New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-30

United States commissioner: am we'll &C.
quainted with Natchitoches; was opposed
to secession; was in the Confederate service
at Shreveport; up to 1872 the parish was
peaceable, the first disturbance occurring
then; it being supposed the law would favor
turned elected: q Republican committee met
one from tue Democratst TO divide the offices
in 1873; the arrangemenuwas broken up, but
was partly carried out except district attor
ney and district judge, the understanding
being that political differences should cease:
the tax collector was sued for $3.50 600, the
verdict being for sac, 900, and the judgment
was reversed by the Supreme Court;
another compromise was effected in
1874, the Democrats having control;
the trouble seems to be q matter of taxes;
the Democrats had the police juries of 1867,
1868 and 1869, the Republicans tina: of 1870,
which was tied up by an Injunction; $4,000
of warrants at thirty five cents were appro-
priated tor an emigration bureau; other
appropriations were made, and the parish
debt was $l47 900; every person who had
the means purchased warrants, and Of judg-
ments on them ninetv-tOur out of one hun
bred are in the hands of Democrats; 1t re-
CURED tax Of forty mills to pay these
judgments, and for the year 1874 is over
seventy mills, which shows that the people
are not oppressed by the Republicans or the
forty mill tax; July p, 1874, meeting was
called ostenslbly to reduce taxes, but
think for political purposes; the only
tax not reduced before the meeting
was the forty-mill tax aud. ten
mill tax tor current expenses; was
told to go away; was sick at the time. wife
and father, who died few days after, got
up; was loaned buggy by Democratic
friend; stopped on the way at the house of
friend who knew of my danger, and spoke
of it to my surprise; went to Shreveport
and afterward to Coushatta; heard from
my wife of the death of my child and that
no neighbor would come to the house to
assist herr at Coushatta was warned not to
sleep at the hotel. Several other converse
tions showed that witnesses life was in
danger. Here tbs committee adjourned to
7:.O z. NJ.
Evening Session.
Mr.. Hoar announced that several wit
nesses were willing to testify to certain
things, but they do not dare to do so in
public. consequently they will be permitted
to give their evidence privately. and if
there is no real cause for privacy, counsel
on both sides will be permitted to look over
the manuscript hereafter.
Judge Meyers recalled-Witness read
table showing the parish and town taxes of
Natchitoches; he stated that some men he'd
judgments, but did not pay town taxes; a
portion of the parish debt was contracted
to pay Confederate war debts; portion of
that debt remains uncanceled; the resolu.
tons of the taxpayers meeting, published
in the Natchitoches paper, l file as
testimony; the resolution demands office
holders To resign their POSITIONS; a notice
was published informing colored men who
voted the Democratic ticket to call for
their certificates to that effect; according to
the registry it was under the usual number;
there are half q dozen colOred men there
who would voluntarily vote the Democratic
ticket; was not there on election day or
since because l was advised that it would
not be safe for me; the spirit manifested
toward white Republicans is not friendly:
was district judge and was ordered to
resign at the July meening, but l
did not resign; members OF the bar
have agreed not to practice before the par
ish Judge; he is Republicans; thirty-three
1866; twenty-five Of them were colOred; only
tour men have been tried and they were
acquitted; there was no great trouble be-
fore the July meeting of taxpayers: the
first public schools were established in 1871;
at present there are about fifteen schools; l
have certificate showing that my account
with the school board is fully settled: |
h4OW VI uOLuluS CldI L nave OOub W give
people cause to Dstracise me; very few
appeals have ever been taken IRON my
judgments; 1850 affidavits have been filed
by persons who could not freely vote in
Natchitoches parish; no living man remen-
bers when the parish was out of debt.
Ccoss.examination-P officers have
given cause for complaint; have a balance
OF S2i00 belonging to the school fund: can
not tell the causes OF the thirty.three muir
ders.
E. A. FulfOrd-Reside in Lincoln parish;
know Mr.. McEnery; was present at a pub
lie meeting at which Mr.. McEneIy spoke; |
took down some of the speech; he said he
would prefer to go to war rather than SUBJ
NIT to some Ut the officials he said the
negroes of Bossier and another parish
would not dare to vote; If it was necessary,
he said, let force be used to drive off scala
wags, carpet-baggers and niggers; he
openly insulted me, and when l started
to leave the meeting men forced me
back. and feared that would be injured;
fought through the war with the Cunted-
crates, but became Republican when the
Democrats shot Judge Greene and his
father, before the election OF 1872 my house
has been attacked; l tracked one of the
men; one night two men dragged me sff my
mule and shot me; found it impossible to
prosecute those men; negroes dare not work
for me because they have been warned
not to Go SO; WAS shot at again,
later; the men who shot me are
respected as much as ever to-day;
nav brother William was badly wounded
by assassins and left for dead: he afterward
managed to get home; If man should take
the American flag in the streets of Vernon
or Vienna he would be killed; they would
not permit the stars and stripes on the new
courthouse; do not belive that it was pos
sble to have held fair election; after the
fourteenth of September we did not dare to
speak, except to curse Grant; negroes did
not dare to leave their cabins for several
days; the fellows who did not fight in the
war are the men who are worst to-day to-
ward the government.
Cross examination-I was appointed dis
trict attorney BY Governor Kellogg; many
men il my parish dislike me because of my
politics; my business brings mo in contact
with bad men, but they are not the worst
the two men who shot me proved an allbi
was not permitted to make a Republican
speech during the campaign.
William Riley, coiored Il voted the Demo-
cratic ticket at the last election; l was vice
president of thirteenth ward Democratic
club of New Orleans; was threatened only
last Thursday night; Harry Lyle was the
man who threatene me; Mr.. James told me
that colored men could not live in New Or
leans ii they did not vote the Democratic
ticket; he said that carpet baggers and
such should not live here after the first of
January; have certificate of safety from
a Democratic committee; there were forty.
two members in my club; here is my GER
tficate: we collected about $l75 for the
club, and gave. the moHey to members for
knew or four boxes OF guns
on the premises of Captain Allen,
on St. Charles, near Valence street; the |
arms were distributed we had signal |
with handkerchief in case we needed as
sIstance, or If there was a row.
To Mr.. Frye-Had / been let alone | |
would have voted the Renublican ticket.