The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-03-13

nave an opportunity of complaining
at his action. The impression be-
ing prevalent in some quarters that
the members Of the Returning Board
could not have a fair trial in bis
Court, it looked to me as though the
Judge had this fact in mind, and
was using every precaution in the
management Of matters connected
with the Court to satisfy all inter
ested that any such fear was ground
less.
THE CoLoRED JURORS.
Public reference having been made
to the two colored members Of the
jury, deem it proper to state that
they were summoned to appear in
court as talismen, in the usual man.
ner, and were readily accepted as ju-
rors. Throughout the whole trial
their conduct and demeanor, as re-
CARDS civility and propriety, did not
differ from that of their fellow jurors
and, az a result, we were harmonious
and not an unkind word did ] hear
spoken one to the other. Under the
law, and in the position of jurors, we
were equals-all distinctions leveled
so that no difficulty arose to prevent
our being similarly impressed in re
gard to all points of consequence in
the case to which our attention was
of course constantly directed.
The disposition and capacity OF
the colored members to receive and
comprehend the proceedings of the
court were, / think, fully up to what
should naturally be expected from
persons Of a race so lately accorded
the important privilege of a ballot.
I learned that the jurors who hap
pened to sit regularly near those of
color would frequently and very pro-
derby direct their attention while in
court to portions of the proceedings
that should in justice to the case be
clearly heard and as thoroughly com
pretended as possible, and prefer
them all neeaful explanations.
HARMONIOUS VIEWS OF THE JURY.
The length of the trial, our con-
slant association and the apparently
natural disinclination to differ in
opinion, as evidence was evolved
seemed gradually to build up tower
Of unity coapletea in full by the re.
suit of our labors. The jud. e FIRE
quently requested the jury not to
talk about The case outside the cour,
room. This was tolerably we'll com
piled with; but our topics of discus
sion became limited as the days OIL
our Punishment from the outside
world increased, and it was not ar
easy matter for twelve men to alb
stain altogether from abiding to
subject that from six to nine hours
each day was SO constantly kept be-
fore them.
Feeling that we woald not be jus
titled in acknowledging prematurely
even to ones self, that an opinion
as to the guilt or innocence of the
accused was fixed, no matter
how decided Impressions nigh,
he, I stated that we ought not to ar
rive at and, more especially, an
nounce a conclusion among ourselves
until all the proceedings, including
particularly the charge of the judge
had been heard. AS far as I an
aware the jurors pursued this course
THE PUBLIC RECORD THAT WAS AL
1900 TERED.
The public record, the subject 0
the charge, the consolidated state
ment of the parish Of Vernon in it,
altered condition, was exhibited tt
the Jury.
Its genuineness as having beer
the original trus record and subse
quently altered was clearly proved
1t was proved that in its origina
condition, it was an honest, tru
statement or record Of the votes cas-
by the voters Of the parish of Yer
non for presidential electors, at til
general election in November, 1870
That it was in its true condition
placed in an envelope, sent to tn
board of returning officers in Ne,
Orleans, received at the Office of tn
board, opened by one of its member
in the presence of the accused, Thos
C. Anderson, who commented there
on, and it was found to be in it
original and true condition. It wa
proved that after the statement ha
been exposed to view, party at tn