Year: 1877

They called out TO me some 3 or times
to come out, then, getting impatient


called again, Amt you coming outT
answered yes, as soon as i could find my
pants They then said, If you don't
come out we will smoke you out
went out, and there / saw Cody Smith,
Mr.. Domings, Robert Wilson, Tom West


Charley Barrow. Robert Phillips, Hugh
Connor, Geo. Townes, Will. Gilmore,
Matt Gilmore, Joe d. Smith, Lewis
Smith, Page Barrow, Herman Barrow.
and a great many whose names / do not
now remember, and some did not know.
All were on horseback, and were armed
with guns and pistols. They had dis
mounted. / was accosted at once by
Cody Smith. who said, Il want to know
all about that club, Republican, you have
out here that is going to kill the Demo
Gratis. / told him that was a club
didn't know anything about. He says,
You are a damned liar. You follow US
all. Well get it out Of you tonight OF
we'll kill you They then got on their
horses and made me 20 with them on
foot in their midst, about $50 yards from
my house, where they came across a big
tree. There they made me get up upon
a horse. Then Tom West said to me-
Now, by Cd, want you to tell me all
you know / told them l didn't know
anything. West said. Yes you do, by
Cd. Amt some of you got ropeT
Then Robert Phillips spoke up, saying
Yes, I've got one He then passed to
West a new grass rope that he had tied
to his saddle. West Immediately put il
around my neck. after making the slip
moose, saying, Now, by Cd, want you
to up and tell US the whole thing. IL
you don't we'll break your neck to-
night / told them / knew of no club
Of Republicans to kill people. The boys
had spoke of having a club meeting. as
had always been the case in all election
times. Robert Wilson spoke, saying,
oh, by Cd, boys. he is trying to dodge
US. Break his neck at once and be done
with it, Robert Phillips then climbed
the tree, taking up the end Of the rope,
then caught hold Of the bridle-rein Of the
horse / had been placed on and started
to lead him from under me. ! caught
hold of the rein and pulled him back.
begged for a chance TO talk. They wait
ed. / told them / did not know Of such
a club as they spoke Of, but If they would
turn me loose / would join a Democratic
club. One Of them then said, Turn him
loose. Let him 60 home and behave
himself and be a good Democrat now.
They turned me loose. After l had got
off about one hundred yards one Of them
shouted out, Hold on there, you black
son Of a b-h, we amt done with you
yet / saw / had no chance to run, so
stopped right still. Cody Smith, Robert
Wilson, and Hugh Connor, Robert Phil
lips, and Lewis Smith came back for me
and told me to 60 and follow them
| They put me in advance, and being too
slow in walking for them. Wilson said
to Smith. If you've got a whip, whip him
with it, and make him go faster. IL you
have not a whip get a stick and knock
him in the head. He'll 60 then They
took me to Charley Barrow's place, mile
from my house. They went into his
quarters and took two other colored
men, named Gilbert Carter and Isaac
VESSEL, and brought them to where /
had been left with q guard over me,
about hundred yards from the quarters


When they had got Carter and VESSEL
within about ten yards Of me, the white
men said to each other, Where can we
find tree to hang these two sons OF
bitches2 When they said this Carter
and VESSEL broke and ran. The whole
crowd Immediately fred after them
Gilbert Carter was filed with buck-shot
in the small Of the back, and his thigh
was broken. The other man escaped.
Robert Phillips rode up to where Carter
had fallen and said, Boys. by Cd, this
fellows pulse is beating yet Then
Charley Barrow went up to Carter and
placing pistol to his head, fred it and
killed him dead, saying, BY God, we've
got the captain Of this Republican club,
and if he amt religious he's gone to
hell They then said to each other,
What shall we do to this otherH mean
ing me. Hugh Connor says, Kill him
and leave him here The guards who
had me in charge said, No, we will take
him to the captain and see what he says.


They carried me to the captain, and
when we got to him found it was Char
ley Barrow. He told them-he gave me
to them and said. DO whatever you want
to with him. He belongs to the Sage
Hill club, be don't belong to mine He
permitted me to talk to him. I said, 4
don't belong to anybody's club, but If
you will turn me loose and don't hurt
me Ill join your Democratic club He
said, BY Cd, you needn't expect to
join my club and then after join the Rad
ical club, for you will be in a worse fix If
you are now. II you join our club you
must vote the Democratic ticket, for if
you vote any other you might just as
well take your carpetbag on your back
and travel All Radicals now are played
out. We are all Democrats now. You
tell all others and colored men that if in
two weeks they have not joined my club
they will be sorry for their own selves.
They had better leave the parish. They
then let me 60, telling me to get home
as quick as possible. and not let them
catch me before got home, for il they
did they would kill me sure. From that
time up to election they rode over the
whole parish, threaterAg the lives Of
the people unless they voted the Demo
cratic ticket. They done it night and
day"