The New Orleans Democrat. (New Orleans, La.) 1875-1876, 1876-05-19
LETTER FROM BAYOU SARA.
Full Account Of the Origin Of the Trouble
in West Fcliciana.
thirty Negro HIoters kiIicd IN Wiih'"-
SOP County.
HAynu SAHA. La. May ". 1876

BAyou SAnA. La. May II. 1876.
Editor NJ q Democrat
Dear Sir ~ special dispatch you
have already been Informed OF the
brutal murder IF Max Arason. Ger
man Jew. who kept store on the plan
Triton of II J.. Perkins. near the Missis
eippi line. by band If armed negroes.
This awful tragedy occurred on the
night Of the 18th, and Is one Of tho
most cold blpoded murders that has
ever tnken ~plnr" in this vicinity.
Araspn wns u man highly respected
in tho community in which he liY"h
and no cn,iEr can he attributed to THIS
foul treatment on tn" part ~ tne
neprooa. unless it. ives that he had fully
Identified himself with the Gonsstvh
tivoa in his neiehborhooI aud had
ioinoI n Democratic club ~ few days
before his death, which the negroes hnd
threatened they would not allow to or
pnniza Tho quick and Just revenge
which has pvertakcn two ~ tho brltes
that committed this foul crime Will !
hope. put 1T rest tho foul stigma thht
has been east upon tho people ~ nus
vicinity. "that n poor German emigfhht
would not be allowed to live here.
1 After the Irnth Of Arason. n large body
! of citizens collected ut the place To mud
ont tho en,isn. etc. Of tho killing The
! Coronrr's inquest developed the Follow
! inc fncts Tint on the night OF the
\ lith IL BODY IT about forty armed ne
uroes aprenred in front of the store 81
4 Max Arnaon. and asked for fenfge
/ Howell u young planter who lived III
The neighhorhoo1 Not finding him.
thew told the deceased. when he nhho
his appearance at the door. that he was
4 Tho Il IA son Of n y h TINT they wanted.
fred. killing him instantly. and wound
ing his oolored clerk IN the lace. yer
dict Of Jury Came to his death by gun
shot wounds inflicted by fire arms in
tha hands Of armed negroes unknown.
Citizens s1Epeeting one negro as the
riuulcadrr arrested him Mt once ana
placed him under guard. on further
senrch another negro gave himself NJ,
and said he would confess all II they
would spare his life. He made full
confession. duplicating the first Negro
arrested M the captain Of the club. and
named fourteen others lie was hei
allowed to 60 free, One other arres'
was made. aud two executions followed
at once.
The names Of the other parties were
then placed in the hands 81 Sheriff
Noble. OF Wilkinson county. and u large
posse placed ut his command lie pro
ceedcd 10 mako other arrests and fonn'
the negroes were arming to resist hiiH
This news spread through the coun
try. and before many hours 800 wei
armed men were in Woodville. Furthe
ATTEMPTS to make arrests were made
and the parties met by well organizes
bands az armed negroes. several en-
gapcmcnts took place. n few whlte
have been wounded and about thirt'
negroes killed. II Is not known how
; muny have been wounded
', A party from this place and vicinity
about forty men. left here Monday oven
; inc for the State line, rs large bodies o
armed negroes wcre reported congrega
. ting there. After making u circuit 9
over sixty miles they returned yester
! day evening ms everything WIS quiet
other parties having secured tn
, country lust ahead Of them, an
. dapoiaing MI armed bodies 9
negroes wherever they me
them. On inuuiring into the chuse an
: origin Of the trouble, Ai1nbtrhd an
, Swnzie figure very eonspicuouHly, the
were in the ncighborhood two days pre-
vious to the killing of Arason, an
arc gtppoaed to have organized the clu
and furnished them ammunition for Tia
!, purpose. II Is looked upon as politi
cnl scheme, and these poor delude
!, negroes are only the willing dupes Of
: higher power. A general riot was II
doubt contemplated. but the quick an
prompt action Of the whites nipl'ed i i
The bud. sheriff Noble Is reported t
be in the vicinity of Fort Adams to-da5
with d large posse.
/, Rumor says negroes in Pointe Coupe
!, arc organizing, with tho intention Z
crossing over the river. ] hardly thin
there II any foundation for the report
but II the teachings Of the New Orlcan
| R,u,Jiica, (see editorial "Our Fearful
Negro Riots" in Tuesday 3 paper coul
,, be carried out, Louisiana would soon b
second 81. Domingo Dispatche
from Woodyille this morning reports ~
quiet. .. =.