The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1875-04-24
A. ! don't know that tl,av hova

IN the parish for political opinions /?
A. Well, am unable to say wheth
er murders were committed for no,
litical opinions or not.
Q. None that you know Of?
A. No, sir.
Q. You spoke last night IF some
men being killed, were they white G,
colored?
A. Yes, sir, I said two white meu
had been killed.
Q. White men killed by colored
men?
A. No, sir, ono white man was
killed by a white man, and one by
two colored men.
Q. How many colored men have
been killed, and by whom?
A., Il ths,!est year ?
@. Since the bad state Of feeling
that you said existed. Since last Ju.
", how many colored mon have been
killed in that parish, abouti
A. A half dozen or more.
Q. BY whom were they killed.
A. They were killed some by the
colored and some by the whites.
Q. None that you know Of for po-
litical purposesi
A. I am unable to say whether it
was for political purposes or not.
Q. Have any colored men been
killed by colered men?
A. Yes, sir.
@. Do you know, sir, whether the
killing Of these negroes grew ont Of
any quarrels between tho whites ;
outside of any political causei
A. l have only learned Of the kill.
ing. l never inquired the cause ;
since I have been down have seen
in tho papers that some two, three OF
fonr has been killed.
Q. BY Mr.. Frye.-Since you came
downi
A. Since I have been down here.
Q. What was the rate Of taxation
in the parish before 1861
A. l don't recollect.
Q. l wish you would guess: can
you give US an ideal
A. l think it was in the neighbor.
hood of six per cent.
q. Before 1862
A. l don't know that, but I am M.
der the impression you say before
1867
@. Yes, sir.
A. l think it was lower than six
per cent; I think in the neighbour
hood of 4 or S per cent, up to 1869.
Q. Has it ever reached higher than
ok per cent
A. No, sir I think not. /
Q. Was it levied upon a full valu-
atien Of the property OF that time I
A. Yes, sir.
9. How are the assessments made
up since the Republican party have
had control of the Offices I
A. Made by the Sheriff, Clerk and
Recorder-tw0 democrats aud one
Republican.
Q. That is upon q full valuation of
property you sayi
A. / think fair valuation Of the
property.
Q. According to the actual value I
A. Yes, sir.
@. You spoke about the schools ;
free schools supposss
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Free to all
A. Yes, sir, free to all.
9. How were they supportel'
A. BY taxation.
Q. BY taxation Upon the prep. rtyf
A. Yes, sir, upon the property.
@. What number of schools did
you say were in tho town of Natcli.
toches3
A. an under the impression that
there arc two schools il the town Of
Natchitoches.
@. l believe you stated attended
only by the colored children I
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Let mo ask you again, Mr.. Pier.
son, whether you don't know that all
the feeling of anxiety and discomfort
which was manifested Of the time you
were there aud since. I IL not tho re-
suit Of their belief among the people
that the Kellogg government is a
usurpstion against tho will Of the
people and in opposition to them d..
priving them Of their rights
A. l might think 90 did they not
persue such q system Of persecution
towards me, up there, before I was
connected with anything Of tho kind.
@. Has there been any thing Of the
kind.
Q. Has there been anything in your
personal character at any time +; any
other inducsment outside Of your
politics.
A. Not that know of.
Q. Anything that affected you per.
sonually independent Of You political
opinioDi
A. None that I know Of; I can
prove my character; they cannot
prove anything of the kind against
me tojustify the course pursued to-
wards me by tho people of Natchito.
ches parish. l defy any man, one
and all, to bring up 4 singls thing
against ne to merit such treatment.
had the confidence Of tho Democrat
ic party until l became o Republican
and l defy and challenge . thorough
investigation as to my course Of con-
dnct aud defy them to point to . sin.
gle criminal act on my part.
@. Was there any attempt to in.
timidate the voters up to the time
you had changed your political rela-
tions9
A. To 60 back to 1858 which ! had
forgotten in my testimony last night,
the campaign of 1868 was not any