The New York herald., 1876-07-29
Report Of the Louisiana Committee on
the COuShatta Murder.
NO POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
Views of President Grant on the
Coming Campaign.
GOVERNOR TILDENS MAIN DIFFICULTY.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

THE CoUsHATTA AFFAIR-ANorHEB SOUTHERN
OUTRAGE DISPOSED oF-THE ATTEMPTED
MURDER OF TwITCHELL WITHOUT POLITICAL
sIGNIrICANCE-DHPLoRA STATE OF AT
FAIRS IN sHH PARISH UNDER ONE MAN
RuLE-REPoRT OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE.
The recent assassination of Twitchcll in Coushatta
La has been cried up the North as another poliI-
cal murder" and Twitchell called "martyr TO lib
ery." Here is the report Of the subcommittee oil
Congress sent specially Investigate tho murder OF
ihe two members of the sub committee, one is demo
srat the o,he- republican and both sign the report
II is short enough and Important enough TO be read
through tells the story of many other so-called
.'Sou,hern outrages" There is excuse Tor the as
sassina,ion and the local authority, the Sheriff. re-
publican be a fault that the assassin escaped
But Twtchell was not 'martyr" nor is there any
proof that he WAS murdered for his politics
The report IS as folows:-
Your committee, in pursuance OF the resolution
adopted the Both Of May after taking the testimony
Of one witness in New Orleans proceeded by steamers
10 the town OF Coushatta in Red River parish, reach
!ng tuerc the evening OF me 9th OF June On the
eth aud sth OF June thrty-threc witnesses were exa
mined, including prominent men oil both pohtcai par
From the testimony produced 1t appears that on the
morning OF the 2d oi May, 1876 at early hour, n
stranger, mounted upon II peculiarly colored pony,
entered the town OF Coushata. He was disguised hav
ing ON a coat made OF rubber oilcoth reaching
nearly his feet; his face partially concealed by
heavy beard, evidently lasc his eyes were covered
by a pair OF goggles and he wore his hat drawn down
his face. Alter reaching the town and before DIS
mounting he went to blacksmiths shop at the upper
end OF the village where he could command view OF
The opposite side OF the river He requested tho
blacksmith to shoe his horse, but finally
stated that "his bro,her' would soon bc there
and would direct the smith as to the
manner iu which the horse should be shod. He Ie-
mained in the shop until he apparently saw Mr..
the opposite OF the river. He then rode the
landing, where he d,smounied hitched his horse and
projected to the top of The bank About the time he
reached the top OF the bank the Terry SKIN IN which
David King, NJ. II. Twcheil and the icrryman Ia
opened ire ire, aounalns Mr.. Twitche in the leg
lwichell jumped into the river and caught the edge of
.ho skin with his hand MI King fired at the assassin
from revolver, when he turned his gun upon KING
and shot him, evidently causing death at once
he then turned his gun again on Twitche
aud shot him through arm and then
through the other. About this time the ferry
man attempted to rescue rwitchell from the
water, and to prevent this the assassin fired at tho
ferryman woundng HIM in oil ms hands. EvI
den,y suppoins that his victim was dead The assassin
mounted and rode away. During the progress OF the
shooting a gentleman named Benjamin Wollson rode
up on u horse, approaching quite near Tho assassin
pointed his gun al wollson and ordered him away and
he retired TWO ladies', Mis-. Z. J. Merreil aud Mrs. T.
Lee, also approached the ASSASSIN during the prog
but without effect, and scanned him closely. Mr.
Twitche was rescued from the river and taken TO the
shore whence ho had embarked a few minutes before
Mr. Kings body was removed from the skin; he was
dead.
such tragedy naturally caused much excitement in
river gave such and as was IN their power TO the
@ounded men. and many volunteered to pursue and
tndcavor to capture the murcercr, and after some
delay caused by the INDIGESTION and lack OF
exhibited by tho Sbcrf OF the parish,
posse was organized in charge OF the Deputy sheriff.
