New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-19
THE wADLEIGH COMMITTEE.


Senator Wadleigh's committee assembled
at a few minutes past ten O'Clock yesterday
morning, with all the members present.
The investigation of West Feliciana was
resumed.
Henry Brookhart, colored, sworn-TO
Senator McDonald-Haver resided in West
Feliciana forty-nine years; voted the Dem
ocratic ticket at the Laurel Hill poll have
heretofore voted the Republican ticket;
thought the Democratic party was the
''most safest side;" was appointed mem
Der of the parish school board, and when
the board had meetings they did not invite
me; think the children are worse after they
go to school than before; never have been
threatened or intimidated; the election was
peaceful and quiet.
To Senator WadIeigh-The Aaronstein
trouble created good deal of uneasiness
among The cOlored people; at first it was re-
ported that there were 300 or 400 colored
people killed; after ward there we're SO many
different reports / did not know what to be-
lieve; then we heard of the Mount Pleasant
trouble; was dissatisfied with the Repub-
lican party because the government did not
give the colOred people protection.
John Haley, colored, swOrn-To Senator
McDonald-Testifeda about the same as the
preceding witness.
To Senator Wadleigh-Was not afraid of
bulldozers, because / knew l had to die
some time, and thought might die at one
time as well as another.
j. B. Simms, sworn-TO Senator McDOn.
ald-Reside in West Feliciana parish, fifth
ward; have lived there four years; am a
farmer; took part in the political canvass
last year in the interest of the Democratic
party; own a plantation near the Mississippi
line, and am agent for another; some of the
cOlOred men in my employ voted the Demo-
cratic ticket, and some the Republican;
9-A
three cases where Democratic cOlored men
were threatened by Republicans of their
own race; live near AarOnstein's store; ex-
amined the circumstances attending his
killing; there was a cOlOred man named
Henry Hill in my employ who killed a COW
belonging 60 another colored man; he was
notified to leave the parish; he did not go;
one day during my absence two white men
came to my place-One of them was Aaron
stein-and whipped Henry Hill.
Some discussion between members of the
committee here ensued as to whether an
examination should be made OF the Aaron
stein affair, most of which occurred in Viii
kinsOn county, Mississippi.
Senator Wadleigh stated that as he had
on Senator McDonars objection ruled not tC
enter into this matter, he could not now
consistently change the ruling.
Witness resumed-AltOgether believe
there were three eOlored men hung and ten
or twelve shot and killed; it had not thG
most remote connection with politics; know
Henry Semple; the reason he left the ward
as he told me, was that he had led body
of eolOred men to Bayou Sara, and the
white people had never forgiven him, ans
he was afraid he would get into trouble.
To Senator Wadleigh-0ne of the candi
dates on the Republican ticket was brother
of the lady TOR whose plantation am agent
there was considerable disturbance in th'
\ ward, the disturbance was the killing o
stock and stealing; belonged to the UniOI
Conservative Club; the white citizens O
the parish, believing they could accom-
plisk nothing by appealing to the authori
| ties, took the matter in their own hands
that caused considerable terror among tn
colored people; approved Of the action o
the white people. Senator Wadleigh rea'
to witness the published resolutions of tn
Union Conservative Club, which set fOrtl
that . great amount oflawlessness exists il
in the parish, scandal0us alike to the Stat
and 70 the United States, and that the clul
condemns BHah lawlessneas, and particular
" condems the visiting Of plantations q
night and the shooting ~ and hanging pee