The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-01-04

Auditor?
Witness Well, he had some dealings
with the Young Mems Christian Associs-
tion, which caused him to leave it; he
has assumed an authority clear outside
of his powers; Mr.. Lowell WAS post
master and was defaulter.
Mr.. Zacharie Conservative council
would remark, in connection with the
Shreveport subscription, that Gov. kcl-
loggs dispatch was picked up in news
paper establishment, and the facts con-
cerning the subscription can be proved.
General Campbell, Republican coun-
Gil would say that matters ofnewspa-
per notoriety should not be brought in
as evidence
Mr.. Zacharie-We can produce the
dispatches. We can bring forward the
| testimony.
Mr. Foster-We will look into this
some other time.
Mr.. Potter-Well, the chairman solic-
tied the examination.
Mr. Phelps-Is the feeling against the
government on account of its being Re-
publican?
Witness-No. On account Of its per-
sonal character.
Several other witnesses were examined,
among whom was the venerable Bishop
Wilmer, of the Diocese of Louisiana. So
far his and all the other evidence goes to
show great depression in business and
much misery and poverty, all the result
Of misgovernment and oppression.
The Board then adjourned till Monday.
The Mississippi Investigation.
VICKsBURG, January Edward 5.
Butts, cashier of the Vicksburg Bank, was
the first witness before the Congressional
| Committee to dav. He testified as fol-
| lows: Returned frem New Orleans on
| December 9Th; next morning heard the
alarm sounded; went to the bank, got a
gun and hurried to the court house, where
found forty or fifty men with arms
under orders; Col. Baird took commando
marched out the Grove Street road; saw
some negroes on the opposite hill skim
ishing with few whites; the form sr
soon dispersed and he returned to the
court house with the command without
firing a shot; his description of the fight
ing did not differ materially from those
already reported; only knew of three
negroes being killed and one white man.
70 Mr.. Hurlbut-Did not see Hagan's
company during the fight; it was from
Snyder'S Bluff, twelve miles out.
TO Mr.. O'Brien-First heard the
rumor of the intended attack from
General Furlong; laughed at him about
it; Furlong advised barricading the road
with bales of cotton, as Crosby card had
produced great excitement among the
negroes; first saw Crosbys card while on
a train at jackson; his friends there told
him that Governor Ames would teach
YOU all a lesson; General Packer and
| Colonel Less came on the train with him;
| tho impression prevailed at Jackson that
! the militia would be called out and Cros-
by reinstated; was no hostility on the
part Of the whites ut Vicksburg towards
the negroes as a class; the whites had al
WAYS assisted them in building churches
etc when called upon; all the trouble
was caused by the colored officials over
n wing of their own race; the people here
had no idea of depriving the negroes of
any civil or political right; there was
much excitement in the city on the
morning of the fight among the women
and children; Democrats and Republicans
and all the better class of people, includ-
ing ministers and aged men, were in
ranks; among them DR.. Harper, aged 7S
nephew of General Winfield Scott; pre-
vious to the fight, never saw any riotous
demonstrations on the part Of the whites;
am Il member of the Taxpayers League;
ut the August election two cOlored men
were elected school visitors; there was no
opposition to their taking their seats; the
Taxpayers Leaugc had, at one time 600
members; no politics in it; colored men
could join if taxpayers; had
been appointed on committc by the
League to examine the books Of chance
ry clerk Davenport, about year and
half since. When the committee entered
the office and told Davenport what they
had come for he said no taxpayers league
committee should examine his books; We
showed him our tax receipts and asked to
be allowed to compare them with the
books, but he again refused, saying: II
don't represent you or any of your crowd,
| know who was elected by, and they
will sustain me- Chancellor Hill WAS
present, but did not interpose, and we
left The whites pay ninety-ninc per cent
of the taxes; between three and four hum
dred colored children attend the public
schools; in the taxpayers league the only
question in regard to holding office was,
as he competent and honest?'
To Conger-I know a colored family
named Montgomery, they were not the
second largest taxpayers; my experience
with Republican officials is that they are
neither capable nor fit to hold office;
don't know what color Lien is; have sew
eral times voted for negroes for high
offices with some capacity and honesty;
would support one as well as white man.
To Mr.. Speer-Our bank makes no dis
elimination on account of color. Since
the Freedmens Bank bursted we keep
the account of "A great many negroes;
Davenport is now under several indict-
ment for malfcasance in office all the
books showing taxes, warrants and allow
ances, are in his custody, some of which
are reported missing. Butts the eIhib-
tied the tax receipts Of the estate for
which the bank WAS agent, the taxes on
which, in 1869, were $27 80 on valuation
of s., 300, and the tax receipt on the same
for 1873 on which the taxes were SlS6.
so on valuation of $7,40O.
Reckless Extravaganza.
Thought the increase of taxes was
caused by the reckless extravaganza ofthe
county officials; the Tax Payers League
grew out of this state of affairs; during
the time mentioned the taxes have been
mainly levied by the blacks and paid by
the whites.
To MT. Conger-A portion Of the
difference in the tax receipts shown was
caus ed By the taxes which were not
levied in 1869.
He was then examined in detail.
The Republican candidates for Alder
men in the August election were all
black but one; he could not read or
write; there was no intimidation of the
blacks on the day Of the election; the ne
groes who marched on the city on Dec. eth