The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-22
THE LATE TROUBLES.
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN GOV
NICHOLS AND JUDGE CORDILL
OF TENsAS.

The following is the official correspondence
between Gov. Nichols and the parish Judge of
Tensas, with regard to the late troubles in
Waterproof and st. Joseph. La:
Copy of Telegram:]
RODNEY, Miss. October ID, 1873.
To Gov. T. r. Nichols:
J. s. Peck was murdered last night by Fair
fax is trying to excite the negroes to violence.
The sheriff has warrant and is maklng search
for him. Parish 59 q e. Sc 2o 5525bh La.
Copy OF Telegram.l
NEW ORLEANS, October Is. 1878.
To G. g; Cordill, Parish Judge of Tensas
Parish:
Your dispatch of the thirteenth instant rela-
tive to the murder Of Peck and fact OF warrant
In the hands of the sheriff, has been received.
Since then have not heard from you. Rumors
reach me that riot and trouble have arisen IN
rant. and that large bodies of men armed and
assembling for an illegal purpose, are collect;
buildings and committed other outrages. |
think it strange that such reports shou Id reach
me, If this be so, from such sources when you
are the proper persons to notify me officially OF
such q condition of affairs. II the sheriff in
execution OF, writ of your courshas been lilo
gally resisted, and In spite of exhausting the or.
binary legal remedies Ia execution OF the WI 1t
there be need of Executive aid let him make due
return to You and do you officially report to me
SpeCj tcaliy all the facts OF MS return az once,
giving also places OF resistance. extent Of sup;
posed force. necessity to- execute the law and
illegal force opposed and 7 shall take steps at
'N''' w II FRANCIS r NfCHOLLs, Governor.
Copy of communication received October 21.J
ST.. JOSEPH. October 49, 1878.
Francis T. Nichols. Governor Of Louisiana.
Dean, Si'-.Your telegram Of the sixteenth
nstant 1eGeed yeserday LII
account Of affairs In this parish. At Q O'Clock
Sunday morning October 10. was informed Of
the death of J. G. Peck, at the hands, Of Fairfax,
assembling of large bodies OF armed negroes at
that point: | Immediately proceeded to the
scene OF disturbance with three citizens for the
When arrived, there Il found that
j. G. PEEK EEK had had been killed and three
that the "d Wsre IN
large armed bodies. threatening the ives and
property Of all white citizens. On my return to
about 400 negroes armed and occupying both
sides OF the road, and have been since reliably
informed that they had orders from their lead
On the day following returned to Water
proof with one citizen. distributing copies OF
printed t p!roclamation ordering =, said armed
equations. which when read we're recei we'd with
shouts Of derision: had given the sheriff on
my return to St. Joseph. after distributing the
proclamation, was informed by the sheriff
that he was unable to execute his warrant
On Tuesday. the fifteenth. [ accom- panied
posse of fifty mon, summoned by the sheriff
About two miles from Waterproof we were fired
0 by q body Of armed negroes, numbering
between three and four hundred. We returned
he fire. killing and wounding eight. and dis
parsing the remainder On the first fire of
the negroes a gin house on a plantation about
two miles from the scene OF action was fred and
destroyed by the negroes. and [ have since
learned that the firing Of the gin WAS signal for
the assembling OF the negroes at that point.
Knowing the immense numerical superiority
Of the negroes In this parish. and that armed
bodies bad marched in from the upper portion
of ConcOrdia. and not having time to COM
municate with you. / obtained si-tance from
the adjoining parishes through Gen. J. Floyd
King, commanding the militia In this district.
to aid me In restoring order. In which have
been successful. My prompt ton In the mat
ter was nee sstated by the fact that storehouses
had been broken open by the negroes for the
purpose of obtaining arms and ammunition,
and that properly to the amount Of So. 900 OF
$50 900 had been destroy cd.
This deplorable state Of affairs WAS brought
about by the incendiary speeches Of Fairfax
sible
Please answer by return mail.
Respectfully etc.
G. 6. CORDILL Parish Judge.
Gov. Nichols will depute one of his aids as
special messenger this Tuesday morning. to
Investigate the condition In Tensas parish and
In Concordia.