The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-12-21

The Congressional Investigators are
getting atthc ''true in wardness" of the
Radical rascals i'm Louisiana. They
are demonstrating by abundance of
evidence that the violence and in'im-
idation which was prac,iced in that
State was mostly OH the part of the
Republicans. 1t is shown tl.at the
lives of negroes have been threatened
and afternps made to murder them for
voting the Democratic ticket, and that
to frighten them into voting for the
they were told that every
Democratic negro would be shot. AS
a specimen of the means employed by
the Radicals to secure the vote of that
State we copy the following report of
the testimony of witnesses given be-
fore the Investigating Committee, by
the special correspondent of the Err
Quirer dated at New Orleans. Dec. 15 !:
The Committee proceeded in their
labors by putting on the stand three
negro men, who testified clearly as to
intimidation, but ii was done by Re-
publicans. One of the witnesses, a
fine, stalwart negro, had his head in
bandages. lie was suffering from
three wounds received at the hands OF
his negro fellows for daring to vote
the Democratic ticket. He had bull
let wound in the neck aud one in the
back of his hand, and was gashed bad
ly by knife. His offense was voting
the Democratic ticket. lie now lives
in constant dread of assassination, his
life having been openly and repeated
ly threatened. ii
Another negro witness, named Ward,
gave graphic account OF violence
and intimidation practiced in Grant
Parish. The political knaves enlisted
the negro clergy in the work and these
threatened communication and u
resembling OF the marriage bonds. The
wives of negroes, who it was known
were going to vote the Democratic
ticket, by religious influences were
wrought into frenzy. They lett their
husbands at the bidding OF the negro
clergy, turned into demons and threat
ened the lives OF their natural prOtec-
tors. White men were sent into par
ishes from New Orleans, who har-
angued the negroes, telling them that
il they voted the Democratic ticket
they would be shot down like dogs !;
that Sheridan would bring his soldiers
into the parish and indiscriuiinateIy
Kill all who vOied theDemocraiic tick
ct. They also told the negroes that If
the Democrats were successful they
would all be returned to slavery.
"A man named Gordon, formerly q
school teacher, but recently an EN-
pioye in the Custom. house, testified
to q conversation he had with the
County Registrar, in which The latter
ack powledged that the counties in
which they were Supervisors had gone
Democratic, but declared their inten-
ton of cooking the returns so as TO
give Republican majorities. This was
done in the Custom house by Custom
house employ es, under the eyes and
direction OF the Republican leaders.
He also testified that one or the Su-
pervisors informed him that all aflida-
Wit had been prepared in the Custom
house for him by the. Supervisors to
be signed. That he had done SO not
knowing the contents thereof. He
was drunk at the time he signed it.,
and when sober desired TO see the doc.
ument which he had signed; but the
managers refused to let him see it.
Gordon also said that he had been
threatened with personal injury ii he
went before the Committee and testi-
fed. Anderson, one of the Returning
Board, advised him not TO go on the
stand, telling him that if ne did he had
every thing to lose; that the party
which had heretofore taken care of
him would turn bin loose. Kellogg
gave him almost similar advice, and
limited at a reward if he proved true.
All the testimony to-day was inn
portant, and went TO show intimida-
ton and violence OH the part OF the
Republicans.
The certified copy of the return of
the vote for Electors as made by the
Returning Board was secured to-day.
1t is the most insolent piece of yillainy
yet discovered. 1t is made up as fol-
lows: AT the top of the blank arc the
printed words Statement showing the
number OF votes cast for President and
Vice-Presldent i'll the State of Louisi-
ana, sc. Then the sheet is iuled
both ways. AT the top and in the
proper place are the names of theElec-
tors of the two parties. AT the foot
of the sheet, and in the proper place
under the name of each Elector, il the
aggregate vote received in the State.
Between this row of figures and the
names of the Electors there is not the
scratch of pen, not figure, nor the
name of single parish. The state-
meDt shows nothing but the names OF
the Electors and the aggregate vote.
This return is not only the consumma-
tion of villainy, but the consummation
of insolence. 5..l..l.