The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1876-07-27
A SIander Disposed Of.
Icipclnnati Enquirer.


The report of Representative John L..
Vance (Democrat), and VIM. Woodburn
Republican,, the Subj Committee ap-
pointed by the Lower House of Congress
to inquire into the causes which led to
the attempted assassination of M. H.
Twitchell and the murder of Mr.. King
at Coushatta, Louisiana, in May last, ei-
fectually disposes of the malicious lie in
vented by the Radical press of the coun-
try to the effect that the crime was com
mitted for political purposes. The
Sub Committee visited Coushatta, in Red
River Parish, and examined thirty three
witnesses, including prominent men
of both political parties. 1t ap-
peared from the testimony that on the
morning of the I'd of May last astranger,
mounted on peculiarly colored pony"
entered the town of Coushatta. He was
wearing a coat made of rubber or oil
cloth, reaching nearly to his feet, and
his face was partially concealed by a
heavy beard, supposed to be false. He
wore pair of goggles, and his straw hat
drawn over his face. He went to a
blacksmith shop, where he could obtain
a good view of the opposite side of the
river, and requested the blacksmith to
shoe his horse. He pretended to be wait
ing for his brother. He remained il the
shop until he saw Mr.. Twitchell approach
ing the ferry landing in buggy on the
opposite side of the river. he rode to
the landing, dismounted, hitched his
horse, and went to the top of the bank.
By that time the ferry skiif, in which
were Mr.. David King, NJ. 81. Twitchell
and the ferryman Ia colored many, ap-
preached the landing. The stranger fired,
hitting Mr.. Twitehell in the leg. Mr.
King fired at the stranger, when the lat
ter returned the fire, killing Mr.. King
instantly. The assassin then fired again
upon Twitchell, wounding him in both
arms, and when the ferryman attempted
to rescue Twitchell from the water he,
too, was fred upon and wounded in one
of his hands. The assassin, thinking his
victim was dead, coolly mounted his
horse and rode away. Several persons
approached the assassin during the firing
and tried to interfere but he would not
he'd them. Such in brief is the story of
the attempted assassination of Mr..
Twitchell. The sheriff and q posse
started in pursuit of the assassin, but
could not overtake him. No one recog-
nized him, and the evidence clearly
showed that he was an utter stranger in
that part of the country. Nor was the
horse he rode recognized as belonging in
that part of the country.
The Sub Committee were specially in
structed to inquire whether the attempted
murder of Twitchell and the assassina-
tion of King were of a political charac-
ter. White men and colored men testi-
fed that Twitchell took an active part in
the organization of Red River Parish and
thathe was a candidate on the Republi-
can ticket for State Senator, and received
the support of many Democrats of prom
inence as well as Republicans. He had
controlled the appointment of officers
in the parish, and had almost unlimited
direction of its affairs. According to his
own testimony he was State Senator,
member of the Police Jury of the parish,
member of the School Board, and a
United States Commissioner. He is &C.
cused of managing his affairs loosely and
extravagantly, and of assessing lands
greatly in excess of their value, and OF
perpetrating gross frauds. He
was disliked by many of his
own party, and some of them had
made threats against him. The most
prominent men testified that no one in
the Parish was in danger on account o.
his political views, and that Republicans
could as safely express their opinions
there as in any other section of the coun
try. Republicans concurred in this view
of the case. Both Messrs. Vance and
Woodburn arrived at the honest conclu
sion, alter carefully weighing the evi
dence, that the shooting of King ant
Twitchell was not caused by reason o
their political opinions. Mr.. Twitchelri
worst enemies, they found, were member
of his own party. The Committee re
ported to the House their conclusions
and expressed the opinion that the peo
pie of Red River Parish, irrespective o
party, were desirous of political quiet
and were prepared to welcome amoni
them men of all parties who were di,
J posed to conduct themselves as law-abid
, ing citizens.
That the attempted assassination q
Mr.. Twitcheu was for personal and NO