The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-03-05


back to the courthouse did not go In.
The excitement did not decrease and
went and got my shotgun again. l heard g
force had been sent down to the dirt bridge
| saw men going to It armed that night
On the twenty-first knew there was going
to be Democratic meeting. but not Repub
lican meeting. / left Natchltoehes on Sunday
evening.
| did not know Mt that time OF the cand
dacy OF J, Madison Wells to Congress, or thai
Blunt or Lewis were favoring him.
The first | heard of it was when circular
was read at the courthouse setting forth
that he was candidate on an independent
ticket.
The cross.examInation by District Attor.
ney Leonard referred to the manner in which
witness had conducted the registration 81
voters.
The witness was called upon to bring his
registration books into court.
NJ. J. CUNNINGHAM
sworn. live in Natchitoches. | was there
during the month of September. The first
time knew of the candidacy of Wells ! can,
not fix the date Of | am sure had not heard
OF 1t up to September II. | do not know OF
any conspiracy to interfere with Mr.. Blunt as
an advocate Of Mr.. J. Mad Wells.
Some time after the organization of the
convention there was considerable excitement
was sitting on chair on the witness stand
Of the court. The delegates were on the
inside Of the bar. | noticed excitment on the
outside OF the bar, and Mr.. RaineS got up
and said that there was an attack to be made
by negroes on the town, and moved. as the
body could not deliberate under the circum-
stances, that there be All adjournment until 6
p. m. Col. Levy suggested 4 o'clock. Some
one said that this WAS not the way to 90 IL,
that some one should lead. was selected 70
lead Then it was moved that subordinate
officers be elected, but II was decided that l
should appoint them. | then made my ap-
pointments and gave orders that the fOrma-
ton should take place on Front street.
waited some time, and when our formation
was ready we moved on the negroes whom we
saw down the street When we got down to
the quarantine station, there were no negroes
there in meeting They were standing
around in knots there, defiant and angry.
We went among them and tried to get them
to 20 home. The main body moved on down
the river. The threats thrown out were that
they would return at night and barn the
town. ] believed the reports and SO would
anybody. After this q gentleman came to
me and reported that he had seen large bodies
of negroes down there and they were making
serious threats and were armed. | believed
they had gone to the camp meeting down
there-that they had gone there armed.
thought it was safe to find out where Blunt
was, as II anything was going on he was at
the head OF It, ! sent party to find him.
There was difference OF opinion as to the
right to enter Blunt's house told them to
arrest him, as the end justified the means.
The reason why we wanted Blunt was that
IL we had him IN our hands it would have an
effect on the negroes.
| was sent for again and heard that Blunt
and thirteen armed negroes were In his house
and wanted to know whether he should be
taken out | told him to take him out
then thought that 1t would be best to have
a consultation, as | did not wish to take the
whole responsibilty,and therefore held con-
with others. | left guard around
the house and left for thecourt-house, and
requested every one | saw whose opin-
ion / wanted to go to the court
house. / advised with them and told them
| desired them to confer on the situation.
easily as possible, and without bloodshed
So we got two men who knew Blunt well to
go on the mission. They went and were re-
fused admission by Mrs. Blunt. | then
ordered Mr. Raines to go In. | called for
five volunteers to go in. 1t was announced
from the gallery that they had found him
/ did not get off my horse at all. because
was not well. | don't know how they got in
the door. Mr.. Raines came out and said :
Gentlemen, have promised this man that
he shall not be hurt, and he has told me that
he will leave the parish and never return, and
never give the people any more trouble" and
he called on all to respect the promise
Blunt came to me and extended his hand,
and begged me not to have him killed. He
was frightened to death. He was carried to
Uut touIL-HOuSt anu DlhCtu III ITe Snefl1t 8
Office, under guard. The convention then met
and proceeded with its business.
j dispatched for aid to Coushatta, as we
We're expecting an attack. We were not pre-
pared by any means for conflict | had
guards placed around town, and twenty men
at the dirt bridge and the Grand Ecore
bridge. ! requested Charley Porter to get
some one to go with him to dirt bridge to re-
connoitre. | received reports from time to
time, more than the jury has heard. / re-
quested Mr.. Thos. l.. Porter to investigate
how matters stood before making any attack
in force. After dark | called upon Blunt to
send out some one to induce the negroes to
dispense. He sent out, but it had no effect. /
told him to say to them outside that they
must not come IN.
The report of the fight was brought to
me; the convention was going on, and |
had received notice of the fight. / went to
the chairman and said that dislilxed to in
terfere with the convention, and suggested
that everybody 90 to the lower part of the
town to defend it, The convention then adj
iourned. Everybody went down, and with
them. When got down there, | got an accu-
rate account of the fight. / sent out scouting
parties below. and posted guards In town. /
staid up all night, and rode around from post
to post.
The next morning there were numerous re-
ports. We heard Of a large body of negroes
down Cane river body at St Martins,
and that the negroes were all moving west
from the Newtown settlement. Everybody
the fact that the danger was immf-
nent. Gentlemen who were in town on Satur-
day without arms had gone home, and on
Sunday we were in better condition than be-
fore. Various small bodies were reported,
and one scouting party reported some 800
down Cane river. The excitement settled
down by Tuesday, after which time there
were no armed bodies, black or white am
a member Of '29S." 1t is not political So
ciety. 1t Is more Of social character, and
not unlike what L have heard the Sons of
Malta were.
The witness was here stopped, and the court
until to-day at 10 a. M
NJ, L. Byrne & Co.. 163 Canal street, have lust