The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1880-04-02
TIE ST. JOHN TROUBLE.
The Excitement Quelled and the
LabOrers at Work.
The Return of the Troops with
Prisoners.

Immediately after the trial of the negro regu.
lators who had committed depredations on the
Carroll plantation. owned by Bradish Johnson
the negroes. led by the chief agitator. Henry
Fox. who. by the way. Ia a preacher. held o
meeting on the levee aud were addressed by O
number Of their own color. The speeches were
not OF an incendiary nature. the orators simply
telling the negroes that IL they could not get q
dollar day for their services. they had better
pack up and depart for Kansas.
This piece IF advice was received by the ex-
cited multitude-whfch consisted of about two
hundned negro men anh pars women ne men men pe ss
the meeting adjourned. as the sheriff he'll war
rants for the arrest Of q number OF parties who
had committed various otfenses. and who we're
present at the meeting, he arrested them and
Immediately conveyed them to the parish jail.
After this meeting sena.or Henry Demas,
bis colored friends together in the court house
and addressed them: telling them that not
wthatandlpg they had right to strike IL they
planters for whom, they were working and try
TO make an amicabe eltlement.. He told them
that Ia every step they took la they n must ,ha
moment they did anything that was not
they would get In trouble.
one hand they had u right to refuse. IL 1t was
their idea not to wor k for less than 81 per day,
they must also understand that they, had no
right to prevent other geople. either by word
or action, from working for less wages. Sena-
tor Demas's remarks were frequently Inter-
rupted by cheers from his colored friends.
When the Senator stepped down from the
judges desk the negroes departed from the
court building to their respective plantations. a
wiser, II not better crowd.
While Senator Dsma5 was making bis speech
the sheriff was busy arresting tho parties
against wnom he held warrants. and by the
timsthe meeting adjourned nearly all the reg.
afufy 1pf In hn NOR tAh nj A
number Of them we're released on bonds. as
their offenses were very slight. Those whose
ofYsnses were OF grave nature. and 1t being
the opinion of the authorities that the parish
jail was insecure. were safely guarded until
yesterday evening. when thoy were brought to
the, city by deputy sh.rlf. the ,1, state troops
ment that had risen with 1t seemed to have
gone to RES, and q better feeling existed
The negroes felt happy over Demas's speech.
aud Majr Strong WAS in a splendid humor. as
he accomplished all he wanted to do without
having recourse to violence.
THURSDAY MORNING.
The morning brought with 1t the pleasing In
telligence that the negroes on the various plan
tations had returned to work. there being. only
few who still appeared bullheaded and de-
cined to work. But so far as these were con-
cerned the general. opinion WAS that they would
follow their companions example and return
to work. ;.
Strong's headquarters that the troops would act
as posse to the sheriff. and were ordered to
hold themselves In readiness to march at 2:3o
q. m.
The clearing up of the camp was but the
work of a few moments. and at halfpast 2
O'Clock the two detachments, one Of the Ores
cent Bfies aud the other Of the Washington
Artillery. formed into, line and marched to the
railroad station. having In their cnstody. the
following prisoners: George Bell, Andrew
Williams. Shedrick Grant. Robert Jones. Aleok
Washington. Billy Williams, James Robertson.
Henry Fox aud Bayley Lee. These prisoners
were placed on the train and on arriving in
the city were conveyed to the Parish Prison by
the troops and locked up.
The prisoners will be held In custody until
the masttng OF the District COURT OF the parish
Of st. ] ohm the Baptist when they will be tried
by jury.
One OF the regulators. Henry May. q brother
In law of Senator Dem8s. was released on
bonds. as Demas signed, bond for him; not
only one guaranteeing his appearance before
court when wanted. but also a peace bond.
This ends the trouble In St. John.
The offc srs and soldiers are indebted to the
residents of st. John In general. to, Mr.. Ed
mond Legier: Mr.. Guiol, the school teacher
Father Rayoire. the parish priest, and others
In particular. for courtesies extended.
Major Strong. after the prisoners had been
safely landed treated the boys to a recupera-
tive lunch at Victor's and so the war ended.