Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1877-01-27


Davis, F. Lauders, c. ii. Moore and Others
were at the depot, and wanted TO get the
tickets, saying rliat they would get them at
any risk went to DR.. Petit, prominent
Democrat, who went and tried To disperse the
.:rowd, but failed; he then went to the parish
.Idse and informed him as to what was the
matter and asked him to disperse the crowd,
which he did knows of Mr.. Dickson and
two colored men having been driven away
from the parish on account of their politics; !;
saw white men going in the direction Of poll
No ) on the morning Of the electirn, wiih
sho,.zHns; heard of armed organizations
known as b.!ilozers, gong around killing
dpgs aud shooting into the houses OF co'ured
men between Alto and Red Mouth, and
around Alto; my cousins were bulIdoccrs; ;
tina, IS what they said they were 'hey don't
like negro or a Republican. Was coh-
vinced Ut to short 'irne before the election
that the parish would go Republican.
This witness knows that this last statement
is false, and the others are from the same
clo,l when he authorized us TO announce
him a, independeat candidate for recorder, he
said he knew he would be beaten. but he
simple walk over, without any opposition
He says he voted the republican ticket in Red
River parish in 1872; and yet we are in>
fora. ed that he stated, when he first came TO
this parish, that he was refugee from Grant
parish, to escape the wrath cf the republicans
for the prominen, part he took, oil the demo
cratic side, in the Cofax affair; and ihat he
was such rabbid democrat, he proposed to
certain parties in this town to help hang Bill
ly Jones, leading republican, OIL account of
his politics, and was repulsed by them with
the remark that they were personal friends to
Mr. Jones, AMI they dido tpropose to hang or
hurt any one on acco, al Of his politics.
Here is what that dirty lick.spi,tle Dixon
says:
John Dixon called-Re.ile in Alto, Rich.
land parish; have resided there for one year;
came tn this State from Illinois; has wife
and two children; was married in Arkansas;
is a wagon maker, did not vote at the last
election, not having been in the State long
enough was employed in the shop of Mr..
Duke for six months; took no part in the last
campaign for either party; saw armod men
pass my house during the Daylight and night
for about one month before the election Dr.
Evans was sail to be tie captain Of the COM
pany, which nun. bered about twenty men,
with shoiguns and Winchester rifles; George
Francis, Ben Newberry and Willie Ellington
were members; they claimed to be organized
to keep down di>iu: Dances; threats were
made before the election; saw one carried
out after the election; coiOred man was
beaten anh cut over the head by white man
with >;ave e. voting the Republican ticket
heart that III +. Nickers would not employ
any i,a1 who voted t,e Republican ticket;
the cnc-r ;e0ple were afraid to vose OIL
accOanF ct these threats; Dick Iilman Dick
COvingion and ano!ter named Draper and
others wee afra ii to vote; threats were made
aga,r>, tie ani dared TO, 90 back home to
live; a 'p;lr. vas posted Oh my gate direct
Ing r.e to leave the parish as my life was not
safe; another one was posted at Mr.. Dukes
mill, ins,Iici = him not to give me any more
work ami iu make me leave the parish; both
were signed %. VI. c. aud written in the
same haniwriIing Mr.. Duke stated that he
had 10 conform with the. notice and obey it;
testified before the Returning Board as to
the election in Richland parish.
Hon P II. Toler, our Represe We in the
Legislature, whose word is worth the oaihs of
a thousand such fellows as Moore and Dixon,
took the stand next, and told what he knew
about intimidation and abou, the character ol
). c. Moore, which was as follows:
Z. H. Toler caled-Resided in Richland
parish since January, 1871; lawyer by pro-
:ession; was chairman OF the Democratic
Excessive Commitiee Of the parish; my in
strucsIons were to carry out the idea of Gen.
eral Nichols in his speeches delivered at
Baton Rouge aud a, Alto, Richsand parish,
about the first part Of September; the state
mcmt made by Mr.. Moore before this COM
mittee is not true; this man and his brother,
Frank Moore, have repeatedly during the
campaign tried to create d fuss; the only band
of armed men was a company OF twenty or
twenty five colored men going to poll NJ. .;
the election was perfectly quiet aud peaceful
and no intimidation was used; the parish
went Democratic in 1872 and 1874 by a ma.
jority Of about 800 4 was mo than taiI
the majority in 1876 was about 700; the col
ored vute ia the parish is about 600; the par.
ish is divided into five wards; Ouachiia par
ish adjpins Richland; don't think there are
more than ten white Republicans in the par
isl; do not know how the Republican party
org ,rized in the parish; Samuel {. Moore
was in the employ of Mr.. Thomas jones W.
L. Jones for year or two and then he went
into business for himself; his character is not
good; only know Mr.. Dixon by sight; do not
know anything against his character; heard
OF no whipping or shooting Of colOrcd men;
visited nearly all the negroes homes ia the
parish; eircuoneerei s,r the Democratic par
": Frank More rode out Of town shortly
after the election, saying he was going 10
Notcbi,ocles parish; do not know what be-
came Of him after lie left RayviIle, in Rich.
land parish the school fund has not been
stolen to my knowle,le in my parish; the
school board is composed Of all Republicans,
and never heard that they were ever charged
with misapproprizting or stealing the school
fund.
]. F. Kelly called-Resided in Richland
parish since 1869; was supervisor Of registra-
lion at the last election; appointed the COM
missioners Of the last Election the registration
of 1874 was about 1853; heard Of SINE
eight or ten cases of intimidation: heard Of
armed men travelling through the parish
during the night visiting the quarters Of the
coIored men on the different plantations, aud
infimidaiins the coiored men.
J.H Ne,,les caIIesl-Reside in the parish
of Richland; heard Of colorsd men who
were insimiais,el and forced TO vote the
Democratic ticket; in one case J. L. Spencer
told me il any Of his hands would vote the
| Republican ticket he would not employ them
any longer; was a candidate for justice Of
the peace on the Republican ticket; q boy in
my employ wss nat allowed 10 vote for me
and was told that If he did he would not be
allowed 10 remain in the parish; was depu-