The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-08
BULLDOzIN0 IN LOUISIANA.
The Teller Committee Hearing n witness
from Natchitoches Parish.

NEW ORLEANS, Jan THE Teller Sub-Com-
mittee met at 10 A. VI. in Surveyor wolls's
private office. In the Custom House. Senator
Garland asked whether there would bo any
special programme published. and tho Chair
man answered that no programme had been
arranged. but that whom neghborhood was
reached II would be gone through with. Sena-
tor Garland suggested that tho ncghborhoods
be designated. so that witnesses might DO noti-
fed. The Chairman maintained that tho
charges OF fraud In Naichitochcs Tensas. and
Caddo Parishes would be the first considered.
Senator Bailey thought that as near "a posi-
bic some definite plan Of proceeding should be
adopted. so that the charges could be met by
evidence on the other sido
Tho Chairman declared that he would allow
nll necessary time FOR the production OF such
evidence but no detailed plan would bo pub
lishcd.
j. Ernest Brcda was then sworn. and testified
that he is n native Of Natchitoches and has al
ways resided in the parish that he served dur
ing tho war in the Second Louisiana Regiment.
and has been n Republican since 1871 that he
has been stump speaker. but did not take part
in the last campaign, having bcen driven away
from home on Sept "a Ilo gave an account "
the manner OF organizing Republican ward
clubs and tho formation OF executive commit
toes. He then said:
One ward club was to meet on Sept on that day
mere was 10 be Democratic convention A. our meet.
dressed the assembly Amer adjournment we
We had gone about one hundred Yard. when a, The cor
VI cypress street body armed cavairyncn op-
suare WAS uscd Al this moment saw some more
i,u ,,n e.n''N uoM' s,iS .',SL ~ Ns oIvt,I, @ anl
cling the town arrived during the night home Thcro
ocock my Uncle iorncr Mayor of Nsichi,ochcs rode
ny, NV r n. nis H. P n 70 hat % @ Sn a .'soI' S m I'
tackled. and desired me 10 surrcnder told ham would
| nght. and never snrrcnior Ny uncle SAID he would
| ming a guarantee from body Of armed men
u We Would leave the pisce within tw" hours My uncle
went hack and conferred win the committee Of armed
| ,6e woods 1nti Oct s5 ON that dsv my uncle came
again 20 THE hous ani told MY sister that were be
hunted with booihopnds ON Oct y We lcf, for lreve
ihs GRAND Jury
Witness produced COPY OF document pur-
porting 10 be an agreement. % which. n tho
| witness became party. he could return home
i is In The shape OF prGamble narrat,ng the
| with n promise, TO bc signed by tho Brelas.
that they would hereafter bohaye themselves.
&c. Witness said that tho formality OF signing
this document was respectfully declined. on ihe
| ground that the statements in the preamble
were false In every particular.
nesroe. Miserable in',idu!is they hardly dafc .ike
back They are muri, red there isc sheep Political
Bemo-rNue rarty arc styled nrcniary .peerhcs aud /
Mmn, political subjects Nesro 'ac Stgund DOM aud
Tier a.c 10 ~iis aud s.ol ecer,d voter. ~ The
Ia,, a"h ~ 80, ssg ~ic & whs men ven ~ & E.ig ic X.
SsAy' ihs ne - !, rs G tan, e,.!i ~ t' recent eeeuon
senator Camcrun-Are any PROSE against fraud.
uIgnt voters &C. bcne carried on IN ANY oi the state
Mae..7,No ,ir t9r e So 'es who's judiciary OF the
10 Ssna'or Bailey-i .tai, tn, on hear,al only l
| know nothing from pcrs nal o6.eDauon
| out simply because we ". re- political leaders
Or. a. T. Brcda testified that the Republican
| meeting on sent. 81 was held FOR the purpose
| OF instruting colorcd people ~ regards tho
| changes which had been made in the number
| and boundaries OF the different wards Of the
| parish. 50 that they might vote intel gently.
| He corrohoratcd the testimony OF tho previous
| witness
| WAS sheriff of Natchitoches up 60 1879. He said
that alter the meeting on the 2lst of ptcmhor
ward he returned home, and was told to
leave town; Mf; Cu4nipgham told him
leave tho place This Committee is called
| nm Advisory Committee aud Is composed Vt
| some business. and then left to see his brother
| in the country lie was abs NJ ton days When
! he roturn d, Gum ngham told him that rs tho
| others had been scut away. lac Lad het'er 10
also. Tho reason given was that they (the DEM
ocrets wished all OF the h'puhllcan leaders to
gct out o, tho way that tho ruling OF matters
| properly belonged 20 tho Democrats.
John q. lewis (coorcdi Of NatrhtccAcs trsti-
fed that. inter the Adjournment oi inc meeting
| on Sept II his house WAS broken int by a ho iy
| OF men armed with rifles and revOlvers. While
| the party Were searching tho house Tor him. h"
| hid in some thick woods IN the back yard The
| party threatened TO kill him II they could flnd
| Inn. lie cfI,ctcd his escape. anG made his way
| T. Nsw .%t'oaus.
RalorI Biuunt colorcdl Of Nat,hi;ochcs tos;i-
| ned that on SEPT II. IN tho nirrn1o his house
| WAS surrounded 10y a body ut armed mrn. num-
bering 25l. commanded hy NJ j. Cunning
ham. ut rresent a mcmber 81 the LrgislR-
ture from Natchtnches. His house was
| broken into. and he surrendered himsg II
| on receiving assurances Tat ie would not be
! harmed. u, was TAX IA to Jail and kept there
| until midnight Tn he was allowed 10 leave
town. on condition that he would advise ne
| groos to lenNo politics alone ana would meyer
return to the parish. Tho witness said that the
| lawlossness in Natchitoches County was duo
solely 10 the politicians. rs respectable people
| wore not Ia inyor oi IT,
| Mcssrs. j. ID. McGill. Iuricn Bland. and !. NJ
| McGil residents of Trnsas Parish. testified
| thnt before the election thore were two tickets
| in the ield-a regular u mo ratio and Hn inde-
| pcndont democratic. Tho negroes agreed 10
| support the latter. The Witnesses believed tho
| negroes were intimidaiGd 10 such an extent as
| tO prevent the election Of an independent ticket.
| yhcY also belieYe that frauds were committed
by stunng the ballot boxes Tho whole ma
chinery OF elc tion was in tho han Ia OF the reg
| ular Democratic nominees. rae witnesses
| were candidates on the inlcpende mt Ticket
| THE NEV YORK NOMIN1 TIONS