The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-11
THE TELLER COMMITTEE.

ASTOUNDING STATEMENTS by REPUBLIcANS-
HOW POLITICAL MEETINGS WERE BROKEN UP
BY RuFFIANs-BoTH SIDES OF THE STORY.
NEw ORLEANS. Jan. TO- 1879.
Benjamin Williams and William Harper. of Caddo.
testified before the Teller Committee to-day corrob-
Grating the testimony of other witnesses to violence
and intimidation in the parish and the placing of polls
at out-ot-the-way places without due notice. thus
preventing colored men from voting. Knew but two
colored democrats in the parish.
DEMOCRATIC VIOLENCE AND INTIuDATIoS.
A. II. Leonard District Attorney, testified as fol-
lows:-was confined to Caddo parish by quarantine
during the last campaign prior to the election was
told by prominent democrats that they meant 10
carry the election; asked them how they would do
it. in view of the fact that the negro voters were
greatly in the majority reply that negroes would
the democratic ticket; later fixed determination
the part of the democrats to carry tho election
became evident this determination finally was in
tensifed into acts of intimidation the Republican
Convention put ticket into the field. which
conceded, however. that this ticket would only
receive the negro vote. Mr.. Leonard then
gave AN account .t o. ,. meeting q. sprinS
upon, but the republican speakers were
interrupted and insuted by the democrats with pro.
fame and abusive language the general character Of
which is shown by the following. Mr.. Leonard
said:-While 1 was speaking Mr. jeff Sullivan
and number Of others arose and said my statements
were damned lies; several parties advanced,
while kept silent; in few moments order was
restored and finished; Mr.. Hin followed me; Mr..
Ellsener republican, was the next speaker;
remarks as. 'You radical scoundrcl!
.That's liei" &c; Mr.. Crane (democratl then
spoke; he was followed by Mr. Harper republican,,
who had not spoken three minutes when the whole
house was in tumuit. with cries OF XII the rad.
looked for an advance on Harper when all at once
some fifteen men began coming toward me; the
leader appeared to be Jasper McMllan he got to me
first; Mcmillan began cursing. calling pe radical
thief. y coward and sconndrel; this sort OF
thing lasted ten minutes; knew they
wanted me to resent these insults. and then
q row would take place and we would
be killed and nobody know who did the deed; ! Kept
point stranger to me, Cieb Foster, came TO McMn.
Ian and took him by the neck and dragged him out
Of Ss es
walked out through the front door ana went 10 where
our buggies were; nobody followed usI and We left;
on my arrival at Shreveport was told that the
town was in terrible state of excitement. and that
we were TO be killed il we held another meeting;
asked who said and told all the town repeated
the statement Witness then detailed various acts
of violence, threats and fraud, such plac-
ing ballot boxes at inaccessible places tho
organization OF cavalry companies throughout the
iion not permitting republican supervisors to dis
charge their duties and refusal to allow negroes to
vote who had registered. on the ground that their
names were not on the books.
]. r. Hornsby, of Natchitochcs tcstifedthat he had
been ordered to leave the parish md had done 80.
L. Il. Newell, OF rensas. stated that in his ward
there was intimidation or trouble; he saw armed
bodies, both white and colored.
H. G. Rogers l.. TemplcMan, G. A. Simpson andJ.
H. Shepherd Of Caddo. were called by the democratic
members of the committee, and in substance denied
timidatiop by democrats. They asserted that where
there any troubles negroes were the aggressors