The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-01-22

lEtlDGDIAtl-O ia ~ NA--
place by force, III some parts of TIN
State. the appointees of Governor Kel
logg, and, on the 18Th of April, in al
effort of that kind, n butchery of citi
lzans was committed at Colfax, which II
: bloodthirstness and barbarity is hardly
surpassed by any act of savage warfare
To put the matter beyond controversy
Il quote from the charge of Judge Woods
of the United States Circuit Court, tC
the jury, in the case of the United State;
rS. Cruikshank and Others, in New Or
leans, in March, 1874. He said: ''In
the case on trial there are many facts
not in controversy. proceed to state
some of them in the presence and hear
ing of counsel on both sides, and if
state as e conceded fact any matter that
is disputed, they can correct me-" After
stating the igin 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 colored
persons, which led to some fighting, in
Which quite a number of negroes were
killed, the Judge states that most OF
those who were killed were taken pris-
oners. Fifteen or sixteen of the blacks
L had lifted the boards and taken refuge
under the floor of the Courthouse; they
were all captured. About thirty
men were taken prisoners; the num-
Der is not definitely fixed. They were
kept under guard until dark. They
were led out, two by two, and shot
/ Most of the men were shot to death. y
t s.. ,,-a,,n1.I inevitably and
by pretending to be dead, were after
ward, during the night, able to make
their escape. Among them was the Le-
vi Nelson FAMED in the Indictment.
The dead bodies of the negroes killed in
I this affair were left unburied till Tues
day. April Is, when they were buried by
| a 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
+ there were found some charred remains
of dead bodies near the Courthouse.
Six dead bodies were found under a
warehouse, all shot in the heart but one
or two, which were shot in the breast.
The only white men injured from the
beginning of these troubles to their close
were Hadnot and Harris. The Court
house and its contents were entirely con-
sumed. There is no evidence that any
one in the crowd of whites bore any law
full warrant for the arrest of any of the
blacks. Teere is no evidence that either
Nash or Cozabat, after the affair, ever
demanded the Offices to which they had
set up a claim, but the Register cOntin-
ued to act as Parish Judge. These are
the facts in this case as / understand
them to be admitted.
To hold the people of Louisiana gen.
eral responsible for these atrocities
would not be fair, but it is lamentable
fact that insuperable distractions were
thrown in the way of the Furnishing of
these murderers, and the so-called Con
seryatiye papers of the State not only
justified the massacre, but denounced, as
Federal tyranny and despotism the at
tempt of the United States officers to
bring them to justice.
Fierce denunciations ring through the
country about office 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
Christianity to punish the perpetrators
of this bloody and monstrous crime.
THE CoUSHATTA MASSACRE.
Not unlike this was the massacre in
August last. Several Northern young
men of capital and enterprise had started
the little and fiourishing town of Cou-
shatta. Some of them were Republicans
and Office holders under kellogg; they
were, therefore,, uOOmed TO ueJrUn.
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 State de-
nounced all efforts to that end, and bold
| " justified the crime.
OTHER MURDERS.
Many murders of like character have
been committed in individual cases,
which cannot here be detailed Forex
ample, L. S. Crawford, Judge of the par
ish, and the District Attorney 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, the wife
of a farmer, in Il communication to the
Department of Justice, tells a piteous
tale of the persecution of her husband,
because he was Union man; of the eff
forts to seize those who had committed
a crime which ito us left two widows
and nine orphans desolate." To say that
the murder of negro or white Repub-
lican is not considered a crime in Louisi-
ana, would, probably, be unjust tc a
great part of the people, but it is true
that a great number of such murders
have been committed, and no one has
been punished therefor, and ,manifestly,
the spirit of hatred and violence is
stronger than law.
WITHDRAWAL OF TIE TROOPS.
Representations were made to me that
the presence of troops in Louisiana was
unnecessary, and that there was no dam
ger of public disturbance, If they were
taken away. Consequently, early last
summer the troops were withdrawn from
the State, with the exception of a small
garrison at the New Orleans barracks.
1t was stated that a comparative state
of quiet had supervened. Political ex-
citement as to Louisiana affairs seemed
to be dying out, but the November cleo
tion was approaching, and it was neces-
sary, for party purposes, that the flame
should be relighted.
THE FOURTEENTH OF SEPTEMBER.
Accordingly, on the 14th of Septem-
Der, D, B. Penn, claiming he was elect
ed Lieutenant Governor, in 1872, issued
an infammatory proclamation, calling
upon the militia of the State to arm, as
semble, and to drive out the us1rpers, as
he designated the officers of the State.
The White Leaguers, armed and ready
for the conflict, promptly responded.
On the same day the Governor made
formal requisition upon me, in pursuance
of an act of 1875, and section of article
of the Constitution, to aid in the sup
pressing of domestic violence. On the
next day 1 issued my proclamation com
manding the insurgf nts to disperse with
in five days from date thereof; but be-
fore the proclamation was published in
New Orleans, the organized and armed
forces, organizing a usurping govern
ment, had taken forcible possession of
the State House, and temporary subvert.
ed the Government Twenty or more
people were killed, including a number
of the police of the city. The streets of
the city were stained with blood. All
that was desired in the way of excite
ment had been accomplished.
INTERPOLATION.
That there was intimidation OF Repub-
lican voters at the election, notwith-
standing the precaution taken to deny
it, admits of no doubt The following
are specimens of the means used:
a. e n