The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-04-22
Of his political feelings.
RoB'T. J. CALDWELL.

hCCOuut "a LILO pOuSACoA ACCAAAkSs
RoB'T. J. CALDWELL.
OF JUDGE BRIDGER AND |
OTHER PARISH OFFICIALS.
COLUMBIA, La, April 20, 1881.
Gov. 8. d. McEnery,
Dear Sir-Yours of the 10Th, in rela-
ton to the publication made by
Charles Heath concerning the burning
of his property in this parish on the
night of the 25th of December, 1880, is
at hand, and contents noted.
In reply I will state that Charles
Heath owns no property in this par
ish, and that he never has owned any.
His brother, Edward Heath, owns a
plantation in this parish, situated in
Ward z, ten miles below Columbia.
The property was given in and asses
sed last Fall in the name of Edward
Heath, being given In as 26O acres of
land, and valued, including all build
ings thereon, at $500; value of horses,
mares, mules, neat cattle, ETC., 1856
cash value of all carriages, wagons and
vehicles of all kinds, s75; cash value
of all merchandise, or stock in trade,
$500; making the total appraised value
of Edward Heath's property in this
parish, $354O, which was liberal and
fair appraisement.
Charles Heath usually visited the
place and managed it for his brother
He was never OH the place more than 3
or months during each year. The
place was generally leased to, or work
ed on shares by, colored laborers. The
principal white landowners in the
Ward are A. w. Faulkner, II. A.
Blanks, (now deceased,) Henry Haas
and J. l.. Sizemore. The remainder,
or principal portion Of tho land in the
Ward is owned by colored persons.
There are about 100 colored voters
In the Ward, ~and 20 white voters.
At the last election the vote stood IL
Democrats and CT Republicans. Faux
ner's and Blanks plantations in the
Ward are five times larger than
Heath's, and worth five times as
much. Neither one of them have re-
sided on their places since the close of
the war. They have been leased or Gull
tivated by colorcd laborers on the share
a majority of years there was no white
manager Or white man on the places.
Sizemore has not resided on his place
for two years, and it is cultivated by
colored lab0rers. For several years
Haas's plantation was worked on the
same system. During all this time ]
never heard Of any objection or com
plant against this system or plan O
managing these places, and there neve,
was any trouble or outragcs perpe.
trated in the Ward.
The colored people in the Ward
sometimes have difficulties between
themselves.
Mr.. Heath, nor no one else in the
Ward was ever threatened or moIested
in consequence OF the management OF
their plantations. 1t is on account OF
its location, rather isolated from tho
remainder of the parish, there being
but few whites in it. 1t is controlled
by the colored population in it. The
Ward is represented by colored man
who is also member of the Parish
School Board; the Justice of the Peace
and the Constable are both colored.
The statements Of Charles Heath i,
relation to the alleged troubles and the
causes are false. In the first place
every one in this parish manages his
property or plantation to suit himself
and have never heard any objection
or protest to their so doing. 1t is 9
fact that plantations are leased in
various parts to colored laborers with
not a single white man upon them, and
I have never heard of an objection o,
difficulty In consequence thereof. The
plantation belonging to the =. r.
Smith heirs in Ward I. being worth
six times the value of the Heath place
and in the finest section of the parish
is now, and has been for years, leased
and controlled entirely by colored peo-
pie, there not being white man on tn.