him, which as he well says "speaks for itself." It will be found in the printed testimony.

Attention is called to the affidavit of James Payne, who was present when William Payne, a colored republican, was taken from his house in the night-time by the regulators or bull-dozers, a rope put around his neck, the other end tied to the saddle, and then dragged until he died, when his body was thrown into the river, where it was found several days after.

The depositions of Ann Myers, Martin Dunham, and Ellen Dunham show the killing of Jesse and Samuel Myers.

The deposition of Charles Coleman narrates the circumstances of the murder of Major Selves, and the threats that every man who voted the republican ticket should "get six feet of rope" or be forced to leave the country.

INTERFERENCE WITH REPUBLICAN MEETINGS.

In the course of the plan for intimidating the colored republicans, public meetings at which political addresses were to be delivered were broken up by the armed and mounted men who composed the democratic clubs. In some cases these armed clubs followed the colored men from one meeting to another, riding in among the gathered people, brandishing their arms, and putting the peaceful crowds to flight. Upon these points attention is called to the testimony given by Alexander Gilbert, W. G. Lane, L. C. Le Sage, Charles Rockmayd.

Mr. Le Sage, who is a southern-born man, who served in the confederate army, and has always lived in Louisiana, says that he never knew the colored men who, if left to themselves, would have voted anything but the republican ticket.

DRIVING REPUBLICANS OUT OF THE PARISH.

In numerous cases where murder was not resorted to colored republicans were driven out of the parish by the threat that if they remained their lives would be taken. Many of the witnesses whose testimony has been taken are now in New Orleans, and do not dare to return. They abandoned their farms and their homes, in many cases their crops yet ungathered, and fled for their lives.

See upon this feature of the case the deposition of Le Sage, Clover, and Lane. The president of the republican club of the Third ward, a Mr. Jackson, and Hon. George P. Davis, parish-judge, a gentleman of excellent character and standing, with scores of others, were obliged to leave their homes to save their lives.

In fact the system of intimidation and terrorism was so complete that the wonder is that so many republicans dared to vote. But for the presence of United States troops in the city-wards and the action of the planters on the river-district, the result reached in East Feliciana, where not a single republican vote was thrown, would have been attained. In addition to the witnesses to whom special reference has been made, twenty-one others testify to whippings, shooting, burning, and threatening by the bull-dozers, and particular attention is called to the fact that when cross-examination has been undertaken by democratic attorneys, under the rules of the returning board, the original testimony has been strengthened by the corroborating facts brought out.

No better illustration of the democratic plan to carry Louisiana can be found than this which the parish of East Baton Rouge affords. Every word of the testimony ought to be read.

OUACHITA.

Statement of the testimony offered as to certain polls in Quachita Parish.

A statement made in due form of law by the proper officer accompanies the return of the election for the parish of Ouachita, reciting, inter alia, that from the 16th of October last to the 7th of November, the day of election, during the period of registration and revision of registration, tumult, acts of violence, intimidation, disturbance, and corrupt influence, which tended to prevent a fair and free election by all the qualified voters of said parish, prevailed. A variety of testimony supporting such statement is found with the return. To understand the truth of this complaint it is well to discover the relative position of the parish in the State and its division for election-purposes prior to the late election. Ouachita is one of the northern parishes of the State, the parishes of Union and Morehouse alone separating its northern boundary from the Arkansas State line; those parishes bounding it on the north, Morehouse and Richland on the east, Caldwell on the south, Jackson and Lincoln on the west. It is divided

into seven wards, and has for its seat of justice the city of Monroe, a city of about three thousand population. The registered vote for the present year was: white, 992; colored, 2,392. The supervisors of registration having the legal right to establish polls over parishes to receive the votes, the supervisors here made twelve polls or votingplaces, as follows

