Richland beacon., 1877-01-13
RADICAL TESTIMONY,
Made Before the Returning Board
Against Richland Parish.
Some Very Interesting Read.
ing for our Citizens, Showing
Why They were Disfran-
chised and the Depth Of
Moral Depravity Of
Some Individuals.
JEFF. PERKINS TESTIMONY.

JEFF. PERKINS, TESTIMONY
Direct In,errogatoriss PropOundsd by Rcpud-
Iran P0unsd
In,errosatory VIVA, is your name ?
Place O. residence and occupation Where
were you Oh the 7lh of November last, and for
one or two months previous
Interrogatory 2-What do you know abort
the general conduct of the registration and
election made and held IN andfor Richland par
isllat the last eection.in November lasi2 Stale
f there was any intimidation. violence, or
threats against republicans OF the parish !;
frauds, on other Illegal or wrongful practices
or corrupt influnces, ON the part of democrats
toward republican voters, or other cause ten
ding To prevent free, Guiet. and peaceab'e
vote of all of the qualified electors of said
parish. State circun,tanralIy all the facts
within your knowledge, or known to You flon
public notoriety and reliable sources. relative
to the manner in which said registration and
election were had, held, aud conducted in
SAID parish as to anything that might tend to
defeat the free and voluntary exercise of the
right of suffrage, thS law, or Otherwise.
Whether or not republicans could or could not
vote in said parish with safety To their lives
! if they voted the republican ticket Whether
ened to be discharged from employ'nen, in
case they voted the republican ticket. Stats
any matter or thing which caused intimIda-
i lion, any violence or threats, 10y democrats m
sad parish during the late canvass.
! Iiterrogatory 3.-S,ate any other facts
within your knowledge relative to sa,d regis.
tration aud election as If You h:d been special
! ly interrogaed about the same.
CROSS ISTERRoGARIEs.
Interrogatory What is your color.
J 2-What is your politics, and how long
! have you been acting under your present par
y?
3-Were you Il candidate for any Office at
the late election; and, If 20, for what office
3 Give names OF democrats who threatened or
praciiced any violence upon republicans pre-
viousy or upon day OF election.
! 4-What means were used 10 iniimidate
republicans from voting as they pleased, and
what was the nature Of the violence prac-
ticed2
/ 5-Give names of parties who have been
discharged or threated with discharge in the
event IF their voting the republican ticket,
! and also the names of Csc so threatening.
! Did you, in person, hear such threats made,
or do you oniy know from hearsay'
6-Do you actually and oi your own knowl-
edge know any act of violence or any threat
Of violence, on the part Of any democrat, to-
| wSrd a republican IN the parish solely on ac-
! cohnt of political difference lf ~, give
ma mes, places, time and the act Of violence or
| the threat used.
Have YOU NOT made and filed an affida-
VII stating that the election was peaceable
and fair and free from all violence and in
,imidaison or improper practices on the part
OF the democratic conservative party, 30 far
as you knew
/ S-Were you not connected with the regis
tration OF votes officially, and III What capaci-
| ty!
Give names of parties who interfered
with your duties in registering the votes, and
state If there was any poli;icai interference
aud, if so, by whom, giving names
lO-If you know of any intimidation. or
bribery, or improper influences used by demo
Gratis as against the free suffrage of repub!ican
! voters give names of those who used such
/ Influences, the times, the manner, and means
| so used.
| ll-What are your means of knowing that
republicans could not vote in sa'c parish, #
they voted the republican ticket. with saie'y
! to their iivesl DO you not know that many
white and colored voters openly voted the
republican tickets
ANSWERS TO DIRECT INCERROGAroRIES
my pane is jeff Perkins. live in
Richand parish, ten miles south OF Rayvillc
! | am iS wears oil |, and am fnrm-l.borrr ]
was in Richland parish on the ''li OF Noven'
Der, and | have lived thece ever since tue
parish was organized, and before.
81 am well acquainted in said parish,
/ and know their political Affiliations during
the registration and revision OF ree,>tratoni
! and up TO the late general election u the 1th
! Of November, 1876, there were, IN sand par
| tsh, acts of violence, inti n dation, disturb
ance, and corrupt influences, which did pre-
/ vent and tend to prevent free, fair, and fuli
| and peaceable vote of all the qualified cleo
tors Of said parish al the said general election.
I The facts are as follows About one Aonth
before the said election, Mr.. Dyson, promi-
nent democrat, said 10 me, if the colored men
/ did not 20 with the white people at the etec-
I ton that they, the colored people, would be
whipped from the face OF the earth. live
| in the fourth ward Of tire said parish, and
always, previ Jus 10 the .aS, canvass have
been a prominent republican leader, and
president OF a club ir my ward before the
last election VIM. Jackson and other colo ed
men were waited on by armed wh.e men IN
| masks, and warned not to organize rrpubican
, clubs or support republican candidates.
was deferred by such aforementioned acts
! from organizing my cQb as war my desire,
and the colored p ,ople were prevented from
meeting together in the interest Of the repub-
lican party, rs was their desire. | know
every colored man in said fourth ward, and
know, from frequent communion with them,
that there is no, one Of them who is demos
crat, or would have voted the democratic
ticket at the dte election, unless under duress
and coercion. On Monday before election, |
started up to Rayvile. the parish seat, to get
republican tickets After arrival atRsy"ille, =,
Stephen Perkins my son, came to Rayville
and told me that au aru.ed body OF white
democrats had organzed a; Alto to follow and
catch Cyrus Landrun, wha also came to Kay
Vile 10 get republican tickets. My son became
uneasy from this, and followed me to warn
me Of my danger l then complained to
Colonel Moore, sheriff of the parish Of Rich-
land, and Colonel Moore then told me if
agreed 10 scratch Leonard and Wheeler on
the republican ticket and insert Farmer and
Lucas, that he wouhl give Inc a letter Of pro-
lection. Colonel Moore is a prominent demo-
crat, and sheriff Of the pari>h. not being
able to do better, agreed 10 this arrangement.
Colonel Moore then gave me a pass or lettsr
of protection against the bull-dozers. The
letter was about in substance thus "Lei
these men pass they are all right. Mr.