New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-10-19

published The following aceount OF She
progress Of the Celos Line Wsr in EeRsas
parish: r,. = 1ssE.r 81 al
% yDA1IA, La, ostober Il 1874
Rditors Matches Democrat: 80,
Hsxina Just returned nom the scene OF
Ahs anfa fartunHtei oc6ufsenos IN the jpaEiah l
of Tenssa, ,Whieh FggulAad ~ thA'dSRth Of
5dha Peck and ihe .vQundiag Qf theaa
@ul6teH 1lf0tt, Z beg 70 e0AnfnunicMte 70 \
vdrf aNafatsnaaA III ahe lsct8:i GEn 5Fe3nS
els Shields and myself vent By appoinA-
ment to meet the members of the Bxecu-
tits Committee OF the Democratic party
of the parish Of Tensas, at the housetof
Mr.. Goldman, about two miles above the
town Of Waterproof On reaching Water
proof we were advised that there was q
Strict quarantine against Concordia parish
and that we would not be allowed to enter
the town, but were very considerably
allowed to pass around and proceed to
our destination. We found the people OF
the town and neighborhood very much
excited on account of the course pursued
by Alfred Fairfax, the Radical nominee
for Congress, and his followers, who had
drawn the color line and were stirring up
the passions of the negroes and threaten
ing to come with Ave hundred armed men
J to override the quarantine in ST. Joseph,
| as was threatened TO be done by John
| Young, the naaro sheriff, in the case of
the t6wa Of Vidalia. The Democrats Of
the parish had few dsys before nsmi-
Aabed their ticket, composed of, two mem
| bers of the legislature and sheriff who
had always acted With the Republican
party, and in fact supported Hayes and
! Packard in 1875, bat were good men and
enjoy the confidence Of the people. This
course seemed to give umbrage to Fairfax
and few Of The worst Of the leaders,
and they called . convention to meet in
4 the town of St. Joseph TO nominate q
straiqht out black tieket. On account Of
fear, of yelIoW fever, the town was strictly
quafantined against al persons without
and the authorities notified them that
they would not be permitted to enter the
corporate limits. To this they replied
that they would come with I'VE hundred
armed men and ride down the quarantine
guards AS the negroes of that parish
outnumbered the whites ten to one, the
people were naturally alarmed; and as
Captain John Peck, Of Sicily Island, iu
Catahonla parish, commanded the nearest
company Of State troops, they applied tc
him to come into the parish and visit
Fairfax in person, and remOnstrRte with
him and notify him that the State troops
were prepared u sustain the anthorisisi
= tof 4ensas parish. To this Captain Peel
readily assented, and reached Waterproof
with few men about dark on SatuTdA!
evening. he proceeded at once to tn
house Of Fairfax, about one mile abov
the town, and dismounting from hi
horse, and suspecting no evil, walked ul
on the gallery for the purpose of knocking
at the doer. As he entered upon tn
gallery two shots were fred from tn
house, and he fell dead. The few mel
with him were naturally infuriated, anG
returning the shots, unfortunately wound
ed three negroes in the house, but i'm
mediately repented and spared their lives
t They then Immediately retured with tn
body of Captain Peck to his home il
Catahoula.
On reaching the scene of the disturb
ance next morning with Judge @. G. Cor
dell, the parish judge, We found Fairfa
+ and followers bold and defiant and refus
ing to submit to arrest. Judge Cordel
issued warrant Tor the arrest of Fsirfa
, and placed it in the hands of the sheriff
! but having no force sufficient to overcom
resistance and fearing to provoke con
fict, it was deemed unsafe to attompt +
execute the warrant until aid could b
; obtained. The negroes are congregatin
abo0t the town of Waterproof, from thi
parish and Tensas, With arms and threat
to sack the town. The State troops hav
been Summoned from other and neighbol
ing parishes, and is is hoped that q suff
> eient force will be assembled to overcom
the negroes and disprse them withou
further bloodshed, a
In the death of Captain Peck we hav
TO deplore the loss of one of our mos
= useful citizens, equally marked for hi
gallAntry and moderation, and for hi
many social qualities, who leaves benin
him wife and several children entirei
dependent
. Yours, truly, WADE R. YOUNG.