For ward 1, poll 1, at Grady's school-house, on what is called the island; for ward 2, two polls, one, or poll 2, at Filhial's store or Logtown, poll 3 at Cuba school-house; for ward 3, which includes Monroe, four polls, Nos. 4, 5, 6, and 7, all at the court-house; for ward 4, poll 8, at Masonic school-house; for ward 5, poll 9, Mount Vernon church; for ward 6, polls No. 10, Cade's store, No. 11, Forksville; for ward 7, poll No. 12, at Trenton. The complaint is made by the supervisor's statement, which is annexed to and made part of his official return, that during registration, and the revision of registration, all over the parish and at several stations, so as to interfere with voters on the day of election, there were such acts of violence, tumult, intimidation, disturbance, and currupt influence, as tended to and did prevent a fair, free, full, and peaceable vote of all the qualified electors at polls Nos. 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, and the vote returned for such polls should be rejected and excluded by the returning-board from the general count. If the evidence submitted discloses the truth of the supervisor's official averment against the integrity of the returns from such polls, they can be legally and ought to be excluded from the general aggregate of votes cast in the State. Under their rules the affidavits and sworn statements accompanying the official returns are received as prima-facie evidence. A copy of the official protest of such supervisor is herewith appended. Several of the commissioners of elections at the polls indicated unite with the supervisor, under oath, in pronouncing the invalidity of the elections there held. A large mass of evidence has been taken on interrogatories before commissioners and filed. Some witnesses were personally examined before the board.

cans.

In support of his protest the supervisor refers to the contrast in the vote of the parish now returned and that cast two years ago and previously. At the election prior to that of 1876 the vote of the parish was: republican, 1,763, democratic, 787; that now returned exhibits republican, 793, democratic, 1,867; this great change is startling, and immediately suggests inquiry for the cause. There were registered voters in the parish for the present year 3,384; of these more than 2,000 have been known for years as republiThe vote returned makes a change of about 2,050 votes in an actual vote cast of about 2,660. A reference to some of the wards complained of and protested by the supervisor discloses similar astounding changes since the last election. The vote of ward 1 was, at prior election, republican, 347, democratic, 57; as now returned, republican, 11, democratic, 340. Ward 2, at prior election, republican, 291, democratic, 66; as now returned, republican, 2, democratic, 345. Ward 6, prior election, republican, 66, democratic, 167; as now returned, republican, 2, democratic, 229. These startling changes are attributed in his official return by the supervisor to illegal pratices on the colored republican voters during the time of registration and at or about the time of the election, thus under the Louisiana statute in such cases invalidating the returns.

The first evidence submitted to sustain the charge of violence, intimidation, and illegal practices is the formation and conduct of rifle companies armed and mounted as adjuncts to the democratic clubs of the different wards. The organization of these companies began about the 1st of July last; about the time the registration of voters began. It appears at the time these companies began to form there was comparative peace and quiet in the parish. After they formed and traversed the parish confusion, violence, whipping, bloodshed, murder, and shameless brutality commenced and continued until the election, and some instances since. There were eight of these rifle companies, or what were known among the republican negroes as "bull-dozers." They were supplied with membership from the different wards and voting-places of the parish. They were armed with guns and pistols, mounted, had regular officers, all the appointments of military organizations, and frequent meetings. They existed by virtue of no law of the State, but sprang up as aids and missionaries to re-enforce the democratic clubs. Democrats alone composed them. Armed, they rode over the parish in the day and night time; more frequently at night. They would fire off their arms, guns, and pistols, to create alarm and terror among the negroes. They would halt before and enter at unseasonable hours of the night the houses of the negroes; often commit violence upon the men and women by shooting and whipping with the accompaniment of profane and abusive language. The assurance would be given if the party assailed would vote the democratic ticket all would be well; if not, they would be left without protection. Reference is made to the testimony of J. R. Hall, annexed hereto, a justice of the peace in the Fourth ward, a white citizen, who was applied to to join one of these companies. He was waited on by a committee of three persons to join and advance the success of the democratic ticket. He was told if he did not join he would be left without protection, and this followed by a remark from the captain of another of these companies present that they would make it so d-d hot that men would be forced to join them,

