The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1875-04-24
Testimony Of z. L. Pierson.
Before the Congressman Committee

Before the Congressman Committee,
! Continued.
A. They were not prevented from
voting. They did not vote.
Q. Why did they not vote?
A. I don't know that question will
have to be answered by them.
Q. Was there any fraud practiced :
A. No, sir.
Q. Any intimidationf
A. No.
Q. And yet you carried tho county :
A. Yes.
Q. BY the Chirman.-Did the COL
orcd people vote for yon in 1922
A. l don't know that they did.
Q. You were caaai'atc, for the
Legislature, aud ss.shld know' :,
| A. do not know.
| Q. Do you suppose you had the
support of the colored people to any
extent. in 1872?
( A. know was always liked by
the colored people. l could not say
whether the colored people voted for
me or not. The ballots were count.
cd.
Q. State whether this colored vote
in 1874, was as large as that in 1872 I
A. It was much larger than in 1872.
Q. How do you account for the fact
that the colored Republican vote was
larger in 1874 than in 1872, if there
was no intimidation in 1872, and there
was intimidation in 1874?
A. Well, gentlemen, l decline an
swering that question. l have al
ready said that | was q Supervisor
and u party interested. p,
@. by Mr.. Wheeler.-You decline
answering on the ground Of it cri1ni-
mating yourself; you did not furnish
the number of ballot boxes required 7
"A. No, ldon't decline on the ground
Of eliminating myself.
Q. On what ground do you define
then I
A. Simply because do.
9. Was it your duty as Supervisor
to furnish a given number Of boxes?
A. No, my duty was to put boxes
in the parish l could put as many
as I choose.
| Q. You were not required to put
one at each polling place.
A. No, sir; not under the election
law.
y. Did you furnish q box at each
polling place3 .st
A. / did not, sir.
Q. By Mr.. Marshall.-Are you in
the Legislature now2
A. Yes.
Q. In what is called the Hahn Leg.
islature?
A. l don't know what you call it;
it is the legal legislature.
Q. Who is the presiding officer of
that body!
A. Mr.. Hahn.
Q. BY Mr.. Field..-Who appointed
you Supervisor III 1872?
A. Gov. War,noth.
|. Q. He was acting with the Fusion
partyi
A. Yes.
@. Was he around making speecb.-
es with them?
A. / believe he was.
Q. Were you instructed to carry
that parish by Gov. Warmoth, for
the Fusion ticket.
A. No, sir I; was not.
Q. Were You 80 instructed by auy
body else7
A. l don't know chat was.
Q. Try aud recollect nowi
A. l don't think l was. was 60
ing to 10 what was right. Twas gov
erred by tho law.
Q. Don't you know that at the
election in 1872, in the town of
Natchitoches, by an arrangement
made there, that about five hundred
negroes were kept from voting?
A. That was done by -.
@. l don't care who it was done
by. Don't you knew it was donei
A. Yes, that was done; but the
police had possession of the boxes.
Q. Don't you know that you made
every white man who came in from
tho country pot on badge as police
man, and then he was accorded access
to the ballot box!
A. ! saw great many with badges.
@. How manyi
A. A large number.
@. Nearly all tho white men you
saw in town2
A. Yes.
Q. Aud the arrangement was that
they were to vote first; and the ne
groes last?
A. Yes.
@. What is the proportion of tho
parish debt held by Democrats?
A. Of the jud gment debts, about
four.tifths. l know that from the
records of the suit.
@. Four fifths of that debt is held
by Democrats
A. l say about four-fifths.
@. Don't you know that tho Re-
publican Police Jury has reduced the
taxation Of that parish3
A. Yes.
@. BY Mr.. Marshall How many
white Republicans do you say there
are now 10 the parish
A. Now.
Q. Yes, siri
A. l suppose there are about 30 in
the entire parish.
Q. We're there any white men in