New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-27
ASSASSINATION In 0UACHITA
The Killing Of Primus johnson and
W0unding of Eaton Logwood.
OFFICIAL REPORT OF AN ARMY OFFICER

The following report, forwarded from
this department to the headquarters of the
Military Division of tie Missouri, 10 copied
from the Chicago Tribune of the twenty.
fourth:
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES Troops,
Monroe, La, october Il. 1875. }
Assistant Adjutant General Headquarters Depart
ment Of tho Gull:
I have the honor to report that At or
sbout seven O'Clock yesterday morning, the
eleventh instant. at their residence on the
island eight miles above Monroe, Primus
johnson, q cOlOred preacher, was shot and
instantly killed, and Eaton Logwood. also
coiored, shot and very dangerously wound.
ed, by two disguised white men. At the
on the gallery Of his house, h0lding his in
fapt girl in his arms. Eaton L1gwOod was
employed in front Of the house 1.-THE two
men. johnson and Logwood, being joint oc-
cupants of the house) In loading seed cot
ton on his wagon for the purpose of haul
ing 1t to q neighbor's gin.
The two disguised and armed white men
appeared from behind the back of q bayou
near the road, advanced to q picket fence
from, the house. Resting their guns across
the fence, one Of them addressed Lngwood.
saying: ''Eaton, old fellow, is that you
God damn you, I've got you now !" aiming
his gun while saying so. LOgwOOd At
tempted to escape by running, but was ehOt
by the disguised man referred to a. he
(Lopwood) was about to run around the
corner of the house, full load of buckshot
entering his back, neck and shoulders. In
ficting very dangerous wounds. At about
the came time, or an instant later. Prmus
johnson, standing on his gallery, and still
holding his child in his arms, was shot by
the other disguised white man, and died in .
few moments. Tho two disguised whites,
after saying that if they had not fixsd it all
right they would return and fnishi it, walked
slowly along the road. crossed into . field,
went down to the bayou and crossed on .
log, after which all trace of them was lost.
A number of wagons loaded with cotton
passed the houee . short time before, and
just after the shooting. Those passing just
before the murder was committed were
stopped by three armed and mounted white
men at Shoran bridge, which 10 some dis
tance beyond Logwo0d's house, toward
Monroe. The armed men thus picketing
the road interrogated the driver OF the
wagons, asking whose we're the teams, and
on being informed that they belonged to
planters on the island, permitted them to
pass. Two physicians living on the island,
when sent for, refused to visit Logwo0d.
The brother of LOgwo0d then started to
Monroe for one, and while on the way was
stopped by two mounted white men and
questioned as to his business, and his per-
son searched for arms and papers, and when
he told them he was going for doctor they
asked him whether it was tor Eaton Log
wood, and told him if it was he could not
20. He succeeded in getting away from
nhGA
physicians there could be induced to 60
out. Logwood had also sent message to
Mr. John 81. Dinkgrave, deputy United
States marshal and attorney'at law. that he
wished to Gee him as to m alters pertaining
to his property, but Dinkgrave, considering
the mission too dangerous, declined going.
These facts were communicated to me AZ
about two O'Clock in the afternoon. After
consultation with Mr.. Hardy, the district
obtain Logwood's dying declaration (he
was then thought to be mortally wounded) },
deemed it necessary to take such steps as
gould enable him to do 90 in safety. and ct
P. 81. I sent . detachment of eight men,
under command Of Lieutenant McCawley,
Thirteenth Infantry, accompanied by the
district attorney, to Logwood's house, trans
porting them in the government wagon be-
longing to the post. They reached Log.
WOOU6 0UOut Az K M.s 0uU AVunO 1oA rs
crowd Of c0lored people there, all OF them
completely cowed and subjugated, and in
constant apprehension of the return Of the
murderers to carry out the threats made in
the morning. Logw0od informed the dis
| trict attorney that he had NO hope of hv.
| ing, and had NO other expectation than OF
diving, and made what he pronounced to be
bis dying declaration, which was duly
subscribed by him, sworn to and wit
nvsu
taken from that DEF lAration and from
the testimony of the two women. the
wives of Logwood and johnson, both
of whom were present and witnessed
| the shooting. Lieutenant McCawley re.
turned to this place with his detachment
about three o'clock this morning. Believ
| ing there was danger of renewal of the
attack upon Logwood, and acting under In
structions from me, Lieu tenant McCawley
left guard at LogwoOd's house, consisting
| of q corporal and three selected men from
his company Company /, Thirteenth In.
| fantry), with instructions to protect Log
wood, his house and occupants at all haz
| ards, and to allow no one to enter the
house or on tho premises except those hav
| lug permission from Log bis wife. OF
| the widow of Primus Johnson. This guard
| is still at Logwoods house, and caused
rations for three days, blankets. and othel
necessaries to be cent up this morning. II
| is now thought possible that Logwood may
recover: Logwood states that. judging
from the size, appearance, dress, wall
him is Robert Logan, white maj
and plantation owner living near BY
| and one of his neighbors. He alsa
| states that William F. K0halds, whit
| planter, and this neighbor, and who is als'
captain Of ono Of the Democratic rifle com
panies on the leland, has repeatedly threat
eued his (Logwood's) life, and it is declares
by the witness that two or three weeks sg'
Kohalds ard George Phillips, son of Cap
island rifle company, searched through Log
| woods house, announcing their intention Il
kill him. Neither Logwood nor the tw'
women present were able to express 81
opinion ss to the identity of the man VII
killed Primus johnson. Logwood and John
son were 10th of them res0lute and intelll
gent men. Both owned small farms. AM
were making good crops. BY their join
effort they had erected building 1ea
their house which was used as Q school TO
| colored children and % church. A ehOr
time ago this building was set on fire in th
night time, and the roof and inside finief
ing burned. The walls being of greel
logs did not burn. Logwood Gays IL wa
set on fire in the expectation that b
would rush out and extinguish 1t, an
that he would then have been shot ha
he done so. but be did not 60 on
He was q strong, influential and tolerar
partisan Of the Republican party, an
was especially obnoxious to resident Den
ocrats on the island. Logwood is the sam
man on whose account Lieutenant Jacob
Huger and Captain McGinnis visited tt
Island in the early part of last Septembe
In my opinion no earnest efforts will
made by the civil authorities to inveetiga,
the matter and spprehend the murderer
The judge of the State District Court (ka.
is o time-serving man, desirous of adspti1
his course to the changing political cond
ton Of the State and Of his Judicial distrlc
| Tho oh whito uaurO n TN piG1VQ. ar