The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-04
THE KATCHlTOCHESCASE
STRONGER CASE POR THE DEFENSE
MADE OUT YESTERDAY.

court ut 10 o'clock and the same old process
OF calling the names II the witnesses was
proceeded with. Seldom II ever before have
we met with SO many gentlemen suffering
with colds. short rapid sklrmlshing fire Of
coughs would start on tho outposts of tho
crowd and then firing by battalion would
commence. As was shown from the short.
sharp cough to the deep artillery roar every
callibre of nose was represented The cause
OF so much wheeling Is very plain. Judge
Woods persists In keeping one of the Custom
House windows open as well as the door OPEN
ing In the corridor, and there Is constant
draugbt through the courtroom, blowing
directly upon the accused and the reporters.
The sarcasm Of JudgeWoods In ordering every
one In court TO stop coughing as,appreclated
by the many he has given colds to.
The first witness called yesterday for the
defense was
WILL A. STRONG,
Secretary Of State: He lives in Winn par
ish. Lived In that district all his life.
Spent part OF last summer In Natchltoches
parish. Is acquainted with the political
complexion Of that district
Mr.. Levy was elected as Democrat Elam
and others were also elected. There was no
| elected ! was not aware In September that
J. Madison Wells was candidate for Con-
gress. went TO Natchitoches ON the twenty
| first Of September. 1t Is tsn miles from my
plantation. Threats were made against the
white people by the negroes. i communicated
what heard. got to Natchltoches between
| 10 and II O'Clock. I went to look for Judge
Person. Went 10 his house about IL O'Clock.
II was about when the convention took
recess. / stayed at the convention about two
hours When 1 left / met large body Of
negroes. They were acting In threatening
manner. / tied my mule In the yard OF judge
Pierson. Mr.. ID. A. Barron came UP when I
was tying my mule and asked what he must
do about this trouble. Mrs. Phillips Is next
door TO Judge Person It is long way
| about mile from the courthouse. 1
| found Judge PiersOn at his house.
| The apprehension of violence on the
part OF the white people was great-a
plan or conspiracy on the part OF the Repub-
lcans to bulldozs, as they say, the Demo
| cratic convention. i met the whole party Of
negroes coming from the place where they
held their meeting. They we're coming to
town. They said that they would take and
burn the town and kill all the white people.
| After went to town the excitement was very
great They requested me and my brother
| in-law TO stay Ia town. 1 was In the court
room. The report came that the negroes
| were coming There was great cornmotion.
stayed in Natcbitoches all night Next
morning the negroes were cODgregating to
rescue Blunt. The negroes tried 10 get am
| munition. The mayor Issued proclamation
Draughet WAS the mayor. Mr.. Cunningham
was authorized by the mayor To organize the
citizens for the defense Of the town. They
organized for protection Reconnoitering
4
Never heard Of Wells candidacy for Congress-
| for some weeks afterward.
CRoss-ExAMINED.
| Mr.. Levy held one term and Mr.. EIam the
| two succeeding terms In Congress. Mr.. Levy
was elected by an organization known as the
| White Mans party, the object Of which was
to secure the election of white men.
| Mr.. Bowman was elected by Democrats;
nominated on the Fusion ticket as an ultra.
Democrat. That was witness opinion
Geo. l.. Smith filled out Peters term, and
| was himself succeeded by Levy.
Minnie Holmes told him Of threats said
Blunt had sent courier out for the negroes
TO art violently.
Witness was next examined as to the to
Biography OF the Fourth Congressional Dis
trict, and the direction and connections Of his
route from home TO NatchitocheS.
Was not a member Of the parish convention
on the twenty-frst OF September, but visited
the room.
Pierson lives one or three-quarters OF mile
from the place where the convention was held
Can't state positively what gentlemen he
saw with arms. Mentioned the names Of sew
eral gentlemen whom he saw upon the
streets.
Passed q party Of fifteen men opposite
Judge Chapmans. Thinks the crowd OF ne
groes whom he met near Mr.. Phillips num-
bered 80 or 200 men.
His business with Judge Pierson was pri-
vate legal business. Spent perhaps two hours
with him. Going thence he met the negroes.
The Democrats thought that the Republi-
can meeting was intended to bring about an
Issue between the two races or the two parties.
!, Witness acted with no armed party. Left
for home on Sunday Couriers passed him
, ON the road. Heard afterwards they were
convicts. They were riding at full speed.
Recognized one Of them. There was appre-
hension Of attack from two different ponts.
!, Was present at the night session of the
convention.
was next called. He said l reside In the
parish Of NatchitOches, In the northwestern
. portion, thirty miles from the toVn was
member OF the police jury on the twenty-nrst
OF September last. | was ID the toWn on tnat
day. went to the town about ~ ociocR Ior
the purpose of attending tine convention az
delegate from Ward No.2. / was In attend
ance when it met what occurred up to the
> arst recess was the selection of temporary
, officers, then the election OIL permanent OH
/ GERS and O committee on resolutions was ap-
! | pointed. / was both temporary and perma-
pent chairman Of the convention. / did
NOT hear any alusion to j. Madison Wells
: made in the convention. About the time
/ the resolutions were adopted I noticed
there was some excitement In the court
/, room A motion was made by Mr..
Raines to adjourn or take recess. After the
adoption OF the motion TO adjourn / saw
nothing In the room. There was a motion
!. made that Capt. Cunningham be the leader OF
} those who would go down to the lower end Of
town, where it was said the negroes were
There was great excitement In the court
house after this. / went down stairs and
went up to St Denis street, going in the
direction Of the dirt bridge. Then l went
Biunts house and remained there about an
hour. 1t was within $50 yards Of his house
where / was. / was between Blunt's house
and the courthouse. The state of feeling
was one Of apprehension In the town OF
NatchitOches that 1t would be attacked and
burned Such threats IL said had heen