New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-08

hostile attitude assumed by them toward
men protesting to be adherents OF the Re-
publican party.
QuestiOn-Were you ever present at the
place where Republican meetings were heldl
If yes, state when, where and wether at
said speaking there we're any evidences or
attempts of intimidation used, by whom.
and how we're these evidences or attempts
of intimidation used. and against whom!
meeting held at St. James Chapel, on the
Island in Ouacbits parish, on the third day
of November, 1876. Attempts were made
en- that occasion by armed white men be-
longing to Theobald's Democratic Rifle
Company to disturb and break up that
meeting, and intimidste the persons attend
ing it. The attitude of these men was
menacing toward speakers and toward the
cOlOred people in attendance. | was pres
ent, accompanied by an orderly, and had
detachment of United States troops with
their arms in stack about 100 yards distant
from the place OF meeting. l was standing
on the oCtekirts of the crowd in attendance,
composed largely of c0lOred people, men
and women. Mr.. AstwcOd, the first speaker,
had lust commenced his address when
these persons made rush for the wagon
fcom which he was speaking, several of
thsm attem pting TO draw their revolvers
while doing SO, and all or most OF them
denoupc,Bg his statement, as damned
lies" sn calling him damned llar." The
colored people, men and women, were
much alarmed az these hostile demonstra-
tions, the most OF them turning to flee irem
the ground.
Qaestion-If you state that yo1 did at
tend a meeting Of the Republicans and that
there were evidences of Intimidation, state
whether or not you intertered and for what
reason?
Answer-Whsn l saw the crowd of col
ored people sWayirg back from the stand
of the speaker, aud b 7ard the angry denun-
Citations by these men of the speakers
statements as "GaMned lies' and he as
damned liar." rushed through ths flying
crowd Of negroes Springing in front OF
these men l pushed them back with my
sword from the wagon in which the speaker
was standing, admOnishing them to dis
continue their unlawful attempt at viO-
l.nce; that their language and acts were
calculated to produce breach OF the peace,
and that would, If necessary, use the de.
tachment Of troops to preserve order and
prevent ects of violence on their part.
The aspect of sffairs was for few mo-
ments very threatening, but quiet was
finally restored, these men assuring me-
that they would refrain from further acts
of violence. and that they would not again
attempt to interrupt the speaker. After
this the meeting was reasonably quiet,
these men contenting themselves with de-
nouucing in uudert0oes the statements of
speakers as damned lies," and conversing
with each other. After the close of the
meeting these men mOnnted their horses,
marching in military formation as cavalry
from the ground. From frequent observa-
tion of columns of cavalry, l should judge
that there were Of these men present on
that occasion about sixty in number, all of
them armed with revOlvers belted around
their waists underneath their coats.
Questiou-Were any acts of actual in.
timdation reported to you, and did you
take official notice thereof
Answer-Many acts OF actual violence
and intimidation were reported to me by
colored people living in Ouachita parish,
and did so far take official cognizancs OF
many of such complaints rs 10 make writ
ten statements OF them. A large mum Der
of such complaints were made, OF which no
written statements were taken down, being
those made 20 me by people meeting me
away from my office. and at places present
ing no facilities for writing.
Question-State the particula ar cases, and
your official action in the premises, as well
as the effect of these cases upon the c0lcred
people9
Answer-The first complaints after as
sumpg command at Monroe were made to
me by Aaron Turner, George Brantly, Ned
Mitchell, Andrew Harris and Lee Pool, ell
colored, that they had been driven from the
place Of j. T. Swan, on the Island, in Qua
chita parish, for attending Republican
meeting addressed BY Mr.. Packard and
others at Monroe on Saturday, September
%; that before going to the meeting they
had oeen warned by Mr.. Swan not to attend
it, under penalty Of being turned eft the
place; that they were working on the place
for a share of the crop, and that their labor
for the entire summer had been bestowed
upon the crop growing upon the place; that
it was the prevailing custom to regard Sat
urday as holiday, and that work on Sat
urdaye was usually suspended; that no
work was done by any one on the place
that day, and that none would have
been done had there been no political meet
ing; that they did attend the Republican
meeting on that day, and that on returning
to their homes they were driven from the
place by Mr.. Swan and others. who threat
ened them with violence and death in case
they attempted return; and that, by the
unlawful act of Swan in driving them away
from their homes, their share of the crops
and their labor for the entire season was
wholly lost to them.
Complaint was made by colored people
living on the Island, on Bayou DeSiard, ard
in the colony in Ouacbita parish. that on
the nights of October q, % and %. all OF
the Republican voters living at the places
referred to were visited at their homes by
bands of armed white men, representing
Themselves ss missionaries from Arkansas
and other adjoining States, telling the fright
ened negroes that they would have to at
tend the Democratic barbecue and meeting
appointed to be held at the Colony Church
onTussday, the twenty fourth, and especial
ly warning them not to attend Republican
meeting to be held on the same day at
Grady's Schoolhouse, on the Island, and
threatening them with death in case these
admonitions we're disregarded.
John McWilliams, Charles Hudson and
Monk Moore, three of the colored men who
were waited upon in the manner referred
to, state that they identified amongst those
engaged in these unlawful demonstrations
two white men, Wyatt Brennon and
Brooks.
Jessie Briggs and Diana, his wife, state
that one of the most abusive and threaten
ing of those that visited them was DR..
Ccsper, practicing physician on the
Isl and.
Another colored man, named Hardy,
stated that Captain William 7. TheObald
threatened him with a whipping in case he
attended the Republican meeting at Gra-
dy's.
Charles Williams, William Burrell and
Elisha Moore. all colored, complained to
ms on the fifth of November that on the
fourth they started to Columbia, in Cald.
we'll parish, to carry there quantity Of
Republican national, State, congressional
and parish tickets, for the use Of that party
in said psrish; that OF Cuba, in the south
ern part OF Ouachita parish. they were ap.
pretended by large party of white men,
questioned, threatened with violence and
finally compelled to burn and destroy the
said Republican tickets in their possession.
After promising to join the Democratic