New-York tribune., 1875-01-13
THE INVESTIGATION OF THE ALABAMA
"OUTRAGESu


THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE MAJORITY AND MI
NoRrrY OF THE COMMITTEE TWO REPORTS
PRoBABIE-oNE OF THE REPUBLICAN MEMBERS
CONVINCED THAT CONGRESSMAN HAYS DID NOT
90 HALF FAR ENOUGH IN HIS LETTER-rESTI-
MoNY DIsPRovING THE OUTRAGE STORIES
AND SHOWING INTIMIDATION BY REPUBLICANS
CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE APPOINTED AS DEPUTY
UNITED STATES MARsHALs.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDUNEI
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-Au the members OF tho
Committee of Investigation sent to Alabama nave
returned but the Committee has as yet held no
meeting since its arrival From present Indications
il il iudoed that two reports will be made to Con-
gress. The majority has collected from ignorant
negroes and carpet-baggers who proved their ability
during the last campaign to manufacture "facts and
"outrages in quantities to suit the Administration
demand great mass of so-caled testimony, from
which it will probably conclude that there was great
intimidation during the last campaign; that Repub-
icans not safe in many parts OF the state, and
that in short the reports OF outages which were so
extensively published throughout the North last
Fall were true One of the Republicans on the Com
mittee, Mr.. Albright, says that he went down to
Alabama prepared to find that Congressman Hays
had greatly exaggerated the condition Of affairs in
his district in his letter written last September, but
that he found that Mr. Hays did not go half far
enough that the life of Republican ID that State
is not worth threepenny bit.
The minority of the Committee on the other
hand caused 10 be summoned the present Governor
of the State aud the former one the judges of the
State and County courts mayors Of cities, leading
planters and business men. They began their in
quiries at Opeika, where some witnesses were SUM-
moned to testify in regard to the distribution of
bacon provided by the Government for the relief
of those whose property was destroyed by
the overflow of the Alabama, Tombigbee,
and Warrior Rivers last Spring 1t was proved that
this bacon was shipped to points 20 or 30 miles DIS
tant from the overdowed district and that 1t was
there used the day before election and on cleo
ton day make barbecues for the negro voters 1t
was also shown that most of the bacon distributed
was in shoulders, while that bought by the Govern
ment was side meat proving that there was dishon-
esty even in the purchase of the provisions After
q few witnesses had been examined in regard to the
distribution Of this bacon, the majority of the Com
mittee concluded that this not subject of which
they had jurisdiction. and Investigation on this
branch of the subject was stopped. At Eufaula the
Committee took considerable testimony III regard
TO the unfortunate riot which occurred there on
election day. Mr.. Luttrell says the testimony shows
that the negroes went into Eufaula on that day in
great numbers, armed and with whistles and drums,
and that the difficulty arose from the Interference
of Republican negroes with Of their who
was attempting to vote the Conservative ticket.
The first shot was fred by negro, and after this
there was so much shooting within minute or two
that 60 or 20 persons hit and number of them
killed. The Committee also took some testimony in
regard TO the burning of OF two log churches
belonging to negroes bat was unable to ascertain
who had set them on fire. The material to build the
churches was originally furnished by the white
people and after their destruction the white people
at once took steps to have them rebuilt.
At Montgomery the only disturbances or interfer-
ence with the political rights of any one grewIout of
tine rivalry Of two factions of the RaDnbean party.