New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-01-14

INDICTMENT. The dead bodies of the neproes
KiIed IN this affair were left unburied until
tuesday, April ID, when they were buried
| ny deputy marshal and an officer of tbe
militia from New Orleans. These persons
Iound hfty-nine dead bodies They
showed pistol shot wounds: the great
majority IN the head and most of then
IN the back OF the head. In add.
ton to the tifty-nine dead bodies
found, some charred remains of dead bodies
were discovered near the courthouse. Six
oead bodies were found under a warehouse.
al sh0t in the head, and but one or two
which were shot in the breast. The onlv
white men Injured from the beginning Of
these troubles to their close, were Hadnot
anu Harris. while the courthouse and it's
contents were entirely consumed. There is
no evidence tibet any one in the crowd of
| whites bore any lawful warrant for the
arrest of one OF the blacks. There is no
evidence that either Nash or Cazabat. after
| the affair. had demanded their offices, to
! which they had strong claim. but Register
continued to act as parish judge. and Shaw
| as sheriff.
These are the facts in this ca -e. as IN.
derstand them to be admitted. To hold the
people of Louisiana generally responsible
| for these atrocities would not be just; but
| 1t is lamentable fact that insuperable OBJ.
| structiOns were thrown in the way of pun.
| ishiDg these Murderers. and the 50 called
Conservative papegs Of the State not only
justified the massacre, but denounced as
federal tyranny and despotism the attempt
OF tie United States officers to bring them
| 70 Justice. Fierce denunciatiOns ring
| through the country about the effect of
holding an election and matters in Louis
| lana, while every one Of the Colfax mis-
creants goes unwhipped of justice, and no
way can be- found in this boosted land of
civilization and Christianity to punish the
perpetrators OF this bloody and monstrous
| crime.
Several Northern young men of capital
and enterprise had started she little and
| tourishpg town OF Coushatta. Some of
them were Republicans. and ot1iceholders
under Kellogg. They were therefore
doomed to death. Six Of them were seized
and carried away from tneir homes and
killed in cold blood. No one has been pun.
ished, and the Conservative press of the
| State denounced all Efforts to that end. and
boldly justified the crime.
Many murders OF like character have
| been committed, which can not here be de-
tailed. For example: I. S. Crawford.
Judge, and +. II. Harris, district attorney
Of the twelfth judicial district of the State,
on their way to court, were shot fIom their
horses by men i'll ambush, on the eighth of
October. 1878. and the widow of the former,
in a communication to the Department OF
Justice, tells a piteous tale OF the persecu-
ton Of her husband because he was CDon
man, and of the efforts made to screen those
who had committed a crime which. to use
her own language. LEFT two widows and
nine orphans desOlate.
To say that the murder of a negro or a
white Republican is not considered crime
in Louisiana would probably be uD ust to a
great part of the people: but it is true that
great number Of such murders have been
committed, and no one has been punished
therefor. and manifestly as to them the
spirit OF hatred and violence is stronger
than the law.
Representations were made to the that the
presence Of troops IN Louisiana was IN
necessary and irritating to the people, and
that there was no danger Of public disturb
ance if they were taken away. COnse.
quently early in last summer the troops
were all withdrawn from the State. with
the exception Of a small garIiso at the
New Orleans Barracks. 1t was claimed
that a comparative state OF quiet had
supervened; political excitement as to
Louisiana affairs seemed to be dying
ont. But the November election was ap.
| preaching, and it was necessary for party
purposes tina. the flame should be rekiadled.
Accordingly, on the fourteenth of Septem.
Der, d. b. Penn. claiming he was elected
Lieutenant Governor in 1877, issued an
!
the militia OF the State to arm. assemble,
and drive from power the usurpers. as he
designated the officers Of the State. The
White Leagues, armed and ready for the
conflict, promptly responded. On the same
day the Governor made a formal requisition
upon me pursuant to act of 1875, and sec
ton four article four of the constitution. to
aid in suppressing domestic violence. On the
next day I issued my proclamation com
manding the insurgents to disperse within
five days from the date thereof; bns be fore
the proclamation was published in New
Orleans the organized and armed forces
recognizing usurping Governor. had
taken torcible possession of the State
House and temporarily subverted the
government. Twenty or more people were
killed. including a number of the police CT
the city. The streets of the city were
stained with blood. All that was desired in
the way of excitement had been accom-
plished, and in view of the steps taken to
repress it, the revolution was apparently
though it is believed, not really abandoned
and the cry of federal usurpation and
redoubled energy. Troops had been sent tt
the State under this requisitiOn Of the
Governor, and as other disturbances seemed
imminent, they were allowed to remain
to render the executive such aid as might
become necessary to enforce the laws of the
State and repless the continued violence
which seemed irresistible the moment fed
eral support should be withdrawn.
Prior to and with view to the late cleo
ton in Louisiana, the white men banded
themselves together in armed bodies called
'Whita Leagues" and at the same tims
threats were made in the Democratic jour
mails Of the State that the election should be
carried against the Republicans at all haz
ards. which very naturally greatly alarmed
the colored people. BY section eight Of the
act of February Is. 1871. it is made the duty
of United States marshals and their depu
ties at the polls where votes are cast fol
representatives in Congress. to keep the
peace and prevent any violation OF the sc
called enforcement acts and other 0ffenses
against the laws of the United States, anG
| upon requisition OF the marshal of Louisiana
and in view of said armed organizations
and other pOrtentous circumstances,
caused detachments OF troops to be stationed
in various localities in the State to aid him
in the performance Of his official duties
And chat there was intimidation of Repub
lican voters at the election. n0twithstand
ing these precautions. admits of no doubt
The following are specimens of the means
used. On the fourteenth OF October eigh ty
persons signed and published the following
at Shreveport:
I'VE the undersigned merchants of
Shreveport, in obedience to a request of the
Shreveport Campaign Club. agree to use
every endeavor to get our employees to vote
the Peoples ticket at the election, and in
the event of their refusal to do so, or in
case they vote the Radical ticket. to refuse
to employ them at the expiration Of their
present contracts"
On the same day other large bodies OF
persons published in the same place a
paper in which they used this language:
I'VE the undersigned merchants Of the