Another justice of the peace, Nats Blanshard, a colored republican, who lives in Seventh ward, near poll 11, was the owner of three hundred and thirty acres of land which he cultivates, employing several hands. He has considerable personal property and excellent credit. He says until these companies were formed there was peace in the parish; that after they were formed, and during registration of votes, there was violence, bloodshed, and intimidation in different parts of the parish; that after the assassination in open day of Dr. Dinkgrove, a leading republican, on the 30th of August, there came from the adjoining parish of Lincoln three hundred armed men, who were met by about seven hundred armed members of the democratic party at Trenton, in Seventh ward. These men rode over the parish in warlike manner, many of them swearing they would carry Ouachita for the democracy if they had to do it with shot-guns. This and similar demonstrations so terrified and dismayed the colored voters that many of them came to the witness as a justice of the peace for advice, asking him if they bad better not register after these armed men rode around. This witness himself was compelled to promise to vote the democratic ticket in order to save his property, and he is now a refugee from his home. So turbulent does it appear the parish became, that the sheriff, George B. Howlet, who was a republican, and whose testimony is annexed, was compelled for personal safety to leave the parish. So actively bitter had the feeling grown in this parish, that Dr. B. H. Dinkgrove, mentioned before, a son-in-law of the chief-justice of the State, and among the republican leaders, on the 30th of August last, during the time he was engaged in organizing the republicans of the parish, on the highway, at noon, on the way to his dinner, was shot dead. This was followed by the killing of Primus Johnson, James Jackson, Miramon Rhodes, Henry Pinkston, and others, all republicans, on account of their politics, as the evidence shows. Others were wounded and whipped because of their political associations as republicans. W. H. Burwell, an active republican, was shot and captured by one of these rifle or bull-dozing companies while on a trip distributing republican tickets and compelled to burn them. Elisha Moore, a republican, while on a similar errand of distributing tickets was captured and compelled to stop. Eaton Logwood, a pronounced republican and intelligent man, was shot at his own gate by two masked men, one of whom he recognized as belonging to the bull-dozing companies. Jesse Briggs, an active republican, had to hide up his chimney to avoid the searching persecutions of these political military cavalry companies, and when discovered had pistols presented to his head and reminded of the danger of continuing his political operations. Scores of men avoided sleeping in their houses at night, to escape the persecutions and violent electioneering practices of these armed bull-dozers.

It is in evidence also that these companies occasionally visited with their arms republican meetings and interfered with the proceedings, using abusive epithets to the speakers and seeking to intimidate the auditors. So frequent was this that Lieutenant McCauley, of Thirteenth Infantry, attended with his command several meeting to protect the constitutional right of the republican citizens peaceably to assemble together. So much confusion and terrorism prevailed in the parish that Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel Hale, of the Thirteenth Infantry, on the 24th of September last, with a detatchment of his command, was sent to Monroe to preserve the peace of the parishes of Ouachita and Morehouse, and adjoining parishes to prevent collision between armed

men.

BREVET LIEUTENANT-COLONEL HALE CALLED ON TO PROTECT CITIZENS.

Lieutenant-Colonel Hale describes the condition of the parish in his testimony before returning-board as follows:

"The condition of affairs in Ouachita Parish at the dates referred to in answer to 7th interrogatory was very much unsettled. A strong feeling of political bitterness and intolerance was apparent among a large class of white persons, residents of it. Complaints were made to me daily by negroes of being driven from their homes; of being threatened, whipped, and treated with other acts of violence; of their homes invaded at night by masked and armed white men; of visits by committees from democratic clubs, and notifications from such committees to join democratic clubs within stated periods under penalty of death. So threatening was the manifestation of intolerance and so determined was the threatening attitude of this lawless class of white men that the colored population of the parish seemed to have been reduced to the most abject condition of terror and helplessness. Mounted and armed organizations of white men were formed in different parts of the parish, and the acts and influence of these armed and mounted organizations seemed to have effectually suppressed whatever law-abiding sentiment may have heretofore existed in the parish." "A number of colored persons residing near the place where Primus Johnson was killed and Eaton Logwood wounded did call upon ine after the shooting and sought my advice and protection. They seemed almost paralyzed with terror, and announced, many of them, their intention to leave the country and find some place where they could live with some assurance of not being shot down at any moment."

SHERIFF OF PARISH IS DRIVEN AWAY.

