The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-03
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.
New Years Session.
Fourth Days Proceedings.

Fourth Days Proceedings.
The committee resumed Investigations Frida
morning in the Custom House. The first vii
ness examined was
Senator for the Sixth Senatorial District, which
composed Of the parishes of Jefferson, st. Charlie
and st. John the Baptist About 200 coloret
through fear OF being discharged by their EN-
ployers if they did otherwise. There are man.
instances where such persons were actually dis
charged for not complying with the injunction
of their employers relating to the casting o
votes. Planters demanded Of these laborers
their registration papers, and when they were
not given up it followed that the said laborer
who was invariably colored, received their walk
ing papers
the pains to have these registration papers du.
plicated. Generally calculated that in the Sixth
Congressional District between two hundred and
three hundred colored people voted the Demo
cratic ticket through intimidation. Hard matter
for white man to be Republican in Louisiana
because he is generally ostracised No such
organization in Louisiana as the Black League,
nor has there ever been one. The White League
organization had an intimidating effect on the
minds Of the colored people. Heard colored
for fear Of encountering some White Lacquer.
League drilled frequently at night, as far as wit.
ness had observed, without arms. Militia is or.
gaaized under . State law. Heard Democrats
support them. Named Charles Hodges as one Of
the men who had said this. 1t was affirmed by
Hodges in speech made at Kennerville. The
coiored people in the Sixth District were much
alarmed in consequence Of the results of the 14th
of September thought they would be murdered.
About fifty were not registered through vari.
GUS causes. Knows of no one who was shot going
to or from the polls. or places OF registration.
Presence Of United States troops treasured the
colOred voters and enabled them to poll q much
heavier vote than would have been the case had
they been absent.
Stamps overheard some one say, during the
progress OF his testimony, that he was telling a
Hd-ned lie,' and accordingly became very in
dg,nant, to which he gave expression by entering
a remonstrance before the committee. Even If
he was deviating little from tine truth, he oh
jected strongly to being reminded oft.
After Stamps had given all that he knew about
matters and things,
DIR. J. B. SULLIVAN
was called Is q planter in the parish of Rapides,
and was not at home on the day of election OBJ
served no case of intimidation IN the parish be-
Gore the election, and he imagined that great
cratic ticket; heretofore they have voted the Re
publican ticket exclusively: he had frequent
talks with them rrior to the election, and ascer-
70 laed that many would support the white mans
ton: Mr.. Wells, President Of the Returning
Board said to the witness that there had been no
intimidation; the colored majority in the parish
to between 700 and 800; has always been
an Old line Wing; never voted Democratic tick
ct in his life; acted with the Conservative party,
never with the Radicals.
Had a nephew who ran upon the Republican
ticket at the suggestion of Mr.. Wells. He was
defeated. Negroes used to wait for the word"
as they say but they did not wait this year, vot-
q a knows of no
White Leauge in the parish. Colored people did
not know anything of the 14th OF September
when witness left the parish.
MICHAEL MGRAW
Is tax collector of the parish of Rapdes. Has
resided there forty years. Cannot tell how many
cOlored pc ople voted the Conservative ticket
Heard Of no intimidation further than the state
ment OF white person that unless cOlored men
voted the Conservative ticket they would be dis
charged. In many precincts of the parish there
are few colored voters; in one only two colored
voters. These generally voted the Democratic
ticket. The feeling between the races is most
amicabe one.
The presence of cavalry in Rapides before the
election was for the purpose OF making arrests.
They did Lot make any arrest after the election.
Went to the polls on the day Of election, but did
not vote-did not want to. Was first appointed
to his present Office by Gov. Warmoth, was after
wards reapponted by Gov. Kellogg. through the
influence Of George Kelso. Has always been al
The Republican Clerk Of the Court-wells-
give s os s he n
OF by the Mcfnery man, who held the place until
after the election. The Recorder was also COM
PEELED to give way to a McEnery man. who still
holds the office. The latter is ready to evacuate
at any time, because he has learned the position
is worth nothing Any man (kepublcsn) who
is square and honest can hold Office in Rapides
without molestation. Troops were sent to
Rapides at the instance of Kelso. This thing
about being after murdersrs was sPut up job;
the troops, say 20. They tried to fix
this Job ON witness, who ii conversation with
Snow told that worthy thAt he was damned liar,
and il he (Snow) said such Was the case, witness
would SO disfgure his countenance that his
Mr.. McGraws testimony Is clear REPUTATION OF
the charges put forward by the Republicans, and
will 70 Tar toward convincing the committee
that the violence and intimidation claimed to
Of an imaginary character. The witness follow
ing Mr.. McGraw was
JOHN M. BARRETT,
4 deputy in the employ OF McGraw, resident
ifa, heard no complaints made by the candidates.
Has heard the expression that the white people |
would favor their friends. Saw candidates on
both sides who endeavored to get all the votes
they could great many colored people voted
this was lawsuit growing out Of some matter
church wherein colored legislator
and colored preacher were the litigants. This |
caused split in the party, and the friends of the
preacher Being disguised with the action of the |
said legislator, allowed this feeling to extend to
Republican Offlceholders1 generally. |
Property was very much deprecated in the |
parish, in consequence possibly Of the high rate
Of taxation.
To instance the low figure to which property
has descended he mentioned that it was useless |
20 sell real estate for taxes, because no pur-
chasers can be found. |
The next witness called forward was
JAMES CONNOUGHToN, |
who, like the irrepressible Allen Green, of Lin
CON, allowed his imagination to drift into the
realms Of fancy and bring forth startling revela-
tions touching the condition Of affairs in Rapides
prior and subsequent 10 the election. The fol- |
lowing was IN the main about what Connorghton |
got of: Was member of the Legislature of
lS72; doesn't know q great deal OF what he pro
poses saying from personal observation, but will
offer second-handed information in abundance.
The reason he did not have more extended
personal knowledge OF what transpired during |