The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-12-07
Horrible Atrocities in Louisiana.

Horrible Atrocities in Louisiana.
AS 4 part CT the evidence taken before Ii,
Returning Board of Louisiana, to determin
whether there has been q fair election, "
give the following extracts from reliable an
trustworthy correspondents, who are on tn
ground, and have every opportunity to sat
or Information bearing OH the question in
VOWED. A letter in the New York Times G
the 2Sth says:
A startling scene occurred before the Re
turning Board to-day Four witnesses wer
examined All had been wantonly shst be
cause OF their Republican principles. Tw
| were brought to the city Oh cots. Their name
are Ben. James, Eaton LongN ood. II. W
Burrell and Eliza Pinkstoii. During tn
lat.er's pitifu recital Of her wronga--ller hils
band emascllated and then killed before he
eyes. OF her babe whose throat was cut in he
arms. Of her own ga&lie,l breast and limbs
and finally the outrage OF her person by rw
white Observation-Disclosures John NJ. Pal
mer. OF illinois, leaped from his chair and sal
in wrath: III this story be false, those tina
prepared i, for this poor woman should b,
hanged; but If, as firmly believe, it is true
the wretches who can pelpetrate such afro
cities should be executed without mercy.
will spend $4,000 to ferret out this case. L
looks true. t'his poor woman has certainl,
been cruelty wrnn yed. Thequestion is broad
er now than Observation-Disclosures is one o
humanity. II she has told the truth, Sheri
dan should come back at and hold with yriI
of iron people who can see such infam,
| without reinOnstrance even in their publ,
prints" Governor Palmer was greatly excl.
ted while making these remarks, and aston
ished the Louisiana Democrats, who tried il
vain to pacify him. General Geo. b. Smith
of Wisconsin, also exhibited much excitement
and turning upon local Democrats. sait
you have deceived us. Subsequently Lyman
Tiumbuli, who was absent from the room
during the wonan's recital, fatty CONQUERED
with Gen. Palmer. The decentralization O
the Democrats here is complete. not only be
cause OF facts disclosed, but because. of til.
names OF leading Democrats who are exposed
in detail as the rnurtprrrs and ravisileis
Other witnesses, men and woman, who have
cruelty suffered, are yet to take the stand.
The Chief OF Police has been compelled
to station force around the dolnicle within
which Mrs. Pirkston lies PROSTATE on bed
A turbulent Democratic crowd is assembled
ami they are loud with meiiaces. At last II
not return home and sneer down Southern
Democratic outrages as myths. The test
mony which Hon. John Sherman. Gen. Gar
field. Eugene Hale Gen. White. Conrtlatldl
Parker. E. W. Stonghton and Judge Kelley
will furnish the North will startle the whole
country. Following is in substance Mrs. Pink
stOn,s statement:
On Saturday night, the 4th Of the month
Henry PinkstOn, 4 respectable colored mai,
who was known in the island district OF Gu
actita parish. went TO his cabin, as is stated
having held q consultation regarding the
election with a number of Republican lea.
ders. He was known in the parish as a stead
fast and somewhat demonstratiye Republican
but fearing for his life, he had recently join
ed a Democratic club. According to the
Which is now before me, he went quietly t.
bed on the night in question, not fearing oil
apprelien'ing any danger. At about 8 O'Clock
the next (Sundaylnolntg Il number Of men
who from their voices were known to be
white, came to the cabin, and, knocking on
the door, said, "Cune out here. Pimkstoi.,
your Yankee friends want to take you to
Monroe
% this Mrs. Pinkston. who thought she
recognized the voice Of the speaker, replied
You are no Yankee: you are DR.. Young
man named Gogan. who was afterwards
recognized b, Mrs. Pinkston, Immediately
answered. abr. Young is not in the parish"
After a few words more of no Importance
had passed between the terrified woman and
the men on the outside Gogau broke down
the door OF the cabin, aud 4 number Of arm
ed white men, among whom Mrs. P inksio,
recognized DIR. Young, Billy Parks. Gogan.
Frank Durham, Buck" Baker aud others.
rushed into the room. They went up to the
bed where Pnkston was lying, and, drag
ging him out Oh the floor, cried, 81 You will
vote no tnore-Ra.lical tickets here Buck
Baker said, ave must tend to the woman,
too.''
hey then commenced firing their pistol,
at Finkston. lie fell. His wife screamed,
and one OIL them struck her over the head
with his heavy navy reviewer. She was cut
and shot in several places; her jaw was bro
ken, but she did not die. " hen she had been
"'telded tOf the men took her husband,
tied Il handkerchief over his mouth, and car
ried his bleeding body out Of the house.
Then they killed him. Before he died h.
BEGGED them to spare his life, saying: II will
vo,e the Democratic tlcke, SURE" NO.
said one of them, $500 - your niygei
heart, you have fooled us long enough; now
you must die.' Having killed the husband,
the men next turned to the wife. Her in
FAINT lay at her side. They cut its throat
from ear co ear and threw the dead bo ly in
to Il pond uear by. Thea they left the cabin
And the bleeding, cliilslless widow Of their
victim Nv them no more. There are 2, 1877
Republican voters in the Parrh where Hem,
Pimkston livel, but only Isl OF chem went t.
the polls Oh election day. II. c.
DR.. Rediield, of the Cincinnati CONNER.
cial, whose fairness In treating Of the cur.
rent history Of parties in Louisiana has gain
ed the approval Of the Democratic press.
says:
The next worse case to that OF Pinkston's
is the murder Of two mel in East Baton
Rouge, father and SON. They were killed
The night of the 18th Of April, at the com.
mencrnent Of the campaign. Twn weeks
before being killed they were warned, in
writing. to move away within ten days.
they were frightened, and, the witnesses
say, applied to the merchant Where they diu
their trading. He advised them to STAY al
tonne. attend TO their business, and paw nc
attgnioE to the threat. But death followed,
dozen iIlen came i'll the night and shot
them to death. Two of the fanlily--nother
and sister-were present, and have made
sworn statements, with AL the horrible de-
tails. Their testimony Is corroborated from
stVefa. sources, including certified copies ot
the coroner's inquest held Oh the bodies.
A more complete picture of woe | neve
saw than these two faces--the old VIC mai,
who lost her husband and son, aud the
daughter who lost her husband and BROTH
er. Their faces haunt me, and l say. cali
this be true? Were there two men AIKEN out
OF bed at tight and shot like wild beasts /:
And, ii not true, how came these womel,
here? How coul they tell such a Straight
story with nothing to base it upon? Anu
more than all, how could their poor faces as
slime that look Of settled, terrible anguish, !
Men OF the North and o. the South, you
who love your fellow men, and are opposed
to murder rs an element in the conducting
Of a campaign, let us have the truth aOvul
this wretched business. Lay aside part,
feelings. No party can afford to profit by
such AS this. Ii cheese poor people have been
treated as alleged, let lis know l.. If tiles.
parishes have been carried by murder, let us
KNOW it.
And when the truth it out-and 1t will
come Out this winter, il what the Republi
CANS here allege is true, the Democratic par
ty must not, can not, defend it. The party
will be damned that seeks to win power
through liiurder-criei, cowardly, cold