The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-02-01
THAT INVESTIGATION.
Ihe ether eide OF the Natchjteehes
&egy-Something About
Blunt,s Testimony,

StHy-Somethins About
Blant's Testimony.
IN. o. Democrat, 24th.)
The Representatives of the Teller
subcommittee, Messrs. Jonas and
Marks, met yesterday ut noon and
resumed the investigation.
The United States District AttOr>
ney was present throughout the ex.
animation assisting United States In.
ternal Revenue Collector Marks.
II. J. CUNNINGHAM, ESQ.,,
member of the House Of Represent .
tives from Natchitoches parish, was
placed on the stand, and testified %
follows: "
l reside In the parish Of Natchi-
toches. ! was there during the last
campaign.
Mr.. JoDas-Have you read the tes.
timoDy Of tho witnesses who testified
in regard to affairs in the parish.
Answer-I have looked over it al
and portions OF it l heard.
Mr.. Jonas-Be kind enough to tell
in your own way all yOn know about
The matters testified t" by them.
Witness-very we'll; I must ask
the indulgence of the committee for
the disoltory manner in which will
Do compelled to give my testimony.
l made memoranda 40 l went through
tho Testimony, bot l have been very
busy lately, and have not had time to
Systematically arrange it. The testi-
"ony Of the Republican witnesses
va apparently Intended to ereste
the impression that we undertook to
bssak up . Republican meeting be.
cause Of the promised support Of
their ticket BY I've hundred white
men 10 tho hills. I never heard of
this support until it was spoken Of By
the witnessed. We called a meeting
vt the Democratic convention for the
twenty-6rst Of September. It was
advertised 10 the papers, and it was
generally known throughout the par.
ish that il was to assemble that day.
On the fourteenth the Republicans
held . meeting at Breda's house, and
W were informed that they had cali.
ed a mass meeting for tho same day.
We heard reports Of tho temper Of
tho leaders at that meeting, and
heard reports during the week which
created the belief on our part that
they meant to do harm to us. II wac
stated that Mr.. Breda had said that
they intended to carry the parish If
they " $50
HAD 70 HAVE BLOOD.
At the same time he did not want
tho meeting held on tho twenty first,
but Blunt insisted and said that b.
would hold tho meeting at oil hazards
no matter what happened, and told
oil to como prepared. We heard from
various sources that the meeting vas
called for tho purpose Of iutimida.
ting our convention. We were told
that il was tho intention to hold the
meeting in . 6eld. and that the most
desperate men from the first and
seventh wards would be in tho town
Of Nascbitochss, and that Bluot had
said he would intimidate the meeting
OF burn the town, and l will cay that
we were applehensive of trouble. We
bad no IDEA Of . bull doing cam.
paigu, such ! QUO vac never proposed
or considered. The, eopvsptioo met
under considerable apprehension, and
10 4 sho,t time afterwards took . 70.
eess. S"pe one proposed that 10
would not wait for tho negroes to
come op, bat would g. them and die.
perae them. and was elected lesder.
Ne. Bleat stated that No we're 40
organised body, saeh - troops like
the Uoi'sd States troops could alone
TINS 10 UNTRUE.
We went down there On ordinary
body Of men We did not como to
the convention armed, bot whom l
was seleeted TO led I told the men 70
30 sbd gst their gums, and many Of
Them didsb Tho only object Of the
novemtnt, aa'l rndeFItodd IT,, wss 70
baSS't!,e' difficulty out Of The town.
lWay from tie womeo and childton.
When ~ got dos a there, 70 far % I !
know, the meeting bad dispersed, but |
ss0wds OF negroes we've BATTERED
around, and 7 must say that . more |
1e6ant attitude than was theirs I |
never iaw; still there was nobody |
hart. !" Our people we're instructed |
lot 70 hort any Of them. We %. |
pealed' 70 chem 70 80 quietly home, |
cling them W only wanted to pre-.
'erve the peace, and did not desire
ny troable. At fret they did not
hey, bat ~ Aoally succeed 10 rot
las them To leave. Up To that time
here was no attention Of arrestine
3lunt u a6y eas else, bas I thoaah1
b bset plaa woald b % arrest BIN.
thcsSht with The fksowJsdee / he'd
k.hin that tho negroes would not
Dabe.an aetask % tho town IL they
lnev u might rssalt 10 isjary to hin,
ND for Ihat reason alone wss bio ar.
'est oads. I called Into eouss)tatiou
,ss0ber efagsslenen To- whom I
|ad eos6deeee asd % whose iude.
!est1 could rely, 10 take risto con
ideeaGion tho situatiou and the nee.
ssag nsseorss for protection. This
~ ut the execotivo eomwittee.
hey vsso geotlsas6 ealle0 eeeseher
y Ne I seated 10 than tie ejtsa.
LOO aud asbeo then what should BE-
oos !; aad itessoed to DO tho aese>
al Impression that IL would % i'm.
ooeiblo 90 let Blunt remain In hia