Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-12-07

Bulgarian Atrocities Outdone,-
Affidavit of an Official.

Board:
State of Louisiana, Parish of East
Baton Rouge.
+. a Glover, being duly sworn,
states that he was the duly appointed
Supervisor of Registration in and for
the parish of Fast Baton Rouge, in
the State of Louisiana, daring the
time of registration held preceding and
preparatory to the last election, held
the seventh day of November. eighteen
hundred and seventy-six. That as
such Supervisor Of Registration, he
conducted said registration and revi-
sion of registration from the 18th day
Of August to the 2Sth day of October,
1876, inclusive.
That during the said term of regis
tration and revision of registration.
there was riot, tumult, acts of violence,
intimidation and bribery and corrupt
influences at and near several places of
registration and revision of registra-
ton in said parish, which said riot and
tumult. aots of violence, intimidation,
disturbance and corrupt influences did
tend to prevent. and did prevent, a
fair, free, peaceable and full vote of all
the qualified electors of said parish.
That by reason of said riot, tumult,
acts Of violence, intimidation, disturb
ances and corrupt influences, the cleo
tion held in said parish on the 7th of
November, 1876, was not a fair, free,
full and peaceable election, nor was
there free, fair, full and peaceable
vote of all the qualified electors of
said parish. That the facts relating
thereto are as follows:
During said period of registration
it came to my knowledge in my official
capacity that large number of the
qualified electors of said parish, col
ored men, were forced to join the Dem
ocratie clubs, and told that if they did
not vote the Democratic ticket they
would be bull-dozed or regulated, by
which wor Dis [ understood to be meant
armed bands of men visiting said vot-
ers, and by whippings, shootings, or
other violence, putting them in fear of
their lives and forcing them to flee
their homes.
That some time prior to or during
said registration, a colored man named
Joe johnson, a qualified elector of
said parish, and a prominent Republi-
can, was visited by armed men at his
house at night. and taken prisoner by
them. Said parties poured coal oil
over his person and set him on fire,
and then shot him to death.
That some time near or during said
registration colored man named Will
liam 7. Payne, qualified elector of
said parish, was visited at his house in
the night, by an armed band of white
men, who took him from under his
bed, put a rope or lariat around his
neck, and attached the rope to the pom
mel of saddle on horse or mule,
and dragged him to death.
That at a short time before or during
said period of registration a colored
man named lsidore Heron, qualified
elector of said parish. Justice of the
Peace, and a Republican, was visited
by an armed band of men at night, at
his house, and taken prisoner by them;
said parties put rope around his neck
attached said rope to the pommel of
saddle, and dragged him nearly to
death, and whipped him.
That during said period of registra-
ton band of armed white men, mask
ed, went to the house of one AIeck
Gilbert, a colored man, qualified elect
or of said parish, and prominent Re-
publican leader, for the purpose of
killing him, and not finding him, for
chilly took Alice Gilbert, his wife, out
of her house and placed rope around
her neck, threatened to hang her, for
the purpose of forcing her to disclose
the whereabouts of her husband
During said period of registration it
came to my knowledge, in my official
capacity, that bands of armed white
men patrolled the roads of such parish
almost nightly on horseback, this for
the purpose of striking terror into the
minds of the colored people, thereby
preventing them from voting the Re-
publican ticket.
At short time before or during
registration, it came to my knowledge,
in my official capacity, that in several
instances armed bands of white men
had visited the houses of colored Re-
publicans and voters, and taken Thorn
from their houses and whipped them,
this for the purpose of striking terror
into the minds of the colored people,
and causing them to be in fear of
their lives and persons, should they
vote the Republican ticket.
That at short time before, during
said period of registration, there came
to my knowledge in my own official
capacity, several instances of white
men having shot at and wounded col
ore1 Republicans This for the pur-
pose of striking terror into the minds
of the colored people, and prevent
them from freely and peacsably exer-
cising their right to vote.
That during said period it has come
to my knowledge in my official capaci-
ty that Republican meetings were in
terfered with and disturbed by armed
bands of white men, with threats of
violence, abuse, oatbs, cursings, and
by following the Republican speakers
and threatn1ng them in violent man
ner, that by such disturbance and vio-
lence the peace of Republican meet
ings was disturbed, Republicans were
prevented from attending, and were