New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-10-12
TnE ESCAPE OF SENATOR BLUNT.

We copy the following recital OF events
in the rsssnt escape Of Senator Blant from
the New Orleans Observer which paper
obtained IL from Mr.. Blunthimself;
Mr.. Blunt arrived IA this city last Tues
day morning; coming here from the neigh
borhood Of Alexandria, in Rapides parIsh. l
The details Of The outrsge perPstrated
on Mr., Blunt and bis family furnish 9 pic
ture Of the frightful condition OF afIAirs in
NatcbitOehss, which ought to excite the
comniaeration and condemnation ef sll
good citizens. |
On the twenty-nrst (Saturday) Of /
last month the Democrats of tho town |
of Natchitoches held q convention. On |
the same day, about noon, at the distance |
of mile in the lower end 0f the town, |
the Republican ward club Of the precinct |
held q meeting for the election Of officers |
during the coming campaign. With this |
election quietly consumAtea there was no |
| further business before the meeting, Be
/ fore, however, its adjournment, there be-
4 ing present several prominent local Re-
/ pnblicans, among others Judge Breda, and
| Messrs. Boult and Blunt, these we're called
upon and made speeches to their fellow
Republicans. Judge Breda and Mr. Blunt
told the assemblage, that while abating
4 not one iot of theiT individual and earnest
4 efforts for Republican success during the
4 campaign, they we're not, nor should they
De, candidates for any Office at the partys
hands. As veterans they deemed it best
to let the younger men accept the peoples
representation. Mr.. Blunt affirmed his
fidelity to Republican principles, and spoke
| of the great work performed and impor
tant service yet to be done by the Repub-
lican party. These were the speeches
and the tenor of the remarks of the Re-
publican leaders. About the Democratic
convention nothing was said, from the
fact that Republicans knew that parish
which had registered Republican vote of
twelve hundred coloFed majority with white
allies (some Of them recently made SO by
fby Democratic local laws oppressive to the
poorer classes), numbering three hundred
and more, need not have mach TO fear
with anything like fair play from the
hands Of the Democracy.
: Just about adjournment, colored man
= came hurriedly into the meeting and an
nounced that Cosgrove. Cunningham, and
a crowd OF other armed Democrats were
, on their why to the meeting for the pur
: pose of breaking it up. Mr.. Blunt and
: other gentlemen could not at first credit
| the satement As the meeting had, how
ever declared its vote in adjournment the
Q members quietly dispersed TO their homes.
. Mr., Blunt going to his home was inform
4 ed that the same armed mob was hunting
him. He had, therefore, at once his
; dwelling, q neat two story frame building
u in the midst of white neighbors, closed
d nm, the doors and windows fastened and
himself prepared TO stand the siege he fell
r sure from past experience Natchitoche!
Democratic mob would occasion.
J, A few minutes afterwards the mob
is arrived in front of the house. They de-
% manded admission. This was, of course
e refused. They at once then, proceeded tc
Al batter down the doors and windows
er Numbering some two hundred and tiftI
N men, this was soon accomplished Mean
al while Mr.. Blunt, by the frantic eHtreatie
of his wife and daughter, the latter
10 young lady in her teens, was gotten t
i'd secrete himself above the teester of hi
ID bed, in the ceiling of his sleeping room
n. The mob entered, broke into armoirs
bureaus, closets, and safes; rsnsacket
10 and mutilated all the furniture; one o
III the leaders, Judge Chaplin, took the key
is and purse of Mrs. Blunt all the none
- in the house not on her husbands person
and after Vainly searching each room
ol finally retired with Mrs. Blunt and he
~ daughter as prisoners, to be carried
lg the courthouse and Jail. From some il
At formation gained. however, before gel
ting out of the yard, the mob returne
Oh and made another search for Mr.. Blum
30 They sought at once his hiding plaC
ic above the bed, and one of them thrustin
m up his Winchester rifle had it stepped o
and snatched from his hands. Mr.. Blur
10 was then ordered to surrender. This b
- refused. Though q Baptist preacher an
to q colored man, it was known that he wa
,le unquestionably brave and a good sho
After some parleying, each of the gan
90 by their leaders direction was then aske
d. and vote taken as to whether, on Blunt
surrender, they would refrain from il
turing a hair of his head. They a
- agreed, yes. Mr.. Blunt then came dow
It. into the mob. He found them all con
to posed of "best" citizens. Not 3 poe
.os white man among them, except "Jack
Il Gilchrist. The leader was one Josep
'ie Cunningham. "Bill Levy, lawyer JAG
ng Tucker and two sons, Cosgroye, and Il
in Hertzogs, uncle and nephew, with man
nd others, participated. Except one Csspar
- not Hebrew doing business in the tow
"a was of the mob. Mrs. Blunt and stel
ro- daughter, and sister, and Mrs Paris,
ed lady guest, were then placed in custoC
IL. and proceeded with to the Jail. Ju
before this, Mayor Dranguet arrived whe
:. the mob was breaking up the furnitu
S Si and robbing Mrs. Blunt, and that of6ci
ue excitedly said "Gentlemen, I appro'
ase ~ of every act you now do. hold yC
ta- blameless." Mr.. Blunt also noticed
ie' present, Judge Pearson, the Distri
Judge. Hemmed between two Of b
lMGr M guards, Mr.. Blunt was marched to Il
Sn courthouse. When there, his wife W
ne summoned, and he was told that if
had anything to give her he could do 8
~ ~ Taking his pocket-book, gold penholde
ly and keys from his pockets, Mr.. BLU
1As handed them over to his helpmate, sh
'ne weeping, was besought to leave him
eu the hands of God, and in custody {
Sl- these cruel men. About ten o'clock
py night Cunningham, in much excitemer
no entered the room and said: "The mi
a. gers are marching on the town to rescl
IKE Blunt; before he shall be given up,
US must be killed" Mr.. Blunt recalled
ees' their minds their pledges as to his safet
Do Then said Cunningham, make the mi
A'e gers go home" Mr.. Blunt said he kne
nothing of their purpose. He was
prisoner in their hands, but if they wou
permit him to go, he would tell them
ier his captors pledges, and get them
return home. That he would pied
~ | bSunaalf N raturn AGAIN tn THAR cusko6