New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-31
FHR INvRsT1aATlTG COMMITTEES
CcoNr1NuED PROM FIRST PAos.1

kOONIhNOHO khOD kIHoT FAO6.J
missing; do not know Who took it; did not
swear to it because tho original was lost;
would not swear to tho other documents
because did not know whether they had
been altered or not; Atkins and Strother
compared their lists in my presence; Repub-
licsns in Baton Rouge did not advise me
To Senator Wadleigh-Only three Repub-
lican votes were cast at my p0ll-thOso Of
the other Republican election commissioner,
tho deputy marshal and my own; Demo
Gratis would meet every ool0red man who
camo up, give him Democratic ticket, and
one man on: On each eide 60 up to the polls
tickets were distributed.
Martin Durham sworn-Was born in
East Baton Rouge; in January, 1876, James
Long rented me some land; Long came to
me and said he had received . letter, which
he showed me, stating that he could not
keep any Republican on his place; the let
ter had Q picture of man hanging on
tree; had to leave; then went to work
my fsther-in-lsw's place, Jerry Meyers; in
April armed men came to our place and
took Jerry and Sam Meyers; l ran into
the woods and stayed all night; heard
about ten pistol shots; in the morning l
went back, and there was no one there;
c0lored man told me he saw the parties who
had Jerry Meyers; they took him out about
two miles and hung him to tree; my
vito told me that her brother Sans body
was found about 200 yards from the house
with many bullet holes in his body; all
know % to the cause of his death 10 what
Mr.. Bartoli, my brother-in-law's merchant,
told me; he said old Jerry talked too much
about Republicansm; he bought newspa-
pers and went out and read them to the
colored people, and organised clubs; left
at once; was warned that if l remained
ever heard of was made by the whites to
find out who committed these murders, nor
by the colored people; did not try my self
for fear / would be killed, too.
To Senator McDonald-Mr. Long told me
il l would quit the Republicans and join the
Democrats could stay on his place; did
not say any thing about stealing hogs; be-
lieve the letter did say that Long twas har-
boring thieves" there we're other men on
was on the other place lost all I had
made; Jerry Meyers was up building fire
whom they came; he had the asthma, and
was building the fire ON that account; do
not know whether the fire was under ket-
tie or not; there was q wash kettle in the
yard; Sam Meyers was delegate to Re-
publican convention in 1874; Mr.. Bsrtoli
said he made enemies then, but had been
very quiet since
To Senator Wadleigh-Never heard that
the Meyerses were ever charged with
stealing hogs or anything else; it is Gus
| tomary among colored people to have wash
kettles and build fires under them in the
yard; my father-in.lsw had seventy-fve or
100 head of hogs and other stock; most of
| the hogs were running in the range; since
times got so bad my father in.lsw got q
Senator Wadleigh-YOur appearance in.
| colored or whiteS
The witness-I was born in slavery; my
mother was Q bright mulatto woman; my
| father was white man.
Thomas MeAlpine. sworn-Was deputy
United States marshal in East Baton
Rouge few days previous to and q few
days after the election; accompanied party
| parish; the cOl0red people wore afraid to
attend the meetings, and even to speak to
| the canvassers; one old man came ont and
said he would talk with them if it was the
last act of his life; witness testified to gen.
ersl condition of intimidation as to the COL
ored people, and the irregularities of the
election in the city of Baton Rouge.
To Senator McDonald-Hsve been .
member of the Metropolitan Police; am no Y
1 u
the twenty fourth of June; do not draw pay
except when at work; had printed instruc-
tlons-n0 others; Exhibited instructions of
Attorney General Taft, with United States
statutes attached; made no distinction be-
tween Federal or State candidates, rs they
were printed on the same ticket; arrested
Mr.. Cheatam for interfering with me in my
duties; would have arrested the Governor if
he had inter fer ed with me; Mr.. Pierce told
l In 10 n q.
body to come there talking to his ne groes;
did not tell them not to come on his place,
for they were on the public highway, and
had no intention of going on the place:
George Bird, sworn-Have resided in East
Baton Rouge thirty-five years; am president
of the Republican Parish Executive Com
mittee; have known of many acts of VIC
lence during the campaign; colored MAI
named Robinson was hung; Jerry Meyers
and son were killed; . woman on Mrs
Garig's place was brought into town, said tt
have been hung; there were other cases; 9
| meeting in the sixth ward was interrupted
by white Democrats; Mr.. Hinson took then
away: he is white Democrat; at another
Republican meeting Mr. A. s. Gilbert wa
called on to speak; when he got up he was in
terrupted by white men; one said, You wa
in the swamp the other night when We wer'
| after you;" another said, Eyes, he has 90
the mud on his neck now that he got in thu
swamp" attempted to organize the party
but on account of the terror among the col
ored people could not do so; there has beel
no peace and order in the parish for year
am colored man; was told by cOlored mel
that they were obliged to wear DemOcrati
badges or be driven from the plantations
do not believe there are 100 colOred Demo
Gratis in the parish from their own choice
To Senator McDonald-There was com
difference in the Republican party in refer
ence to candidates. but no division; tn
. Democrats wanted Gilbert to remain on tn
ticket for the Legislature, instead of Lane
Bates is the Democrat who said the mu
was on Gllbert's neck; he also said, Let
pull the son of - off the wagon;
heard rumor that Lanes friends had vii
tied Gilbert's house; can not give the nam
of the man who said, "fou were l
the swamp the other night whe
we were after you,' but heard il
and can bring you . man who doe
know the mans name; Gilbert was called
id liar when he said the bulldozer
would not allow him to sleep in his ow
house after his nomination; Gilbert the
said that if Packard was elected the bul
dozers would be punished, or the whit
people might not be able to sleep in thei
t | ward, cav Charley Roberts, white DEM
crat. taking down the names of colore
people present; told him that was NJ
right-it was intimidation; he said he W.
: taking only the names of those who b.
!, longed to his club; there are about te
, white men in the parish whose Republican
ism would trust; five or six of them hol
< office; would not like to name those who q
{ not hold office, because they would be afra
q to have it made public; there were charges
hog stealing published in the paper aft
+ Jerry Meyer was hung; the woman wi
z was hung was taken from o cOnstab
. while in custody; she was charged with q
. tempting to poison the family of Booth.
To Senator McMilan-It il the opinion
9 the Republicans that they are prosecute