Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-11-28

=. 'o'U' az "'atttf what the democrat
election officers nj ght say The n
:-+roes gathered at different boxes !
large force, demanding to vote. TT
, commissioners claimed not to Be al
to hnd their names at the particula
: boxes where they applied, cursed thel
/ violently for coming to vote wher
their names were not entered, and fai,
t iy drove them from the polls. Thes
negroes were much excited. | saw
was not the purpose to permit them t
vote. At about $3.50 A II. the lutte
States supervisor came from Summe
Urove precinct, eight miles fror
Shreveport. stating that the commits
sioners had refused to recognize hin
as United States officer, and that h
had been forcibly elected from tn
polling place by deputy sheriff. WIN
acted under orders from the corsnis
sloners. There we're still no white me,
on the street, and [ told the negroe,
they evidently were not going 20 b,
allowed to vote; that there certainl,
would be trouble, and they would d.
better to go to their homes. 81
events to keep off the street. sen
word TO the same eject to everv nre
cinct. The negroes refused to 90. anc
lasisted uron their right to vote. Til,
was about 10 O'Clock. There were
registered then 800 names, of which
only sixty were white men. Soon az
ter large crowd OF white men came
from Tensas and from neighboring
parishes
There was serious trouble at a
polling place called WilIet's School
House. There were registered there
3l2 negroes and 20 whites. The poll
ing box was placed on hill near the
Arkansas line. When the river is
high 1t is necessary to travel f fly miles
to reach this polling place from the
different parts of the parish But the
water this year was low, and it was
possible Tor negroes to arrive through
a swamp ordinarily impossible. The
candidate for sheriff, accompanied by
$50 of the 80 registered negroes,
went through the swamp to this poll
They had to walk 35 miles and carry
one days provisions. They camped
the night before election at the polling
place. During the night some OF the
armed white Democrats came md look
ed down upon the crowd, but d., not
attack 1t, on account of it's great mum
bers. The next day no commissioners
Of election appeared. Under the law
che voters thrn elected commissioners
and proceeded to hold an election.
They polled 256 Republican votes
As they had lipited quantity of pro-
visions. the r.egroes started to march
nome 'hrJugh che swamp. leaving the
thFe", commissioners they had elected
Fad four white men at the polling place
~ fv. o'clock body Of fifty armed
white Democrats came down upon the
polling place with drawn guns and de-
manded the box, which was surrender
ed to them A fierce fight was made
upon the commissioners, and the white
company declared they had come down
to kill, and that they were going to
kill them. The commissioners imme-
diately left. They were followed by
this armed mob five miles to the swamp
into which they disappeared in the
darkness.
AT the polling place known as
Campo Bello violent scenes were enact
ed. The Republican candidates for
the legislature were not permitted to
approach the polls. Numbers of Re-
pubiicans who went there to vote we're
driven away, and on coming back pass
ed at frequent intervals files of white
armed men who had picketed the road.
Il was with great difficulty that they
~ere ai2wed to pass these pickets I'M
moIes.,d. Constant threats were made
that their hes would be taken. The
Democratic newspa rers admit that two
white men and five or sIa negroes were
killed in this precinct The Demo,
Gratis. as ali armed organization, he,a
Campo Bello. There was report
that one Wnlte Nau uSu OCCH hAlloN "
negroes. 4 company immediately
-arted from Shreveport, and another
4ra,, tho oor,,n II a Democratic pa
HUN Gue pal i'li' eh>- 4l,;s
per admits that as result o. w.
movement sixteen negroes were killed
ii that locality. The Republicans who
escaped from assaults say that fifty to
sixty more Negroes we're killed. 10
his knowledge Leonard says the seven
ty-fve negroes were killed in that To-
cality alone, and the unburied bodies
Of many Of them are being preyed up
on by animals. Large numbers OF
negroes have fed to the swamps- In
the Parish of Caddo thsre was nc
question of carpet-baggers running tor
Office, and no negroes were nominated
except for unimportant places. The
Republican nominees were nativ'
southern meu, but the Democrats hac
openly announced that the Republican,
should not be permitted to carry the
election. j."
The above is the substance Of the
statements made ny Mr.. Leonard tt
the president and attorney-gene