Richland beacon., 1877-01-20
ARCH RENSONs TESTIMONY.

ARCH BENSON S TESTIMONY.
The direct .in,errosatorics are the same a
the others, and the cross- -intcuoga,ories are "a
follow:
If you state that you reside in RicLland
parish state :he ward in which you live, wha
is your color. and what is your politics.
2-lf, in answer TO second inierrogatory in
clTrf, you state that intimidation was prac.
ticed upon the part of democrats toward re-
publican voters, give fuily the names of those
( whc were practicug intimidation. the persons
1 who were threatened, the means used 10
cause intimidation, the occasion or occasions
upon which such improper Influences were
used Do yon know of Your own know dge
{ of any especiai act of intimida don practiced
/ by democrats against republicans, or is your
| information only from hearsay or vague
rumors, or infcrences drawn by you from the
| Idle conversario Of irresponsible partiess
! Sc We any instance within your own
! knowledge OF violence practiced by ore or
more democrlts upon republican merely
! fiom a difference in political views, giving the
names of all such parties in fall.
i-li. in answer To iuterrogato.y 2 in the
examination in cnief, you siate that parties
we're iiscl,argel or threatened To be Il -
chsrged in the event they voto' the republi-
can ticket state the n.mes Of the parties 80
threatened, and by whom; and if such
threats were rEade IN your prese'o'e, and the
time arc place such threats were made.
.7nsuers 10 Direct Iaierrogd;Ories.
My name is Arcny Bensor; reside in
the thlr.i wa'd Of II chlaLd parish, and am a
farmer | was in the above parish on the
9TH of November, 1876, and have lived there
i,r several years.
81 am a qualified elector and repulli-
can; at the last election voted at the general
box in the third ward. and the democratic
ticket | was compelled and fo.cpi to vote
the democratic ticket. | am a farmer, and
was rold 10y ID. ID. Donnell and Zacha,iah
Fletcher, democrats, about three weeks be
fore the election 'iat if did not vote he
democratic ticket my name would be lnt
down on the list to be killed, :, ia eight
others, coored repcblir7iS. Amon. The ORES
TO be killed W., myself, VA Ro.s, /. J
Tyson, Henry Brown, jeff. Holiday and Jim
Davis, all living IN the third ward in said
parish. know that Henry Allen, a colored
republican, living on the line dividing the
parishes of Rchland and Mor,iinuse, and
about a mile from my house, on the night
before the 9 ection, was severely beaten, and
had rope drawn across his neck. The
reason Of this cruelty was because A lien said
he would die before lie would vote the demo
cratic ticket. The democrats would not
allow the republicans to hold club meetings
in the parish during the late can vass Thee
are two hundred colored republican voters in
third ward, and eighiy-two voted the repuy-
hcan ticket at the las, election. live in the
portion of the parish called Winn Island
ward 3. There are about twenty coloreI
republican electors living on the island, and
only one Of these voted the repub..can ticket,
and he had to leave his home and 20 into the
woods to prevent being hurt by the democrats. /
His name is James Davis. ! saw h,rl on his
way to the woo,is aud lie told me he was
afraid Of his lie because he had voted the
republican ticket. The democrats would not
allow republican Clubs in the ward No B, |
nor either to have or attend church at night. |
We were allowed I, have church on Sunday, |
but democrats would be present until it was
over About three weeks before the election, |
Il. Justice, prominent democrat, told me,
Woe be TO the uDlucky niger who would |
vote the republican ticket" From Mr.. Jus
tees expression Of countenance when he |
made this remark, satisfied my mind that if |
did not vote his way 1t would be certain |
death. He (Jus'ice) lives also on Winns |
Island, ant: lie Is a terror TO the colured |
people and they dread him. He makes |
practice TO carry fire arms on his person. |
There was a great deal of intimidation and |
threats of violence used by the democrats |
a gainst Republicans during the late canvass.
Under full, fair and pcaceabe election, the |
parish would give republican majority OF
about two hundred and over. 1t went demo- |
cratic seven hundred and eleven votes ma
10 ity. Color.d republicans were prevented |
from voting as they pleased on account of
from the democrats. | know /
that colored republicans were made TO join |
the democratic clubs and attend their meet |
ings. | know that a colored man named,
Jake Porter, republican, was compelled to !
Join the democratic club IN ward 2.
ARCH BENSON.
Sworn to and subscribed before me this |
December lst, 1876.
wOOLFLEY.
Commissioner UnIed States Circuit
Court, District Of Louisiana.
.ansrsrs to Cross LaterrogGtories
IL reside in the third ward, parish Of
Richland. My name is Archy Benson. l
am a colored man and republican.
2-aAbout three weeks before the late elec-
ZION, R. Justice, a white democrat said to me,
'Woe he to the damn niger who votes the
republican ticket, for they will be killed or
driven from the parish
q d. B. Donnell and L. Fletcher told me that
they had me on the list of republicans who
were to be killed if we voted the republican
ticket J. 7. Tison, Wan. Ross, II. Brown,
]. Davis, JEFF Holiday and four other repub>
leans, were already on the list, and would
certainly be killed if they did not vote the
democratic ticket; this caused me to vote it
the democratic tickeO contrary to my will
and wishes.
3-For answer to this, refer to my an
swer to the above interrogatory. The organ