The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-11
THE TELLER COMMITTEE.
/ q. =. nIsrs1CT ATTOmN.r IEONAlaw
ON THE sTAND-TnE DEMeCnA1lC
elBE OF TnH srOav.
Fourth ma =.
Fourth nay.
The committee met at the appointed hour
3 o'clock a. IN.

FOufth Nay.
The committee met at the appointed hour
so'clock a. IN.
BEN. WILLIAMS tcULoHEDD
waa called and sworn.
The Witness informed the com mlttee that b,
would not testify unless he was guaranteed
protection, as he expected 10 20 back 10 th,
parish and live. He was very shrewd darkey
aud he acted bis little part admirably. III
was very easily satisfied that no one woult
attempt 10 injure such d little man as Bio was
and he told his story. II did not amount IL
much. IL was simply 10 the effect that he
was lnteifered with while distributing tickets
at Cawthorns poll, In Caddo parish by Mr.
dim Calhoun, and that finally the colored men
were told to leave the poll, and they left It
Was on the Danube when Clark and White
were arrested, but could tell nothing more
about the affair than had previously been
tsstilled TO by other witnesses.
WIN. HARPER. CohoRED.
Am resident of Shreveport. Have Al waya
Ebeen a Republican. Neither ticket IN the
leat campaign was strict Republican One
tlcltet was mild Democrat and the other
strict Democrat We had good deal Of
trouble IN our canvass. There was Q large
f1eetinr Of our eide at Spring Ridge and there
we're something like hundred Democrats
NUrrsent. Mr.. Simpson and Mr.. MeAlillsD
and others said that we should not elect our
ticket. It was decided 10 have joint Discus.
4 sion. Mr. Leonard led of for our eide, and
Ne had not gone far before he was compelled
Il 60 stpp by some Of tho white men, who said hs,
was telling damn lies. My time came, and
made some remarks; spoke about Mr.. Mon
time Democrat who had the ideas Of thirty
wears ago and wanted 10 keep the nerroea
where he thought, God. Almighty intended
they should be, and asked my people where
i they thought God Almighty wanted them.
ssfhet kinder raised my people, and then the
white men jumped up and shouted, "Halielu-
iah .tbv God, we can't stand that" l told
them II that wouldn't do would give them
something else, but they. said mo. by Cd,
We don't want anything else; We want you 90
stop" stopped Nobody WAS hurt. Did
not no out on election day. because was al
yised by friends not TO do It,. Mr.. Leonard
men from voting. or there would be blood
shed. gave instructions to have them pulled
suff.
TO Mr.. Garland-They said at the Spring
HUI meeting that had cone m, there 20 array
done meet anything since the war to make q
living. Had 4 pistol at the Spring Hill meet
Ing. So did Mr.. Leonard My pistol was no
account. l would just as soon have stick.
ALBERT II. LEONARD,
United States District Attorney. NY home
sInce 184g. ] am United States District At
torney for this district was engaged In the
late war on the Confederate side. During the
laHt campaign / was In Shreveport, Uaddo
1jallah. took part III the campaign. Hince
ths election have made official inquiry Into
Che manner In which II was conducted. ] mr.
rived In Shreveport from New Orleans about
the twenty-tifth of July. Shortly after my
and we were cut or from all communication
with the outside country, and consequently
my knowledge of the eeeton, until after Ii
was over, was confined TO Caddo parlsh.
After the tickets were In the field had sew
srAl talks with number OF prominent Dem
0crats, who said they were going TO carry the
parish. / answered that 1 did not see how
they could do II, that the colored men were
largely u the majority, and u they voted, ]
elect their ticket, The answer TO this, was
always; "Ah, well, they areIgolng TO vote the
Democratic ticket this time" I paid very lit
te attention 10 this for time. but after awhile
Che statement became more emphatic and fl
paliy eliminated In direct intimidation. The
Republican ticket was made up Of some Of
the best and most respectable men In the
parish and the two Democratic papers Of
shreveport in commenting on II eaid that
them, admitted that they were representative
men, but intimated that they. II elected, |
would be elected by colored votes.
After the ticket was In the field, we
found that quite a number Of 0olored men |
had not been registered, and we determined
10 make canvass of the parish The first
meeting was at Greenwood, where everything !
passed OF quietly. The next was at Spring |
Hill. There was considerable Interruption.
Mr. Harper was frequently Interrupted, and |
his speech was nothing but running one Of |
answers TO questions However, AZ he was
snd nothing happened. i left him and went
70 Shreveport. and they went tn Doggy
Bayou Bridge. was surprised the next day |
70 see them ~ town, aud on my inqulflng
attempted TO bulldoze them. l ascertaned
NY first speech was at Caledonia. l made
ono d Republican church on my return 10 |
which, right or wrong / attributed to tho
fact that had made the speeches. There
were great many reports about what had
said at the meetings. The next appointment
wss e ,ndse Thomas place and made
found that the excitement had intensified,
and was told that 1t had l,een reported at
my remarks were calculated to array the col
people assss .ne wnl AZ c,o no a,st
- the people that preferred to see the cam
didAtes Of the Republican party elected. ~
they were all young men, or. TO put II more
1ntelligently. the candidates on the Demo
ld0As were fixed In their minds be-
tore the war, and who could not
realize It's results or divest themselves
% the feelings inculcated before tho war.
That the candidates on our ticket we're young
men who had grown up since tho war and
had adv Anced ideas, and could accept the con-
dition of affaire with less regret. l said that
these old ideas Of the candidates on tho
ticket constituted the life OF the
party; that It could not exist without It..
then illustrated 1t On both sides. picking out
old colored men, telling them they couldn't
get, over the old effects q slavery. and
men. represented them as gathered around
the fire telling thrilling tales OF the old
slavery times, and the dotngs Of the over
seers, and thesyouhg people yawning over
them, and finally going to bed.
Another point which was objected to, and
IN which they charged me with trying TO dis
organize labor, was this: stated, which was
= TACT, and SO stated to me by planters, that
the provisions which were furnished by the
planters were obtained by them on credit,
and they had to pay extra prices, which they
sNfrnN.. tl...l -.