The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1876-12-21
THE TERROR IN LOUISIANA.

TESTIMONY or GEN. JOHN r. BROOKE-THR
SYSTEM OF THREATENING, AND WHIP
PING AND kILLING-A COMPLETE REIGN
OF TERROR-EVIDENCE WHICH COULD
NOT BE CoNTROVERTED.
One Of the witnesses called before the
Louisiana Returning Board to prove the
cruelty and violence practiced by the Demo
Gratis Of the State to enable them to, carry
it for Tilden was Gen John Il. Brooke. Of
the United States Army, now Lieutenant
Colonel Of the Third Infantry General
Brooke is Pennsyivanian and is a gentle
man Of the highest character for integrity
lie has been stationed for several wears
past in Louisiana, and for some time prior
to the last election had command Of the
troops in the 'bull-dozed" parishes. The
Democrats do not attempt to deny or ques
tion his evidence, which was substantially
as follows "In the parishes of Louisiana
just prior to the election, there was a COM
plete system or organization of the white
or Democratic party, which had the effect
Of terrOrizing the blacks This was especial
iy the case in the parishes of East Felciana
and East Baton Rouge, the blacks of which
came to me in large numbers, telling me of
Of threats made and acts committed, which
caused them to fear the consequence ofanv
free political action on their part. The
.hreats were as follows: Discharged. bod
ily injury, and in some cases extending to
death, in case they (the blacks) did not
join the Democratic clubs and vote the
Democratic ticket. | have been told by
many black men of both of the parishes
that during the winter and spring last past
many OF their people had been killed and
beaten by parties to them unknown, who
came III the night, disguised and armed, in
squads numbering from ten to fifty, who
would surround a cabin, take Il man out
and either beat or kill him. This occurred
so frequently that the blacks often for weeks
at time slept i'll the woods away from their
houses. | became satisfied from the fre-
quency and similarity Of these reports that
this was a fact. After | took command
there were but few outrages of this kind
brought to my knowledge. Among those
| saw was one Colman Brown, a colored
man, who was then suffering from a bullet
wound in the thigh, which he averred was
was inflicted by man named Mansur, who
was arrested and bound over to appear in
court. This was about the first of July
Another man, named Gus Jackson, colored,
came to me about the last of October, who
had a bullet wound in the head, still open,
which he averred was made by one Bedus
Townsend, on the plantation of John A.
Riley in Mast Felinciana. The reason he
gave for the shooting was that he (Jack-
SOM would not join the Democratic club.
About the first of September man named
Paul johnson was taken from his house at
night by party of armed and disguised
men, lie has never been seen since. This
told me by his father, who said he saw
the disguised party at the house, and traced
them to point on the Comite river, where
he averred many other men had been taken
in like manner and never heard of alive
afterward. The old man was very much
frightened, and feared he would be visited
in a like manner soon. Shortly after the
first of September man named Monroe
Beacham disappeared under similar circum-
stances. Johnson lives near Atkinson's 5
store, near the East Felieiana line. Bea-
cham lived near place called Redwood. l
have seen men with what appeared to me
to be marks of rope around their necks
and on their wrists and which they told
me were such, and were made by men
placing rope around their necks or
wrists and tying the other end to the pom
mel of IA saddle, and then starting off at too
brisk pace for them to keep up. There
were several of these cases. The names 0,
these men do not recollect. | sent them
in most cases to the sheriff of East Baton
Rouge with their complaints, As to peace