III old man, and started in pursuit, but after following
The trail tor several miles, lest IT, and hnding 1t i'm
practicable TO any Glow or trace OF the fugitive
from justice, finally returned to their homes The
country Is thiny popuatcd the roads few and difficult,
and the means OF escape are abundant by the bride
paths and through The swalnps almost impenetraole
Mr. Twtchcl removed 10 Springvilic, on The
toushaIta side OF the and about mile from tho
Town. where his testimony was taken The testimony
OF the Witnesses without exception, is to the effect
that the man wno did tue shooting Was unknown, and
The horse he rode recognized belonging
In that part OF the country
The foregoing embraces all that your committee
were enabled regard The death OF Mr.
King and the wounding oil Mr. rwchell and the Jerry
Witnesses examined with view to asccr-
tanning whether The .was or was not OF
political charactern AS before stated, gentlemen
presenting both OF the political parties, white and coll
ored men, were called aud examined. The testimony
shows that Mr.. Iwtchcll was instrumental and took
active part tho organization of Red River parish
aud at The election preceding the organization OF the
parish, aud while candidate upon the republican
tckct tor state Senator supported by prom
democrats ia Coushata and its neighborhood. Since
ihe organization o the parish he has controlled the ap
oointnient OF us officers, ana mas had almost un'
nmted control OF Its affairs In addition TO hiling tho
,ee OF state Senator, he filled several offices himseli
snd ON the I'll OF May last, according TO his own esii
nony. he was state Senator, member of the police
ury OF the parish. member OF the school board and
United States Commissioner In reality he also had
control OF the school money and other moneys col
scted IRON the taxpayers oil the parish
oesscs who examined in regard to the conduct
OF parochial afairs was to the eject that they
bad been loosely and cNtravaganty managed, and that
Mr. Twitchc responsible fior their mismanage.
mcnL Numerous instances were cited showing
proligatc waste OF public money. Tho lnds of
the parish were assessed at figures largely IN
OF their value. and OF tne assessment the
neighborng parishes and the lakes levied by reason
OF this cxorpant scssmcnt iell but little short OF
eonnscauon. In many cases absolute contscaiion
rcsulted. Ii became necessary TO erect court
hans nd llll hp tsh 1ln M
that the contract tor the erection OF the court house
awarded TO John 4. Yates (at that time sueriG
OF tho parish through tho influence OF rwi'che then
now upon the police Jury; that alter the award had
been made fwchcll demanded of Yates the contract,
threacning that II 1t was not surrendered to him he
would cause IL TO be revoked Yates did surrender 1t
10 Twitche who caused the building to tc erected and
rcaped ,ho profit thercirom. Although tho contract
was let at SID, S25 yet goes that
In reality, the work has rost upward oi SO 600
Aga'", nr. iMsenen P'oSuIcu s.o ouu0'us OF sc'era
'cvecs and the evidence shows that gross frauds were
perpe,ra,cd upon the treasury, ana large sums OF
money realized thercirom by Iwiichell and his eoned
crates
Your committee cannot, within the space OF this re-
port, recapiulsto the worse than pronsac conduct OF
school affairs and other irregularities and mapraetccs
OF Mr.. Twitchcli and his associates shown have
existed Ia Red RIVER parish since s organization The
testimony gives bret history o. many iransacsious
aud Tins attention Is invited In word. the affairs
pf the parish have been managed under the direction
ef Mr. Twitchci IN such way merit and receive
The condemnati ion OF good citizens OF both political
parties; aud your committee have 10 hesitation IN
nying that they were unprcparcd and greatly sur
priscd und such Iamentabe condition OF thlngs
sting These evils had grown to such a that
orr had been formed. known tho Prop
erty holders and l.abofers UninnN composed OF
pubcans and democrats, white and black, having Tor
Its object the oil parish from It's dcporabe
Condnion-
The evidence further shows that, Notwithstanding
the condition ol aiairs Tor nearly two past there
had been political excitement, no Threats at
tempts at INTIMIDATION had been heard or made. Men,
prominent IN both political parties, testified that no
Dnc danger, uy reason OF his political views
bis public private utteraDce OF The same; that men
:ould safely express their political views IN Red
River parish, on tue stump or elsewhere as IN any
Bart OF our conmoa country. Together with many
uhers A. b. i,rouehon, the parish judge, rcrub.
acan testified to the foregoing fact, and. IN addition
uatc, that hc naI orgaDized republican clubs curing
he campaign OF 1874 and that at time had lac been
nolcstcd or msdo afraid.
Your committee, after ascertainng that II was i'm