New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-01-18
THE wADLE1GH COMMITTEE,

Senator Wadleigh's committee assembled
at ten O'Clock yesterday morning, and re-
sumo the consideration Of West FelieianR
matters.
Samuel Carter. oolored, swOrn-To SEN
ator Wadleigh-Rsside in West Feliciana:
on the night GILBERT Carter was killed
heard the firing; it was at Charles Barrow .
pasture gate few minutes after l saw a
force of armed white men riding from the
direction where Carter was Killed; recog-
nized William Gilmore, Robert Gilmore and
Robert Wilson; they searched the hOnse of
a colOred man for papers, and then rode Of;
saw the bulldozers riding about day and
night; the colored people we're terrOrized;
left immediately after Carter was killed, as
they said we would all be killed.
To Senator MELON ald-Have heard that
the white people charged Carter had or
ganized a secret club; have heard that he
was running, trying TO get away, when he
was shot.
Charles Wilson, colOIe1, swOrn-To SEN
ator McD0nald-Have lived in West Fe-
licisns all my life, ffty-one years; l was
bulldOzed one night; was returning from
BAYOU Sara with my wife and sister: met
vine and got Out of the way; there were
five of them; knew all but one; on another
occasion they came into the quarters and
all the colOred men ran into the woods;
they wanted me to join the Democratic
club; Martin Summers told me that if
would come out and take 200 lashes they
would let me off, but if l would not take
that they would kill me; knew Martin Su n
mers, joe Edwards, Napoleon Riddle and
Ado Ball, who came TO the quarters did
not give the Democrats much opportunity
to talk with me because l was lodging like
a rabbit for months; think the Republican
party lost heap of votes on account of the
bulldOZiDg; never heard of but one Demo.
crat being hurt in all this trouble; that was
Thomas e. West; he was killed about three
miles from my house; heard that he with a
party of bulldozers went to Thomas
Wright's house, and was burning some
clothes when he was shot; Wright was q
oolored man; West WAS said TO be the cap
tain of the bulldozers.
To Senator McDOnald-Martin Summers
had shot two of my COWS; they we're shot in
the bags; 1 did not like it, and told him
80; he said that must remember that was
q God id niger, and he would shoot all
my COWS if they came into his lot; he killed
my hogs two years ago.
Daniel johnson, colored, sworn-To Sem
atOr Wadleigh-Have lived in West Felici-
ana twenty-five years; know of the death of
Gilbert Carter; we had just organized Re-
publican club; they came into the quarter
and took Gilbert Carter out and put him or
about the club; one said, "Put rope around
his neck" another put a pistol in his face
and said, "Say your your prayers, God d.
YOU" he said no, he would not say his
prayers, he would tell them about the club
he told them all he knew about it, and they
then took him eff; half an hour later heard
guns fired; suIuo If US ran down 10 the
bayou and stayed all night; about three
O'Clock in the morning heard o single shot
and cry; next morning saw Gilbert Car
ter's dead body; he had bullet hole il
his head just behind the right ear; did moi
see the whole of his body, as it was GOV
cred with q Quilt; l recognized in the party
which took Carter several white men
Thomas G.. West, Calhoun Hamilton
Charles Barrow, Matt Gilmore, j. ID. Smith
and Robert Wilson; / had to leave; they
IOnged TO the club, unless they joined the
Democratic party; l promised to do 80;
voted the Republican ticket; never heard OF
thought of such a thing as club to xii
white people; heard that story got up afLel
Carter was killed.
John B. Richards. colored, sworn-TC
Senator Wadleigh-Was commissioner O
cleo ion at poll No. l, West FelicianR par
ism, on election day; the votes were polleC
| at the window OF the courthouse; in thu
morning the white people came IN rusl
and pushed the cOlored people away; saw
armed DEMOCRATS around the polls; saw
their pistols under their coats; saw ex
Governor WicBliffe wife on some cOloreG
peoples registration papers, Voted, al
right" they had voted the Democratic
ticket, and it was supposed by the eOlOret
/ people that this would save them from mid
night visits of Regulators; heard that DIR
Ball discharged eOlored men from his EN-
ploy for voting the Republican ticket; havt
often seen the bulldozers riding about thu
parish; prominent among them were Cort
land Smith; Robert Wilson and Calhoun
Hamilton; the eOlOred people believed tina
the 29S society was q secret political organ
ization to carry the election for the Demo
Gratis; they generally thought they wer'
29S strong; do not know anything a6Ou
the Republican club of which Gilbert Car
| ter was president; the night he was killeG
the same crowd of bnlldozers came tn m!
house and searched il for papers belonging
| to the club; they found nothing but SOM
church papers; left the ward that night
because they said they would kill every
Republican in the ward.
To Senator cDOnald-Attended q churcl
meeting on the Flowers' place; there was n
Republican meeting after church was dis
missed; heard that Isaac Vessel was com
PEELED by Charles Barrow and others t.
| make an affidavit that there was \ clul
| formed ct that time to kill certain whit