New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-10
THE wADLEIGH COMMITTEE.


The Senate subcommittee, consisting of
Senators Wadleigh, Mcmillan and McDon.
aid, assembled at halt-past ten O'Clock yes
terday morning, and continued the inves-
tigatiOn of affairs in East Baton Rouge.
The first witness called was Lieutenant
s. N. Holmes, for the Democratic side.
To Senator McDOnald-Am lieutenant in
Company G, Thirteenth Infantry; was sta
toned last summer in Clinton, East Fell
eiana parish; on election day was in Baton
Rouge; visited some of the polls; witnessed
no disturbance of any kind; attended sew
eral Democratic meetings; appeals were
very generally directed to the cOl0red men;
there was nothing in the speeches in the
nature of q threat; attended Republican
meetings; saw no interruption
Mayor Leon JastTemski, of Baton Rouge,
who had been requested by Senator MeDOn-
aid to obtain from the proper officers of the
society 29S permission to state to the COM
mittee the objects of that order, submitted
letter which he had written to "Jndge
William R. Whitaker, w. NJ, Orleans Con
clRve Order 1885," submitting the request
and the reply of Judge Whitaker, the sub
stance Of which is as fellows:
II should be glad to aid in such arrange
ment, but l know of but one practicable
way. Our order is secret and We can com
mnnicate its eecrets to the members of the
committee only by initiation. While sug-
B0bl1uR bDLb lhcb 10 l06 N6UADOFt you can
aver that the order requires nothing of its
members inconsistent with their religious
or political faith or affiliation."
The letter further invites the members of
the committee to join the order. Mayor
JasJremski said that arrangements had
been made to have the ceremony come of
at the St. Charles Hotel if the Senators
were willing.
Senators Mcmillan and Wadleigh respect
fully dpelina0
The committee took recess until one
o'clock
A. BeasOm, colored, swOrn-Reside in
East Felioiana; was taken out by q band
OF men and hung, but not killed.
John Brooks, eOlored, sworn--Lives in
East Felioiana; never voted anything but a
Republican ticket; did not vote in 1876;
thought my life would not be safe If voted
the Republican ticket; was told could not
retain my property # did not vote the Dem
OcERtic ticket; about $50 armed men came
to my house and asked for Rev. John
Brooks; said that they understood col
lected seed cotton for my salary or my
rent; assured them that it WAS not 30; they
rode off.
Senator Howe said he did not under
stand about this seed cotton. Was it poi
sOn9
Witness replied that ''seed cotton was an
excuse used to gain certain point"
The Senator said that explained one
phase of the seed cotton question.
Aaron Mckenzie, colOred, sWorn-Re.
side in East Felieiana; was taken out and
beaten; ends of my fingers were all whip
ped off; witness showed his hands, the
nails of which had evidently been stripped
OIL promised to vote the Democratic ticket
anu did SO.
AlOnzo Brooks, eOlored, testified to the
imposslbility of organizing the Republican
party in East Felieiana on account Of in
timidation.
Wesley Smith, Abram Carey and Charles
Wilson, al eOlored, testified to acts of vio-
lenee in East Felioiana.
lev John A R.ley testified TO q general
condition OF violence and intiRaidAtiOn to-
ward Republicans in the parish. He read
his statement, which waa q very clear and
lucid one, Of the events which have been
testified 90 by other witnesses.
Ga crOGs-examination Mr.. Riley said. In
relan0n to the killing Of John Gair, that it
Was alleged be had been guilty of . crime,
but shat the man was killed without trial,
and the witness was killed also; think there
have neeu bad officers In the parish; the cot
Iop seed evil Was great oRe; the white
stQrekRapers induced o0iOred men to staal
the c0ttons have suffered from that cause
mgseit; the dissatisfaction with officials
@8 not eonAaed . kepablioeus; there YES
sieaf aeal Of dlaeesaiaesi0n with tho adtnin.
is'iz7toe Qt 1at eehptl tq41a under ~ efass.
aAa4t eieealqN NffAl4entlel NIeafut en
c,A4at&tt uee 10 nlt aInE aiI
kn46 w ~
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