The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-02-04

7 groes, among whom were several of the mos
, lawless colored men in the parish, assembled
: and concealed themselves under Twtchells
: house. while Twitchell and his friends re-
NAMED in the house. But not deem;ng he
!, had sufficient force, Twitchell told his despe.
radoes that the attack on the whites had better
be delayed.
i While this pleasant party was dispensing
and in the midst of the festivities of the
young people, the astonishing intelligence
reached Coushatta that the negroes from sew
eral directions were marching on Brownsville,
little settlement of a dozen whites, in Red
River parish, who were calling on the people
of Cousha-ta for help. The people of Cou-
shatta, open-hearted, and not swift to suspect,
and still ignorant OF the murderous plot of
Twitchell, Devices and Edgerton, organized a
posse of twelve men and sent them under
Sheriff Edgert0n and his deputy, Gill Cone, to
aid the Brownsville people.
j This left but nine white men in Coushatta-
The town was comparatively unprotected.
Twitchell became emboldened. He saw be-
fore him golden opportunity. The exigen-
cies Of the party demanded Federal interior
ence. Now was the time to bring on a con-
fict. How he managed to effect his design
the sequel will show. Mr. J. Il. Dickson and
O. Pickens, in passing Homer Twitchells
house, on their way from the dance, observed
him and a man named Scott going to field
on the lett of the road. Twtchell stopped
Dickson and Pickens and asked them what
news they had. They told him all they knew
and rode on, but before they had ridden forty
yards two gun shots were fired from the field
to which T@itchell had gone. Pickens es-
capped unhurt, but Dickson was severely
wounded, his arm being broken and and his
side and leg badly torn by buck-shot. 1t
hat rs al
talking to Twitcheil, the former observed sew
eral negroes armed with shot-guns in the
field, two of whom he recognized. In order
to support what have said up to this point
and to show the connection of TwitchelI and
Devices with the whole affair, quote the fol-
lowing testimony, extracted from the record
OF the Citizens Safety Investigating Commit
| tee, who went to Coushatta to examine into
the alleged outrages at that point.
The record is dated September l, 1874.
[Extract.]
Louis johnson testifles as follows: l. in
company with Gentry, Beard Dan Daily, Joe
Norred and Wash Morgan, went, by order OF
Henry Smith, armed. early in the night OF
the 9th day of August, to the house of Homer
j. Twitchell, in the town of Consh alta We
were then ordered by him under the house.
There were twenty to twenty-five men. armed,
what was to be done, in pursuance of Smiths
orders Smith informed US he wanted us for
guards. Henry Smith said he would furnish
ammunition. After remaining under the
house one and half or two hours we were
ordered to go into the Twitchell field, be-
tween Homer Twitchelrs house and the levee;
some went back into the field near the small
pecan bushes, and some in the woods near the
fence, next to the road leading from Coushatta
to the planning mill.
While lying there, two men passed there,
going down the public road to the planning
mill, both mounted. A few seconds after
heard two distinct reports of gun. l was
about fifty yards from the man who shot the
gun. Paul Williams fired the gun. He told |
me SO, and | saw him, Immediately after the |
firing reloading his gun and coming toward |
me. We remained III the field a short time |
after Dixon was shot. Some white men were |
standing at Mr.. SCOTS house, near US, just |
before The shooting took place, and ordered |
us TO go into the field and stay there
Nolcey Dennison's statement = Thursday
night, August ~, 1874, the following men
came to my house: Tom Jarin, Charley
Scott, Paul Williams, Dan. Daley, Ben.
Smith, Wash Morgan and Louis johnson.
Some Of them had guns Tom Jarin asked
me If there was party at Coushatta l told
them there was. Three or four of them said |
they wanted to go to the ball.
Henry Lynch told US, Thursday evening,
the Ku-Klux were coming, and wanted US to
take stand. Some men had threatened to
kill him. Henry Smith took all the men that
we're collected and placed them under witch
ell s house. was with them. Henry Smith
was under the house Homer Twitchell was
under the house at the time fifteen meu
under the house were armed. Henry Smith
gave gun to man under the
house. Henry Smith distributed ammuni-
ton while under the house. Rob Devices
gave Smith box of caps that night
70 distribute. Rob Devices passed backwards
three or four times from the party to witch
ellis house, apparently as courier, We re-
NAMED under the house until Devices said
hat they (.he white men) were too strong for
US at the party. l went into the field and re-
NAMED there was at the fence near the
evee VIII en- the gun was fired Alfred Noise
told ma that Paul fired the gun at Dixon.
Tom Jaring said that they were going to the
ball, and they all knew it was white mans
ball. A half-hour after the men left Twitchells
house, Joe Dixon was shot in the public road;
was in the field when the gun was fired, but !
lid not see it nor the fash of it.
Have heard Henry Smith make the remark
several times that he would thrash any negro
hat voted the white ticket We came
ogether at the command of Henry Smith, in
he night time, and he got his authority from
rwitchell. / don't know how Henry Smith
gets his living. but thinks that Mr.. Twitchell
pays him. Three guns'were and are the sig
1al to get the party together. Henry Smith
obtained authority from Bob Devices and
Homer Twitchell to gather all the men.
Henry Smiths object was to attack the cti-
,ens of Coushatta Wade Hampton carried
Ill orders from Henry Smith they got them
rom; Twitchell and Devices.
Paul Willams's statement-I shot Dixon /
lid. l came over to this side and went under
[ wichwels house | was told to come be-
cause the white people We're coming to kill
he black people.
Dan Daley, Louis Johnson and myself went
Town the field when Dixon passed, Louis
Johnson snapped cap at him and fired both
barrels at him; Devices was running back
wards and forwards as courier: 1 was told
hat Homer TVitchell cave his p1p To Gonna |