The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-01-21

DutCnery OF Clllleue was Voh,HiiVN
olfax, which, in bloodthirstiness and
barbarity, is hardly surpassed by any acts
of savage warfare. To put the matter
beyond controversy, quote from the |
charge of Judge Woods, of the United |
States Circuit Court, to the jury in the
case oft"e United States IS. Crtnkshank
and others, in New Orleans, in March,
1873. He said:
'In the case on trial, there are many
facts not in controversy. / proceed TO
state some of them in the presence and
hearing of the counsel on both sides, and
if state as q conceded fact, any matter
that is disputed, they can correct me"
After statiug the opinion of the difficulty,
which grew out Of an attempt Of white
persons TO drive the parish judge and
sheriff, appointees Of Kellogg, from office,
and their attempted protection by color
ed persons, which led to some fighting,
in which quite number Of negroes were
killed, the Judge states that most OF those
who were killed we're taken prisoners:
Fifteen or sixteen of the blacks had lifted
tn, boards and taken refuge under the
floor of the court house. They were all
captured. About thirty-seven men were
taken prisoners, but the number is not
definitely fixed. They were kept until
dark, and then led out by twos and threes
and shot Most of the men were shot to
death a few were wounded, not tmortally,
and, by pretending to be dead, were al
terward, during the night, able to make
their escape. AmonL them was the Lew
Nelson. named in the Indictment The
dead bodies of the negroes killed in this
affair were left unburied till Tuesday,
April 18th, when they were buried by
Deputy Marshal and an officer OF the
militia from New Orleans. These per-
sons found fifty-nine dead bodies. They
showed pistol shot wounds, the great
majority in the heart, and most OF them
in the back of the head; In addition to
the dead found, some charred remains OF
dead bodies were discovered near the
court house. Six dead bodies were found
under a warehouse, all shot in the heart,
but one or two, who were shot in the
breast. The only white meninJured from
the beginning of these troubles to their
close we're Hodnot and Harris. The
court house and its contents were entire
ly consumed. There is no evidence that
any one in the crowd of whites bore any
lawful warrant for the arrest of any OF
the blacks. There is no evidence that
either Nash or Caseabat, after the affair,
ever demanded the Office for which they
had set up claim, but the Register con-
tinued to act as parish Judge
These are the Its in this case as un-
derstand them to be admitted. To hold
the people of Louisiana generally respon-
| sible for these atrocities would not be
fair, but it is lamentable fact that in
suffersble distractions were thrown in
the way of furnishing these murderers,
and the so-called Conservative papers of
the State not only justified the massacre,
but denounced as Federal tyranny and
despotism the attempt OF the United
States officers to bring them to justice.
Fierce denunciations ring through the
country about ofice.holding and election!
matters in Louisiana, while every one OF
the Colfax miscreants goes unwhipped OF
Justice. and no way can be found in this
boasted land of civilization and Christi
anity to punish the perpetrators of this
bloody and monstrous crime.
Not unlike this was the massacre in
August last. Several Northern young
men of capital and enterprise, had started
the little and hourishing town of Cousin
alta. Some Of them were Republicans
and office-holders under Kellogg They
were, therefore, doomed to death, and
six of them were seized and carried away
from their homes and murdered in cold
blood. No one has been punished, and
the Conservative press of the Ssate de-
nounced all efforts to that end, and boldly
justified the crime. Many murders OF a
like character have been committed, in
dividual cases of which cannot here be
detailed. For example, T, Crawford,
Judge of The Parish, and District Attor-
ney of the Twelfth Judicial District of
the State, on their way to court, were
shot from their horses by men in ambush
on the Sth of October. 1873, and the wife
of the former, in communication toll
Department of Justice, tells piteous tale
of the prosecutions of her husband be-
cause he was Union man, and the fail
ure of efforts made to seize those who
had committed a crime which, to use her
language, cleft two widows and nine or
phans desolate" To say that the MUIR
der of a..negro or a white Republican is
not considered crime in Louisiana,
would probably be unjust to great part
Of the people; but it is true that great
number Of such murders have been com
mitted and no one has been punished
therefor, and, manifestly in addition to
them, the spirit of hatred and violence
is stronger than law.
Representa- MS have been made to
me that the presence of troops in Louisi-
ana was unnecessary, and that there was
no danger of a public disturbance if they
were taken away. Consequently, early
in last summer the troops were with
drawn from the State with the exception
of small garrison at the New Orleans
Barracks. 1t was stated that compare
tive state Of quiet had supervened. Po-
litical excitement, as to Louisiana AFFAIRS
seemed to be dying out, but the Novem-
Der election was approaching and it was
necessary for party purposes shat the
fame should be relighted. Accordingly,
on the l4th of September, D. Penn,
claiming he was elected Lieutenant Gov
ernor, in 1872, issued an inhammatory
proclamation calling upon the militia Of
the State tc arm, assemble and to drive
away usurpers, as he designated the Off
GERS of the State. The White Leagues,
armed and ready for the conflict prompt
ly responded On the same the Cover
nor of the State made formal requisition
in pursuance Of the act Of 1896, and sec
ton four, article four, of the Constitution,
to aid in suppressing domestic violence.
On that day | issued my proclamation
commanding the insurgents to disperse
within five days from the date thereof
But before the proclamation was publish
ed in New Orleans the organized and
armed forces, organizing a usurping gov
ernment, had taken forcible possession
of the State House and temporarily sub
verted the government. Twenty or more
people were killed, including number
of the policr of the city. The streets of
the City were stained with blood.