Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-01-17
THE TELLER COMMITTEE.
New ORLEANS, Jan. Z

New ORLEANS, Jan. Z.
The Teller Committee met at 10 a. m. in
Surveyor Wells private office of the Custom
House, all the members present. Senator
Bailey thought that, as near as possible some
definite plan of proceedings should be adopt
ed, so that charges could be met by evidence
on the other side. The chairman declared
that he would allow all necessary time for the
production of such evidence, but no detailed
plan would be published.
j. Ernest Breda, of Natchitoches Parish, was
the first witness called He testified that he
served during the war in the Second Louisiana
Regiment; had always resided in the parish;
has been Republican since 1871; was driven
away from his home Sept. %. Gave particulars
of ward meeting which he addressed on
Sept. 81, and how he was afterward compelled
to leave home; had not been back since. |
Stated that there was no lawlessness among
the negroes; declared that they dare not
strike back and were murdered like sheep. |
Gave much more evidence to the same effect.
DR.. A. 2. Breda was sworn. He corroborated
the testimony of the previous witness. V. A.
Barron testified that he resided in Natchito-
ches; was a native of Mississippi; served
throughout the war in the Confederate army |
was Sheriff of Natchitoches up to 1876; was
compelled to leave on account of the part ne
took in the ward meeting mentioned by
Breda. John G. Lewis (colored) testified that
after the adjournment of the meeting, Sept.
n, his house was broken into by q party of
men armed with rifles and revolvers, but
he managed to escape and made his way to
New Orleans. Ruford Blount (colored) stated
that on the afternoon of Sept. 81 his house
was surrounded by body of go men he was
arrested, placed in Jail and kept there until
midnight, when he was allowed to leave town
on condition that he would advise the negroes
to leave politics alone and would never return
to the parish; was a man of property and
thought he was driven away on account of
his influence with the colored people. j. D.
McGDl, Lucien Blount and j. NJ. McGill, resi-
dents of Tensas parish, testified that before
the election there were two tickets in the
ield, regular Democratic and an Independ-
ent Democratic. The negroes agreed to sup
port the latter. Witnesses believed that the
negroes were intimidated to such an extent as
to prevent the election of the independent
ticket. They also believed that there were
frauds committed by stuffing the ballot-box.
Witnesses were candidates on the lndepend-
ent ticket.
New ORLEANS, Jan. =.
]. N. McGill, of Tensas Parish, was recalled
and testified concerning armed bands from
other parishes, and from Mississippi. Said
he heard great many things, but the reports
were greatly exaggerated; in fact, inquiries
into many stories proved them entirely false;
armed bands did some things which he could
not approve; heard the leader of the militia
Captain Cam, say, "The white man shall rule.
There is hostility between the negro and
white man; won't try to disguise this fact;
ticket and / will show you hypOcrite or a
fool" Fleming Branch (colored) of the same
parish, said he was at FairfaX's house when
Captain Peck's party came; was in the room
with Fairfax when Peck rushed in and fired
twice at Fairfax, who ran out of the back
door; another negro standing near was shot
down; Peck knelt upon him and fired five
shots into him; man named Goldman shot
witness through the right arm; Peck was
shot and killed by some one in his own party;
IF N M FRA a ghn hfG TIFao fhaH first
trouble that occurred in the parish last year
Daniel Kennedy, who was one of the parties
wounded at Fairfax's house, testified,
and his story corresponded with that
ing out of the window trying to recog-
nize the assailants; witness got out of the
house and ran home through the corn field,
and, after having his wound dressed, took to
the woods; on the Tuesday following the at
tack on Fairfax, the killing of negroes began;
some eighty negroes were killed altogether;
ran away and went to New Orleans, and has
been there ever since. Viola Wallace's (col-
Ored) evidence was corroborative OF the pre-
vious witnesses, and testified that she came
away because she heard that the white people
said that all the colored people at Fairfax's
that night would have to leave.
New ORLEANS, Jan. 9.
VIM. d. Rollins, of Tensas Parish, testified
that he is a Democrat, and was a candidate on
the Independent ticket last election; saw no
outrages committed; saw body of fifteen
armed men at the polls on election day, un-
der the Deputy Sheriff; thought intimidation
frightened the negroes so much they stayed
away from the polls, and that If the negroes
had voted they would have had a majority OF
1000; demanded count of the votes at Poll No.
I, but it was refused, and a band OF armed
men took the box to st. Joseph. j. X. Losey,
of the same parish testified that he was one
of the posse of Sheriff Register, summoned to
disperse the negroes whom it was rumored
were mGssing at Boss Place for the purpose
of attacking Waterproof; Register had about
forty armed men; on the way heard that the
| negroes had massed, and that firing had COM
menced between them and their advanced
guard of two men; an order was given to adj
vance and fire; the firing was done In the
| direction OF where the negroes were sup
posed to be massed; the negroes were In
their quarters, and when one volley was
| fired they dispersed; two or three negroes
were wounded. Frank Watson testified
that he lived eight miles from Water
proof, and was told by Democratic friend
that the place was getting too hot for him,
and that he had better clear out; ran away,
| leaving his partly-gathered crop to take care
of itself; that Jay fifty or sixty men from
Ouachita were in Waterproof; saw them put a
| rope around a negro's neck to make him an-
swer questions; hid nine days in the woods
and then went TO Plaquemines didn't intend
| to 90 back because he thought II would not
nesses testified that on the day OF the election
| the riot commenced after the voting was over,
tkraa III lad