Year: 1876

replied that he was killed by unknown parties
| knew nothing of the killingo of Marion Rhodes;
Primus johnson and others; heard of the as
sassination of Dinkgrave, and that it was a
personal, and not a political murder; had
never opposed the sending Of troops to
Ouachita; Samuel NJ Emery and others wrote
that troops were there, but they did not eb-


ject it; also heard from East Baton Rouge
that troops were riding through the parish


and telling the negroes that if they voted the


Democratic ticket they would be arrested;


has never seen but one certificate for colored


men saying they had voted the Democratic


ticket; this was after the election; knew of


New Orleans certificates being given to col


ored Democrats, insuring them protection.


Tosthe question of why he believed the Re-


publicans desired a collision between the


races, he replied, that in view of riot at


Colfax, brought on by the action of the gov


ernor, and the fact that it would serve the in


terest Of the party; the governors action


was in appointing two sets of officers; two


to fill the Office of sheriff; there was an un-


pleasant state of feeling before, and this


action precipitated the not by each claiming


the right to exercise the functions of office.


The examination on this point, conducted


by Chairman Howe, was quite lengthy. The


witness said in answer to the question, That


had collision occurred here during the cleo


ton would it have been used by the Republi-


oaus north to influence the people there
against the people of the south and the DEM
ocratc patty there; that he did not know
that the number of colored people killed In
the south since the war was numbered among
the thousands; his only information was from
Nordhoff's statistics on the subject. The
witness then narrated two instances--one of
NJ ho,H Of


verely whipped ten days since by armed ne
groes; and Mr.. Ackridge, of the same par
ish, who, two weeks since, was called
to the door, and himself and little daughter
were shot and badly wounded by negroes; he
had list of fourteen outrages committed on
whites by negroes since 1870 in Ascension;
did not think they were all caused by politi-
cal differences and the same might be said
of a number of cases on the other side;
thought that human life had been taken in
Louisiana since the war without due provo
cation, and the same might be said of New
York; human life was not held as sacred
here as In the north, for various reasons, but
a very large majority of the people of the
State looked with horror upon the killing of
anyone for political reasons.


This witness was cross-examined at great
length, giving In his testimony occupying
nearly six hours In conclusion he stated to
Senator NJ Donald that Robert Brown, mem
Der of the State central committee had been
killed within the past few days just below the
city: did not know whether politics had any
thing to do with it; thought a great many
homicides were committed in the State which
had no connection with politics as charged.


The chairman announced that the room
was ready for the subcommittee, and that he
would announce the subcommittee tonight. |


The committee then adjourned until half
past seven tonight.


At the evening session Sam NJ Emery chair
man of the Democratic executive committee |
of 0uachita parish, was examined and testi- |
fed as to the conduct of the campaign and |
the peaceable character of the election held |
IN that parish.