Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1878-11-21
Misfellaneous. Il
From the Boston journal.
Recent 0utrages in Louisiana.

United States District Attorney Leonard
OF Louisiana, formerly a Confederate Of
iiccr. who was ia Washington last week.
To confer with the President about the late
outrages IN Louisiana. conyer>ed at length
In regard 10 the situation In that State. He
said that II there had been fair election
Louisiana would have gone Republican by
5000 To 1900 majority. and three, posi-
bly, four, Republican Congressman would
have been elected. NV own personal ex-
perience Of the election was limited 10
taddo parish. That parish had a regis
tered vote OF 1873 whites and nearly $500
blacks. OF whites at least 80 would have
voted the Republican ticket, and announced
their intention 10 do 50. Ga a fair and
peaceable election the Republicans would
have carried the parish by 300 majority
The vote a returned was a Democratic ma.
jority OF 1910. The Democrats openly took
the election by force and arms. There
were II voting precincts In the parish.
United states Supervisors were appointed
Tor all OF them by United States Judge
oods, but except at two precincts in
Shreveport, these Supervisors were not al
lowed even 10 witness, much less TO scrut-
inZe the election. They were told that
they were not wanted. aud. OF my personal
knowledge, in some instances were forcl-
bly, removed from the vicinity of the ballot
box. About a week before the election
two military companies were organized IN
Shreveport and some in the country
These companies appeared on the streets
with arms aud traversed the country roads.
At night the armed men Travelled the cOun-
try roads and fired iuto the houses OF ne.
grOes, in many Instances tahiug negroes
and beating them. Ten days before the
election the Republicans had much difficult
~ in holding their meeting at Spring Ridge.
20 miles from Shreveport. Public notice
had Oeen given of this meeting for a long
time, but Republican speakers, consisting
OF the candidate tor Sheriff, candidate for
the Legislature, William Harper. noted
colered leader and present Senator. and
Albert Leonard himself. were notified at
one O'Clock in the morning before arriving
there by a friendly negro that they would
be killed. The Democrats claimed that
the meeting called was their own. and
compromise was made by dividing the
time. The request by the Democrats for a
Joint discussion was regarded a peculiar
as there were only l1J white men registered
la the place yet there were a large number
OF white persons there, the purpose OF
whose visit was not known. The Demo-
Gratis agreed that order should be main
tanned, and the joint discussion proceeded.
Leonard was the first speaker. la the
course OF his speech he was interrupted by
loud cries. denouncing him as liar, aud
a dozen men rushed from the crowd to at
tack him. He stood quiet and the attack
was postponed. Democratic speakers
were not interrupted. When the turn came
for William Harper, the colored Senator 10
speak. he had only said few words when
a violent tumult arose. He tried for three
miautes iu the din to speak. but was de-
nOunced by the widest shouts from all
quarters. Cries of Kill him, kill him, l"
were heard. "Destroy the id scouu-
drel; end the Republican party here; kill
the leaders" l expected, said Leonard
that they would kill Harper and then ad-
vance upon me, but it happened that they
made their first rush Tor me. Finally the
Republican speakers left. and as they did
so the cries still continued. xiii them
kill them"
This was the condition of affairs prior to
the election. Under the Louisiana election
law the police jury appoints Commits
sioner of Elections. The law requires that
three Commi- soners shall be appointed.
and one clerk for every precinct. TO be Sc
lected from opposing parties. The Re
publicans sent formal written request
that proportion OF Republicans be ap-
pointed to these offices. No attention was
paid to this request and, except in two or
three instances, no Republicans were ap-
pointed, and these exceptions were in case
of two or three ignorant negroes, who
could neither read nor write. With this
exception, all these election officers were
Democrats. The day before election the
returning officers and United States Super
visors were sent to every poll in the par
ish On the morning OF election at Shreye-
port crowds of negroes were In the streets
before the polls were opened, and IL was
noticed that not q white man was visible.
At each polling place three boxes were
found. The Louisiana law requires that
the Sheriff, who is the returning officer OF
the election. shall furnish box at each
precinct These commissioners had placed
three boxes at each precinct, and they told
the negro voters that they would have to
vote for Cougressmen in one box, for the
Representative and parish ticket In anoth-
er. and for ward ticket in the third. l pro-
tested to the Commissioners against such
a violation OF The law, and notife1 the me-
proes in attendance to deposit their entire
ticket in the box designated TO receive the
| sheriff vote. no matter what the Democrat
ic election officers might say. The ne
groes gathered at different boxes in large
! force demanding 10 vote. ihe Commits
| sioners claimed not to be able to find theiI
names nj the particular boxes where they
| applied; cursed them violently for coming