Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-04-29
A Northern Man in louisiana.

Senator Dawes of Massachusetts in the
course of the debate in the Senate referred
to the experiences OF Northern man
who went South and began operations as d
planter, but who was compelled 10 leave on
account of the prosecutions he suffered al the
hands of the people of that region Senator
Dawes did not at the time see fit to disclose
the name of this victim Of Southern intoler-
ance but the other day the person referred
to, Charles Heath, former resident of Mas
sachusetts, and now again living in that
State made full statement Of the matter
referred to by Mr. Dawes. For several years,
it seems, he has been running plantation IN
Louisiana, in Caldwell parish, of which Col
umbia is the present county seat. The plan
tation is ten miles below Columbia, on the
Ouachita river, and contains between 300
AMI 1000 acres. Mr. Heath and his brother,
u merchant in New Orleans, purchased 1t
about thirteen years ago and had established
ON it a gin-house, grlst mill AMI repair shop,
tittcd up with improved machinery MIR.
llcath's difficulties began with his decision
to employ negro overscers in place OF white
men, finding that the negroes were not will
ins to be ruled by white men as in slavery
days, and the salieut points of his statement
are as follows;
He details threats made against him II he
attempted 10 carry this out, and gives long
Il ii als,.ftutr al 8, nlmtl
Harris. whom he had placed on his planta-
ton To look after his interests after he had
determined on this course. The shooting was
hy muskrd men, the threat having first been
made that the place was 10 be broken up,
for no Yankee WAS 10 br allowed 10 run
place there with negroes without an overseer.
| After the attempted murder of tiarrlS no
| tice WAS posted up ON the plantatipn contain
! Ing the well known ku-kluX threats. MI.
1 Heath says that after this he was frequently
threatened with death and the destruction oi
| his property because he was ankee, ana
| the statement WAS frequently made that that
| sort WAS not wanted thcrC-uuly natives. lie
details one plot to burn his place which was
| frustrated hy the death Of the leader. One
of his ueishbnrs whom he supposed to he
| friendly once harbored half "A dozen men ior
"A week who were detailed To come over from
/ franklin county and waylay HIM, hut he 81
/ word of their plot through the negroes. The
r,p,rls ui the negroes were aitcrwnr,l corIob-
| Grated by the ucighhor himself. Mr. Heath 5
| buildings were finally fired last tlrlstnias
ni.ht. The negroes saw the hrc when
| il was no bigger than buShcl
/ basket. but they didn't LIrc Ia come
ont because they were afraid ol being
| shot The whole place with Improvements,
WAS worth 81. 900 rhcy burned tools,
WAGONS. rrlst mill, blacksmith shop repair
| shnp and everything else. Mr. llc;.lhs ln-
/ ,ul,,ncc WAS only St1OD lew hundred
| dollars worth ni goods wrre saved IN the ~
minutes there were t1 work in. and his pCn-
plc came very near being burned alive
MIR. Heath repeatedly strnVc tr the pTnic'
lion of the laws, hut TALKED lie sly hc viii
20 back Ia New Orleans tins Fall. lie adds
"rh, native Southcrncra knew whatmy poll
tics were, although never have talked poii-
tcs there or advised the ncSrocS, beyond tell
Ing them what | thought WAS iur ihrlf inter
est. never advised them who To vote i"i
and who not to vote iur, and tined Ia krrt
alrof from politics altogether
| The murders, he saws are not confined Il
nrrrocs and new cnmcrS rs unc "i many
instances, he states that some seven rr eight
wears ago, II man 10y the Eame ot Cam, Il
BaptIst minister and the son oi Il deacon,
gave currency To some report dcr'saiory IL
u sister Of three broiLcrs named phkr- l"o
of the brothers with a ncishhT called
upon the minister tor satisfaction They
found him splitting rails in the woods