G. B. Howlet, sheriff of the parish, testifies to the changed condition of affairs in the parish after the forming of these companies, as follows: After the appearance of the circular of the chairman of the democratic executive committee of Louisiana, advising the forming of mounted clubs and their marching around in force, "a sudden change came over the spirit of democracy. The rifle companies that had been quietly organizing commenced acting as a cavalry troop, riding over the parish accompanied with this order, proclaimed they would carry the State and parish. It was freely stated by democrats that Dinkgrove and Howlet would be killed if they did not quit making republican speeches. Dr. Dinkgrove a short time before his assassination was informed by a leading democrat, now a prominent member of one of the bull-dozing companies, that he would be killed if he did not stop making republican speeches. The rifle company organized at Monroe created but little alarm until a shipment of rifles was made to Dr. F. J. Aby, chairman of democratic conservative committee, which were distributed among leading democrats in the different wards. These rifle companies were formed mainly in republican strongholds. Wards 1, (the island,) 2, and 4 were patrolled day and night by them. They would fire off their guns near the houses of colored republicans, which, being frequently repeated, terrified them to such an extent that they abandoned their houses at night and with their families sleep unsheltered in the cotton-patches. Occasionally a letter would be forwarded to a leading republican with orders to leave, in which would be inclosed half-dozen buck-shot."

66

SHERIFF POWERLESS.

The sheriff further states that since the 27th day of August, 1876, till the 8th of November last, he was unable to discharge his duties as sheriff. That during said time, the parish of Ouachita has been under the control and absolute sway of democratic rifle clubs and armed bodies of men who recognize no law save their own free will, and no commands save those of their military chieftains, that by their lawlessness and boldness the courts of justice were paralyzed, the most lawless found ready bondsmen, were turned out on the community to commit fresh misdeeds and continue their reign of terror-that many of the best citizens who had heretofore opposed violence countenanced lawless proceedings by either passive acquiescence or active participation. To so great an extent had this confusion and disregard of even the form of law gone in the parish, through the operations of these rifle or bull-dozing companies, that as the sheriff testifies on Saturday night, the 11th of November, 1876, during the time that the democratic party were having a torch-light procession," celebrating a supposed victory," in the town of Monroe, several members of said procession demanded the keys of the jail from the jailor, to release E. Hathaway who was incarcerated for shooting and attempting to murder four colored republicans." Such being the condition of affairs in the parish, resulting from the manner these rifle or bull-dozing companies sought to influence and control the politics of the different wards, the horrid catalogue of murder and violence from August to November last is not surprising. The painful record of murder seems to have begun with the fatal shooting of the republican leader of the parish, Dr. Dinkgrove, at noon on the 31st of August, by a concealed political foe. This was followed October 11, by the murder of Primus Johnson, who was shot dead by masked members of one of these political companies while holding his little child in his arms. At the same time his brother-in-law, Eaton Logwood, was shot down, supposed to be fatally wounded. The extent of terror this murder created is best described by Lieut. Henry M. McCauley, United States Army. He testifies: "I did escort District-Attorney pro tempore Hardy of said parish to the island, and by order of my commanding officer, Captain Hale; it was on or about the 11th of October; I was sent with Mr. Hardy to see that he arrived safely at Logwood's, as it was then feared persons going in that direction might be shot down. My command consisted of eight men and a non-commissioned officer; it was about 10 o'clock p. m. when we arrived at Logwood's, after innumerable stoppages in Chowan Swamp; it being very dark at the time we were compelled to use a lantern. Upon arriving at Logwood's the scene was indeed appalling, one which will never be erased from my mind; helpless women, frightened men and children all huddled together in groups, looking terror-stricken as though about to be slaughtered; a few more surrounding a camp fire, which was burning to keep them warm. In the passage-way of the front house was Primus Johnson, who lay there with the blood oozing from his wounds which caused his death; in the rear house, a kitchen, Logwood was in bed with at least eight or ten men and women surrounding his supposed death-bed. The district-attorney wrote his declaration. From all I could learn two white men, blackened, committed this atrocious deed, and were supposed to be on the look-out to return and finish their fiendish work. * I have seen many sad sights, but the expression upon the faces of those helpless ones that night portrayed all that fright could possibly do. When we had finished and were about to leave, the supplication of these poor creatures was heart-rending. I left a detail of a corporal and three men for their protection."

