Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-01-05
THE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEES


| Louisiana
McEnery was recalled at the meeting Of
the Senate committee on the 9th. He saC
the first effort of the Democrats was to break
down the color line by assuring the negroes
that their condition would be improved b,
joining the Democrats; at Logtown seventy
three colored men Joined the Democratic
club at one time under the exhortation Of {
minister; the vote cast at the last election
was larger than at the previous election; In
Monroe 1t was much larger, as colored mer
had been told to vote there this reduced the
Republican vote in the other parishes; all the
other polls In the parish were thrown out
those thrown out were Democratic; witness
said the rife clubs were organized for the
protection of colored Democrats and pre-
serving the peace; he said the Democrats had
spared no pains to secure a peaceablc cleo
tion; had heard Of six hoDlicides and six per
sons being shot In the parish during the last
| campaign; never knew of that number in the
same period before, but did not think the
rifle clubs had anything to do with them.
| The Senate subcommittee took testimony
as to East Baton Rouge Parish. Stephens
Gilbert (colored) testified: Had seen an
armed body of men styled BuIl-Dozers," )" or
" Regulators" riding on the roads at night
they were Democrats; they visited witness
house in his absence and put rope round
his wife's neck; attended meetings which
were interrupted by armed white men; knew
| johnson and the two Meyers (colored); the
latter were murdered and witness thought
johnson was; knew Payne; he was taken
from his house and his body was found in
the river; Payne was President of the Re-
publican club; witness had left his place,
which he owned; dared not return;
his life was threatened by Joe Bates;
he gave numerous specific cases of bull
doing and terrorizing in the parish,
and said the effect Was to prevent
the colored people from attending Republic.
an meetings and voting that ticket. Wade
| (colored) gave similar testimony; the regu-
| lators came to his house for him but did not
find him; knew Beechman aud Selvage (col-
ored); they were taken from their houses
and hung; Parker was shot. Gilbert's wife
| corroborated his testimony; she knew some
| OF the men who came to their house, but
was afraid to give their names. Morgan
| (colored), Coroner of the parish, testified
Was notified by the regulators to stop hold
| ing inquestsi knew Of the murder of Jerry
and Samson Meyers; never heard any reas on
for their murder except that they were Re-
publicans. Mrs Payne (colored) testified to
the murder Of her husband; knew some of
the men who took him off, and gave their
names.
Samuel Boyd, of New Orleans, testified be-
fore the House committee that the statement
Of Becker that he had discharged men for
voting the Republican ticket was false.
Leiyes (colored) contradicted the statement
of Wilson that witness had told him the Re-
were elected or not. Bell (colored), of As
cension Parish, testified that he was shot at
for voting the Democratic ticket; the intim.
idation was all by Republican negroes.
Wallace (colored), of New Orleans, testified
TO intimidation and threats by Republican
negroes LIE Franc (colored), of New Or
leans: Was turned out of his church and
house for voting the Democratic ticket; his
wife was Knocked down, and when she went
to the station to complain she was
assaulted and sent 10 prison; she has been a
helpless cripple since. Jackson, Jones, Rev.
Brown, Cooper, Henderson, Doyle, Hazet
| and Thomas (all col6red), of Orleans, testi-
fed to being threatened aud assaulted for
voting the Democratic ticket. Carr, of De
Soto, testified that he was voted for as
Sheriff and returned as elected, although his
opponent received $50 votes more than he
did; bad declined the commission; there was
no intimidation at the poll where he voted
Z. W. Barnes, telegraph manager, was
placed under arrest on the 27th and left for
Washington to appear before the bar of the
House on the charge Of contempt
b. A. Shelly, of Ouachlta, testified before
the Senate committee on the Sth. He cor
roborated the testimony of McEnery in re-
gard to affairs in Ouachita during the cleo
ton and contradicted the statement of Hall
that colored men were forced to join clubs,
and Eliza Pinkston as to James and Van Lo-
gan being of the party that assaulted her
house that night, Several colored Demo-
Gratis testified that the election was peaceful
and quiet.
Harrison (colored), of Baton Rouge, testi-
fed before the Senate subcommittee that
Republican negroes in that parish were
forced to vote the Democratic ticket through
threats and fear; he had been threatened
and voted the Democratic ticket; witness
kuew of two men being hung up and nearly
killed; the Union Rights Club at Mt. Vernon
was broken up and riot ensued. Other
witnesses testified to the same effect. Geo.
Brook, of the U. s. Army, stated that
In East Baton Rouge and East Feliciana there
seemed to be, last spring, combination
among the Democrats 10 terrorize the colored
people, and he gave several instances of
negroes having been wounded and beaten;
also q statement of the condition OF affairs
there and threats used to induce colored
men to Join the Democratic clubs and vote
that ticket
The House committee examined FIVE or
six colored witnesses from Orleans Parish,
who testified to being assaulted, beaten or
intmidated by their own race for having
voted the Democratic ticket. Voorhees,,
member of the Legislature and Chairman of
the Democratic Corresponding Committee,
testified that every effort was made by the
committee and himself to secure peaceful
election.
The House subcommittee OF which Mr..
Blackburn is Chairman examined six wit
nesses in reference to Plaquemine Parish, all
of whom testified To Irregularities on the
part of the officers of election at Poll 8, and
TO fraud in registration, as well as intimida-
tion OF colored Democrats ~ yeolored Repub-
licans.
On the both the Senate committee devoted
the entire day TO hearing rebutting testimony
in reference to Eliza Pinkston's testimony.
Some ten or twelve witnesses, white and
eolored, testified TO her notorlouslY bad con.
duct, she being charged with infanticide and
leaving another child in a fence corner to
die; also that she is a bad character and un-
worthy of belief. Chairman Howe said he
had long since come TO the conclusion that
nothing Eliza said was to be believed merely
because she said SO; therefore there was no
use In attempting to strengthen that opinion
by public evidence. Several witnesses testi-
fed TO Alexander Brooks having threatened
to kill Pinkston last May for beating him
and biting his finger of. Two witnesses
who worked for Cobb Theobald testified that
Theobald was at home the night Pinkston
was killed; they slept In the adjoining room.
w. III. Baker testified: Was not at PinKston's,
as charged by Eliza, on the night of the
murder.
Carter (colored) sWore before the Senate
subcommittee that he saw four men hang
ing at Mount Pleasant, In East Baton Rouge,
on gate post, and two on Quarter street;
knew one of them, Ned Foster. Three other
colored witnesses testified TO the reign Of
terror in that parish, and that they had been
driven from their houses, and dared not re-
turn. Reickenegel, Deputy U, 8 Marshal
for that parish, testified to intimidation and
bull-dozing Of colored people there, and the
unfairness OF the election. Colliers testified
TO the intimidation of colOred Republicans in
the city of baton Rouge, by which many
were prevented from voting,
The House subcommittee examined three
witnesses in reference TO Laiourche Parish,
who testified TO the intimidation OF colored
Democrats by colored women and preachers
as we'll as men. The committee also ex-
amined seven witnesses from Plaquemine
Parish, who testified 10 many Irregularities
and considerable crookedness on the part of
the officials who conducted the election.
Lewis (colored) said he was member Of the