The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-02
LOUISIANA INVESTIGATION.


GHEssIoNAL CoMMrrTEE-HE KNOWS OF NO
''wHrrE LEAGUE" INTIMIDATION ON BOTH
SIDES.
NEW ORLEANS Dec. 81, 1874.
Mr. Forman, in continuation of his testimony be-
fore the Congressional Committee, said -
Jacob Hawkins, Judge Of the next most import
ant Court, is d1sreputable character; he was q
member OF the notorious Lynch Returning Board
and Is utterly unreliable; these are samples OF the
city three or four honorable exceptions the
rDistrict Bench these are the immediate cause
f Oh Inc distress and depression prevailing
interference OF the federal government with local
concerns by means OF the army and the federal
officials IN New Orleans; If the federal army had
not seized the State House and controlled the or
ganizatlon OF the Legislature in 1872 the McEnery
government and conservative Legislature would
have complete control; II the federal army had
not demanded the surrender OF the State House
and public buildings on the 18th OF SEPTEMBER
1874 the McEnery government would have undls-
puted and peaceabe control OF the State until the
end OF its term OF office, and peace and confidence
Would have been restored; all we wish, all we
need Is TO be allowed to govern ourselves and
select our own Legislature and officers without
interference oy federal officials civn or military;
we are July capable OF sell-goyernmeut, with
equality Tor all before the law.
GENERAL EMORY TESTIFIRS.
General Emory was called, and testified Have
been commander here for three years was here
before and during the election; all my troops were
After giving in detail the disposition Of the
troops as they existed on election day, General
Emory stated that they were 80 placed by order OF
superior military authority, based on requistion
from Attorney General Williams. was directed to
arrange my men In the city, so as to preserve
peace; there was no disturbances; could not say
any troops were used on election day; have no
knowledge OF White League my impression Is
that peace was kept on election DAY only by the
before the election; They Were not made 10 anect
INTIMIDATION By THE WHITES.
Captain snow testified he was in RapdeS parish
on the day OF the election; he knew or no intmi-
datlOn except what he was told by Mr. Kelso.
Allen Greene, OF Lincoln parish, testified that he
was waited upon by conservatives who requested
that the meetings the negroes were holding at
night be discontinued; we did so; was afterwards
waited on by party OF men VINO requested him
to make some changes IN the parish oflcers;
then went on to say that he was ntimidated He
enumerated the members or his family holding
office In the parlSh-SOme half dozen.
THRRATS USED AGAINST COLORED VOTERS
State senator stamps testified that he knew OF
no intimidation except threats OF nOn-employ-
ment; some or the cOlOred men were told II they
did not turn In their registration papers to the
democratic committees they would be discharged;
that form of intimidation did not enable them to
carry the district; he thinks about 200 voted the
democratic ticket; has talked with about twenty
ve or the 200 since the election; about 500 whites
voted the republican ticket; white man could
NOT vote the republican ticket without being
ostracised, called Niger and anything else but
q III.
tion or the election law in his district was that
any one who got rid OF his registration papers
could get dupllcate; that was the custom with
them.
Cross questtoned-The applicant had to swear
that the original was lost; there is secret or
ganlzatOn OF colOred people; hasa better opp0r-
tunity for knowing than any other colored man
knows Of no cause OF Intimidation except the
threat TO discharge; some whites went with their
conservative ucketi the colored people feared as
sassinatlon by the White League; he had SUCH
Tonr fhnf ho Il M
otherwise would; did not recollecJ any particular
person who had threatened TO discharge any one
Hodges, candidate for Mayor Of KennervilIe said
in speech that II the colored people In his employ
ola not vote the conservative ticket they could
after election seek employment elsewhere: the Ell
feet OF the hath OF September was that the coiored
people felt unsafe, and were deferred from regis.
terng from iear OF being assaulted; don't think
there were many, not more than fifty or sixty, IN
CarroltOn district who did not register; don't
know OF any one being attacked on his way TO
sured the people OF his district that they would be
protected II they would come ont and vote; a few
what restored, and several colored men who had
not registered asked him II they could not vote
on their Ola papers,, they having failed
not vote Oh their s old papers, tnlns there
were about fifty or sixty IN this fix.
WHY NEGROES VOTED CONSERvATIvELY.
Dr. j. b. sullivan, of Rapides, testified that he
spent the summer in the parish Of Rapides and W
no evidence OF intimidation whatever; the coiOred
TO him and told him that Tor several reasons,
among others the msapplicatlon OF the school
fund, they the negroes, would this election vote
the CONSERVATIVE ticket; heard OF no EFFORTS at in
timlaation except what was told HIM by Governor
Wells; is an OLD line whg; never voted the
for Henry Clay as long as he was on top
OF the ground; was a Union man during
the war: was arrested by the Coniederates and
hawkers, covered w1thlvermin OF the most dlsg7st-
ing nature his nephew, who had all his lie been
t1atn dnptn he, Int alor-
tiOn on the republican ticket, but was not
elected; had never made any effort to influence
tives; did not know OF MIS- neighbors taxing any
such steps; the colOred people became dissatisfied
with the republican party because OF bad local
government and the failure OF the Freedmans
Savings Institution; throughout the country 1t
was understood among them that all their saw
ings had been swept away by this failure.
FEELING BETWEEN THE RACES.
Michael Legnas Tax Collector oil Rapides parish,
testified Don't know OF any unusual efforts be.
SENTATIVE ticket; heard 'of no Intimidation
heard no cOlored person say he mad been
threatened with u,s discharge on account sN OF
tween blacks and whites; did not vote himself,
and for that reason did not interfere such mat
ters {; told Mr. Kels0 that they were going TO make
arrests; that Mr. KelsO was one OF the suspected
persons, and that II such was the case he had bet
ter get away; 1t was reported that the federal
troops were TO make arrests generally throughout
the parish did not vote because he did not want to
mas Decu al OiO line WulRi SOiu0tlueS CoucCIS tWo'
thirds of the taxes year pad In about $50 600
only collected about One-hal Of the assessment Is
knows there are republicans IN THAT parish never
heard OF any coercion Deng used to induce the
Clerk OF the Court to sign election returns; the
McEnery officers, sheriff and clerk took charge on
the 10Th OF september, and held on until the cleo
ton, when the Kellogg offlcals were reinstated ;
the McEnery Recordersstil holds his office in that
parish; know or only one effort TO raise money In
Rapides for the Grant parish prisoners and
that was unsuccessful believed any honest man
who attended TO his business and let other people
alone could live In Rapides parish and exercise
his political rights without regard to party; q son
OF Matt. Wells Is Clerk OF the Court; couldn't say
Wells was reinstated for the purpose OF signing
the election returns to make them legal; thinks
he was reinstated but short while before he
signed the election returns; saw him sign them |;
the McEnery Recorder still holds his office, but
told ne was willing to surrender II when called
upon to do so; 1t don't pay anything llaughter).
THE TAX COLLECTION.
John NJ. Barnett clerk for the Tax Collector OF
Rapides parish, testified he knew OF no inttmida-
ton in any form; has not heard any complaint
about the conduct OF the election; great many
nlnf .