saw the man Wnsne rsd
who Immediately broke and RAM witness has re.
INFLUENCES OF COW srEALKR.
Thomas Lightfoot, colored man, resident Of
stealing Mr. James came to his house and told
him that II he would use his influence work and
for the de- ne woa ms
that he Games) did 80; That he Hghtloop was
c s or $500 q H' SS Of
and TESTIFY for the democrats. but that he mad not
been Onered ANYTHING BY the republicans
hcate, which was dleu in evidence; ne
said he got $50 from the club and gave 50
ticket; that Horace Philips managed the voters
furnished by him on election DAY aud saw that
Witness was then cross-examned by counsel
for the conservatives, but nothing important was
elected.
CHEAP VOTER.
Sandy Rice (anotner colored democratic voter
was next sworn, and ptined his safety certificate
and testined as to his connection with the cleo
q
that he kept the money and did not divide with
anybody; that the democratic offered him $500 II
he would come before the committee ana testify
In their behalf.
GOVERNOR KELLooe's CROSS. EXAMINATION.
Governor Kellogg was recalled and cross-exan-
ined at great length. In reply to Mr.. MARI why
he had not sent the Metropolitan militia to Grant
that there was a persistent effort to mislead him,
Judge Manning and other prominent conservatives
second. there was a combination among steam.
boat men to refuse transportation TO the state
militia; ne made many efforts through General
sired TO send up United states troops, he emory
had almost to buy the boat they went on.
In answer to Nj. Marshall Mr.. Kellogg asserted
that taxation in tho country parishes was not ex-
to fully SIX mills OF the fourteen and one-half mills
levied In the heavy republican parishes where the
lively no delinquent taxes; in the ''Hil,
parishes. where the White League operated de-
Ss
parishes was ridiculousy low; lands on the
Teche were assessed at IS an acre which
would be assessed at I've times that
amount In Illinois, and the products OF those
lands were five times as valuable as the products
OF corresponding lanos In Illinois; 1t was true,
before the war the taxes were about five mills
and now were fourteen mills, but the assessed val
uation had been reduced accordingly. He IN.
stanced Assumption parish, where, before the
war; the valuation, including slaves $4,000 900,
and now IL was 10000 o; in the city OF New
orleans the assessments were high and the sys-
tenn was bad; he had strenuousy tried 10 cnange
1t, and came within six votes In the Legislature
last year OF doing so II only six OF the democrats,
! who refused to take their seats, had come
| to his assistance the whole Of the oppressive sys-
| tenn OF tax assessments In New Orleans could
| have been changed; he asserted tnat the COM
MERGE of New Orleans was greater to-day than it
had been for twenty years: the import trade had