New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-21
The Timber.Cutting at Bonfouca.

EDITOR REPUBLICAN,:
l rush into print once more to most ear
nestly assure Mr.. John Poitevent that he is
stupendously mistaken in supposing that
desire to impair his good standing bv pub
fishing the notorious fact that somebody o.
the name of Poitevent is cutting timber or
public land in st. Tammanv parish.
know nothing OF him, and have 10 sym
pathy nor connection whatever with his
enemies. With this he will pard on me if
cOnfine him to the Issue, which is altogether
of public nature and not at all personal
If he is not the Poitevent who is cutting
tho timber then he is not the man referred
to. If he knows that no other Poiteveat il
cutting timber on public land in the parish
he should have said 60 frankly in his card
and We would then have an issue Of fac,
clearly joined. 1t is immaterial which one
! of the Poitevents has invaded tho public
domain and the homesteads of actual
settlers. It is imnaterial whether the tim.
ber Is being cut for Eads' jetties, the Mobile
railroad or some other work. The whole
question is whether man named Poitevent
is cutting timber on the public land and the
homesteads of colored people in St. Tam
many parish.
Igave my authority. repeated . uni
versal complaint that came to me from the
mouths of the colored people of Bonfouca.
1t was everywhere understood and stated
that Mr.. Poitevent-I understood it was
the Pearlington mill owner-had . permit
from the government to cut their timber,
and they were gloomy and discouraged in
consequence. But perhaps from South
lication based on the statements of colored
men. Permit me to state that although it
is quite possible they, in their ignorance,
may have got some of the details wrong,
still am profoundly convinced there is a
genuine basis to the substance of their
complaint, and it is to draw out the exact
facts that 1 have printed it. l will now
add that l have been to Bonfouc since
my letter was written, and that all
the white men with whom l c0nversed cor
federated the previous statements of the
colered people, and they, too, regret to see
tho country thus ruined by denuding the
public land of it's timber. / was told on
every hand that Mr.. Poitevent now has
over one hundred men cutting timber on
this land up the bayou / saw with my
own eyes q steamboat belonging TO Mr.
Poitevent passing up the bayou with pro
visions to supply these men, at least this is
what tho crew of the boat told mo. And
what 10 more Mr.. Terrence Cousin, the old
est and richest citizen of that section,
whose statement could not doubt, told me
that Mr.. Poitevent was cutting imber not
only on public land and homesteads but
also on private land that had been in the
possession of single family for more than
century.
am the last man in the world to do an
injustice to any one, and hope Mr.. Poite-
vent can show that his hands are acting
contrary to his instructions. think am
justified in publishing SO notorious com.
plant. even if it does somewhat hinder the
money making contracts of member of a
rich and powerful family. Nobody over
here blames Mr.. Poitevent for getting q
permit" to cut government timber if he
could do so. 1t was to his interest; but it
is to our interest to save this timber. 1t ia
our aim to find out what government Of
fetal gave him such permit" in conflict
with the law and the interests both Of the
government and the people.
Mr.. Neville, United States receiver of
lands, writes me that there is no timber
agent named Scully authorized to act in
this parish; yet, it is notorious that such
person has been so acting. ! guess he is .
fraud. Yours, respectfully,
JOHN E. LEET.