*

The death of Johnson was followed by the murder of James Jackson, wickedly and without cause. Following this was the deliberate killing of Mayman Rhodes, whose entrails were torn from his body and left on the bank of the bayou, and the body thrown into the water. To this crime again can be added the murder of Fred Byrum, who was an unoffending colored republican. Most fiendish of all is the shameless record of the murder of Henry Pinkston and child. The details of the breaking into his house by armed men the morning (before daylight) of the 4th of November last, taking him from his bed, shooting five balls into and otherwise mutilating his body, and leaving him as a dead animal on the roadside, unburied for more than a day, the murder of his innocent child, the shooting of his wife, Eliza Pinkston, followed by the attempt to cut her throat and mutilate her person, make up a record of cruel, barbarous crime which an American hesitates to believe his countrymen could be guilty of. Other murders from August to November were committed, yet no arrests, no trial, no evidence of ontspoken indignation by the neighborhood against them. To these murders might be added the shooting of Andrew McCloud, W. H. Burwell, Spencer Dickerson, Benjamin James, George Shelton, Hawkins Jones, William Clark, and others, the hanging of Emanuel Richards, the lashing of Randall Driver, the cruel violence to Jesse Briggs and Charles Williams, the whipping of Cora Williams, and other deeds of cruelty to unoffending colored men and women of Ouachita, whose only offense was the enjoyment of republican convictions.

The testimony connects these acts of lawlessness and violence directly with the pending political campaign. It will be observed that all who were murdered and assailed were republicans. The testimony of Lieutenant-Colonel Hale, Lieutenant McCauley, Sheriff Howlet, Astwood, Gorham, D. H. Hunt, Judge Leonard, Lushington and many others, recites that these companies, armed and mounted, attended frequently republican meetings, sometimes riding the country previously, warning republican negroes not to go on the penalty of their lives, then again attending the meetings and interrupting the speakers and threatening violence to them. So thorough did terror, fear and apprehension prevail in the parish as the consequence of this lawless conduct that the colored republicans were informed by republican speakers, as testified to by Mr. Gorham, that if they came to Monroe they could vote as they desired under protection of the United States troops. Hundreds of the terrified negroes then arranged to come to Monroe, the day of election, there to vote according to their free choice under the protection of the United States troops. There were four polls established at Monroe. The intention of the colored republicans to vote in Monroe becoming known to the democratic clubs, efforts were taken by these rifle or bull-dozing companies to prevent the negro pilgrimage thither. This was foreshadowed by the notification in the democratic paper published in Monroe, of November 4, last, of the establishment of these four polls in Monroe, in which it was charged the republicans designed to mass their voting strength in the city, and the same article gives notice that this "can and will be met by the democrats."

It will be observed, under the election law registered voters can vote at any poll in the parish. Scores of republicans, fearing for their personal safety to vote at the polls near where they lived, desired to go to Monroe and vote according to their choice, free from what they called the bull-dozers. So intense was this desire that many of these colored voters came to Monroe a day or two before the election and remained there to vote. The evidence clearly shows that on the day of election the roads leading to Monroe were picketed by some of these bull-dozing companies for the purpose of interfering with the approach of the colored men to Monroe to vote, thus compelling them to return to the poll near where they lived and vote under intimidation or not vote at all. Benjamin James testifies on that subject "that he was supervisor's constable at poll No. 2, ward 2, and had charge of the ballot-box, that he started from his home in Monroe at one o'clock in the morning of the election to perform his duties; that when he got about two miles on his way he was halted, examined, and taken to the camp-fire at the head-quarters of one of these rifle companies, on duty at that early hour, and saw standing and lying around armed men. When the captain of the command indicated his purpose of violence upon this unoffending election officer James took to the woods, leaving ballot-box and saddle-bags behind, whereupon he was pursued, shot, and fell helpless to the ground. The captain of this company followed the stricken man, saying "damn him, I'll fix him," and put his pistol to his head, fired, the ball gashing the temple, knocking the man senseless, where he was left for dead. In consequence of this attack no election was held at that poll, where hitherto the republicans had from 150 to 175 majority. Mr. James was and always had been an active republican. Herman Bell, also a commissioner for poll -, on the same day was stopped on his way to his duty, as were also commissioner Caldwell and supervisor Hardy, by armed men. A variety of witnesses testify clearly to the presence of these armed men on the roads and throughout the parish, capturing election officers, interfering with voters, thus disturbing that freedom and fairness of election so necessary to its legality, in a number of the polls.

I. R. Hall, a justice of the peace in the First ward, Lefore referred to, testifies that