Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-03-27

Under the above caption the Picayune
Of Wednesday contained the following
story:
Donaldsonville, La, March 24-Adopt-
Ing drastic measures to put stop to the
work Of labor agents who have been en-
ticing large numbers Of negro fields hands
away from this section during the last
several weeks, party Of seven or eight
prominent sugar planters from both sides
Of Bayou Laiourche, in lower Assump-
don parish, armed with rifes and pistols,
appeared in the Texas 4 Pacific passen-
Ger depot in this city Just before the ar
rival Of the northbound passenger train
ct 9:52 last night and dispersed Q crowd
Of twenty negro families, numbering in
the neighborhood Of sixty people, who
were awaiting to board the train, en-
route to St. Joseph, La, where they were
10 enter the employ Of Mr.. Mangham.
No blown were struck or disturbance Of
any kind created, the armed force simp-
y invading the negro waiting-room and
ordering the persons therein assembled
not to make any attempt to board the
train. Il b said that when the white men
appeared the negroes scattered in Ill di-
rections and hid themselves wherever
they could, many Of the children of the
various families not being located until
nearly daylight this morning. The bag
gage belonging to the emigrants was
forcibly removed from the baggage truck
By order Of The invaders. and, II ID. said,
not negro Wa permitted to board the
train except oue man, who exhibited .
return ticket 70 White Castle.
After the tsaiA he'd passed the plantess
withdrew from ~ depot and no furth-
er attempt We made to modest the ne
sroes or compel them to return to the
plantations fssn which they had desert
d. The "etteekine party arrived 1t
Donaldsonyille A. epAomobiles and 10
turned TO thsir houss M same method
of inauguration. No sAsFt was made b.
snyof thsmto conceal theirindentity, and
bystendeu who recognized them say they
vsrs among the most prominsnt and in
1nsqtiai citissns Of the lower Assumption
nsiGhboshood.
~ Yarty Of negroes he'd been recruit
q lpom The places q some Of these
pIantssS b Donaldsenville negro, Jim
Whit. aad we're met = the depot in this
dty b. . white aeapt, W. 8. II. Wales,
rspressnHing ths AaaGham planting In
tsfests. This aan sisted this morning
that no threaAs had hsep made aeainst
him Or violsnce offered him By any Of The
armed. nm who appeared On the scsne|
% mszpeeledly, and be declared that Il
wss not bin intanHion to make any charge
In the matter O. - create trouble Tor any
body. With the aslislance Of local Of
hnsrs b succeeded in ys-asaembling his
1na6nl.horsn this morning, Ill being
assuu11n - azsep3 two men, heads Of
iamilim. wngs ssidsntly sin in hid
m. ~ Z Inception Of these two
ismilipe 80 V]Aiollow = soon - the
49, - have been located, tho en-
tip tQ ~ on The 1910 o'clock Texas
4 u train this morning for st. Jo-
seph.
Labor aGents have been active in this
section for several weeks, and hundreds
Of negro families have been removed to
other sections Of the State. At first this
movement was welcomed BY the plunters,
- there vas . surplus Of labor due TO the
closing down Of numerous sugar planta-
tons, bat this surplus has long since been
exhausted, and II the supply Of labor is
still further depleted the planters will
lace . serious situation in the cultivation
Of their crops.