The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-10-19
The Truth Leaking Out.


two colored men who were in the
plot and divulged the blood curd-
ling plans OF these assassins. Ii
there be one spark OF manhood LETT
in our people--those of us who
growl and grumble that politics
don't 60 to suit then-we hope this
disclosure will shame them to stand
with their race, for this all shows
what they may expect, in common
with us all, should we again he re-
verted to negro rule, which can
never occur save by our own in
ertness or cowardice
Tom Smith sworn, says:
That they held club meeting on
Sunday night, after the riot at
Natchitoches, on the lake. There
were present ut the meeting Sam
johnson, Tom Sweat, Miles Martin,
Geo. jackson, Henry Johnson, Saw
ney Williams, Henry Edwards, Abra-
ham Williams. Ned Jackson and
Lawson Reed. Tom Sweat was head
of the club. We discussed the mat
ter of releasing Blunt, and agreed
to protect ourselves if the whites at
tempted to stop us. All were in ia
vor of killing Mr.. Russ, Maj. Broad
well, L. c. Donovan, l.. n. Lane and
r. w. Fleming. The reason they
proposed to kill these parties was
because they were the leaders of the
Democratic party. On Sunday night
we rode about Mr.. Russ house, and
Luke Davis, Geo. Jackson and Henry
Johnson went to the gin house. All
had guns, Henry Johnson blew the
Horn. We had three club meetings
at different times. The next week
they were to kill and burn. AID
Wilkerson belonged to the clnb.
Miles Martin was the first man to
talk about killing the whites. The
pistol fired off was for signal. At
ter they left the gin all went home,
and exercised by Miles Martiu.
Witness saw Miles Martin in the
club last Sunday night a week. Wit
ness says Lawson Reed aud Sawney
Williams met the club Monday after
the affair in Natchitocbes. He also
met Abraham Williams on Sunday
might, a week ago in company with
kawson Reed and Sawney Williams.
Signed before me this Sd day of
October, 1873. f. 4. HAMMETT.
Juctice of the Peace.
II. Z. Breazeale sworn. says:
That he saw Abraham Williams
labont 7 O'Clock in the evening, and
he loaned his buggy to Sawney Will
liams on Sunday; and the buggy was
at home when witness returned abOnt
dark. 1t had been brought home a
short time before.
Jacob Davis sworn. says:
We had come to a determination
about this thing and 6biected to it.
The news came to us to go and re-
lease Blunt, told Sam Johnson that
we had nothing to do with it. Sam
replied, 81 would go but have no
ammunition" This conversation was
on Saturday evening. Sam johnson,
on the Wednesday latter said that il
appeared mighty cowardly for the
men not to go. We had club meet
ings Sunday night aud "Wednesday
and it was on Wednesday night in
the club that Sam said we ought t.
> protect our own race. We have mel
in club three times since the dis.
turbance in Natchitcches. We con.
: suited in the club what would be the
best plan to watch the road and
when the white men passed along
the road to attack and fight them
We met in the club. There were
present, Sam johnson, Henry Jahn
son, Geo. Jackson, Geo. Hill. Boil
u Frotter, Ed. Adams, Nelson Hugh
ton, E. Quinn, Tom Smith, Martin
S Williams, jacob Davis and Ton
Sweat. On Sunday night before
going to the club, we passed Mr.
> Russ gin with the intention of burn
e ing it. There were five of us. viz
s Jacob Davis, Sam johnson, Henry
!, johnson, Martin Williams and Geo
Il Jackson. Henry Johnson aud Martin
7. Williams had double barrel sho
n guns with which to kill any one VIII,
molested us, and to kill Mr.. Russ
g we saw him. The reason that W,
e did not burn the gin is, we though
4 some one was about it. We were t.
!, try it again, but became frightened
u George Jackson was president of tn
! club and put the question "Thos
. in favor of burning Mr.. Russ gil
house, say CONTRARY, no." 1t wa
/ unanimous to burn the gin. Witnes
e says that they were going to kill W
;. w. Breazeale, r. w. Fleming, MI
Russ, Maj. Broadwell and Mr.. Lane
e Signed before me this Sd day G
II October, 1873. f. Z. HAMMETT,
Inst,.a ,f tho Daooa