Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-01-05

where Ben Allen, now acting as door
keeper of this room, signalled Owen
who stopped, aud came on and reported
to Colonel Miller what had seen; b'
told me to secure Crosby; went to hi,
house aud found Ben Allen there; wher
l told Crosby | wanted him, he declined
to go; started to draw my pistol, and
he surrendered; after taking him 10 the
courthouse; / went cut to where Miller
crowd was; Colonel Miller asked me 3,
| get the women and children out in the
valley in front, and then take owen t.
| see Crosby, which did, when we saw
| Crosby he told Owen to lay down his
arms and so home; Owen said he
would obey the command IL woulO
take him back; when we got back Owen
| asked me to please write down on paper
to "tell the id Radicals to go to
! hell, for | am done with them now anG
intend TO act with honest people, and to
put this in the papers," be then asked
me to get the cavalry out of his rear,
and he would take the men home; | gOI
| the mounted men out Of the gap in hif
rear, and,he marched off, and returned
| TO the courthouse; | saw no fignLing
the negroes were marching off when
| left; SAY some excited men following,
and told Colonel Miller, who stopped
them. DIR. Hunt stated that afterWard
he wRs detailed to attend to the wound
ed. The remainder Of his testi
mony developed nothing new
except his statement in re-
ply to Mr. Conger that he would have
killed Crosby il he had resisted, as he re-
gafded him as the leader, and the safety
OF the women aud children demanded
it; also tnat he was CrCsby,s family
physician, and regarded him as much
better man than those who had iuflu-
enced him.
Charles Z. FurlOng was the next wit
ness, examined by Mr.. Speer: Was for
merly sheriff; was first appointed by
General Ord, and was elected twice as 8
Republican; the last terra expired last
January; was elected State senator st
the last election, but both parties voted
for me; was in the Federal army; on the
morning OF the fight, in company with
Mr.. LaEier: went out on the Jackson road
to try and get them TO go back; saw
Owens command; l am the person
named by Richardson yesterday as hav-
ing command which began firing; /
had no command; am positive the ne
grOes fired first; was armed then as
now producing repeater from his pants
pocket; there was no attack by US; my
mission was one OF peace and defense;
the action of the citizens that day was
irrespective OF party; about hundred
ex Federal soldiers were in the ranks;
politics had nothing to do with it; of
my personal knowledge, 1 know OF no
official corruption.
To Mr.. O'Brien-I hold q commission
No, a arul lNF iIiffo 81 Effh
congressional district, issued by Gov
ernor Powers last January, and received
orders as such from General Packer last
June to gather up the arms in the hands
of the militia here; think the purpose
was to disarm the whites before the Au-
gust election; Hsll's colored company
retained their arms; think the cause of
hostility was the delinquency of the
board of supervisors in Crosby's case;
there is no objection on the part of the
whites to honest and competent cOlored
men holding office; the whites acknOwl-
edge ali the legal rights of the blacks,
and want to live peaceably with them
two colored school trustees were elected
last August.
To Mr.. COnger-I know nothing about
any color line; never heard of the CON-
viction of the whites that the blacks are
unfit to hold office; am in accord with
the Republican party of the nation;
don't think there is any Republican par
ty in Mississippi, as l understand repub-
licanism; am in harmony with all the
honest Republicans that were nominated
on the Republican ticket for senator;
Ames and others tried to get me off, but
l was elected: two or three cOlOred men
ran against me; the corrupt officials are
Davenport, chancery clerk; Dorsey and
CardOzs, ex-circuit court clerk-all col
Ored; had heard charges against Wilson,
the coroner, anu others, during the
troubles.
To Mr.. Wilson-Don't regard my life
as in danger from negroes; had heard
threats, but didn't fear them.
TO Mr.. Hurlbut-Was sheriff and tax
collector six years; the office is worth six
to eight thousand dollars year; think
the present sheriff made more fame than
money; he (Furlong) had made and
saved more money than any other car
petbsgger.
To Mr.. Speer-The attempt to make
Crosby give a good bond was only to
protect the taxpayers, not because he
was colored; never heard any one say
his bond was sufficient; knew person.
ally twas not; by legal process might
have made ten or twelve thousand dol
lars, but not more, out Of 1t; the bond
vas for one hundred thousand dollars;
during January taxes were due to the
amount of one hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars.
To Mr.. CODger-There were fifty or
sixty men on CrCsby's bond, but couldn't |
make over twelve thousand dollars out
of them.
To Mr.. Hurlbut-The papers here had
formerly abused me, like the papers at |
Memphis used to abuse you, but now the |
Republican papers were taking up the
abuse.
Policemen Walsh and Hayes were
then examined in regard to taking the |
mayors proclamation out to meet the |
negroes, and being fired upon while |
waving handkerchiefs, in which they |
substantiated the statement Of Mayor |
O'LeaTy.
Andrew Owens, cOlOred, large man,
with unmi5takable trace of Indian |
blood, and leader of the negroes on Bald
win Ferry road, was the next witness.
TOMr. Hurlbut--I live twelve miles east
of Vicksburg, on the Lanier place, on |
Baldwin Ferry road. Came in On that |!
road on the day of the fight with about |
one hundred and twenty men from Big |
Black bottom. We started about day
break. After meeting at Hickory Tree, |
Sheriff Crosby told me, himself, to come
in on Monday; my orders were to come |
He had sent out some letters
and bills, but my orders were verbal /
and given to me at MOntgomery's, a /
cOlored mems store in Vicksburg, on
the Saturday before. Crosby did not /
state why he wanted us to come. / |
only know of one written order, and
that was to John Taylor, a leading
colored man on Halls Ferry road. l |
did not read it-I cannot read. When
we started l thought the negroes Of the
county generally understood it, as we
had no military rank; didn't organize
my men; only half Of them were armed,
and they with old muskets, shotgups /
and pistols. He then detailed the meet
iug With DR.. Hunt, which differed very
little from bis statement; also his inter.
view with Colonel Miller just outside
the city, which substantially agreed
with Colonel Miller's statement. Came
to the courthouse; saw Crosby and asked
him what to do; Crosby said Gisband
he men and go home; said al right;
went back and asked Colonel Miller To
get the cavalry out Of my rear, which
ne lid; then told the men to go home;
when we got on the bridge the citizens
began firing; my men wanted to form
n line, but | told them noi the firing
was still kept up, and some Of my men
iormed in line; drew my revolver and
iOrced them to go on; saw one Of my