Report of the Joint select committee appointed to inquire into the condition of affairs in the late insurrectionary states, so far as regards the execution of laws, and the safety of the lives and property of the citizens of the United States and Testimony taken.

ALABAMA —SUB-COMMITTEE. 1521
Question. You went into this Blackford matter yourself?
Anscuer. Yes, sir; I thought it was best. I thought if he could go away it would be
best for him and the community. I did not know what might come to pass. I would
have deprecated above all things the killing of a man. Men do not always kill meni
for political purposes; frequently it is from personal feelings. Webb was not killed
for any political opinion, but a personal matter. Webb was interfering with a young
girl that Orick had an interest in.
By the CHAIRMAN:
Question. A colored girl?
Answer. A yellow girl. Orick had no more care for the country's welfare than any
body else; he took no part or lot in it; he was a rash man; he was with Moseby, in
Virgina, and learned a heap of things-high-handed. He deliberately walked out and
shot the fellow Webb, and walked right back to his office as independently as if hadl
killed a pig.
Question. What was done with Orick?
Answer. He fled; but they made every effort to catch him; where he is, I have no
idea.
By Mr. BUCKLEY:
Question. This man Webb was thought a'good deal of?
iAnswer. Webb worked with us a long time; he belonged to a friend. We had two or
three l;arness-makers, and taught several of them to read and write, and this young
man lived with us a long time. He was very talkative. I recollect Levi would not
like Aleck's interference in bargains. Levi would make bargains or sales of goods,
but Aleck would meddle with talk, and he interfered with Orick's relations-love relations, or whatever you may call it-and Orick killed him. That was the opinion of
everybody. Orick took no more part in politics than anybody; he was not that kind
of a fellow; he was thinking of himself-a bold, dashing young fellow, a good-looking
fellow, and Aleck interfered. His motive-was good; he tried to divert this girl's attention; that is my opinion and the opinion of the better people. Orick, feeling that
kind of flush of feeling, went out and attacked him. And there Blackford did a bad
thing; I did not see it; I heard it; he instigated the people to revenge. I did not
hear him say it, but I believe he did.
By Mr. BLAIR:
Question. Blackford did?
Answer. Yes, sir; he called upon them to revenge his death, and I tell you we had a
warm time for awhile. Instead of allaying the excitement, as he ought to have done,
he added to it, and called upon them to avenge Webb.
By the CHAIRMAN:
Question. Did the colored people have any feeling about this quarrel between those
two young meal?
Anlswer. Not a word was ever heard of it until the thing occurred, that I know of.
It was a quiet, individual affair.
By Mr. BUCKLEY:
Question. Register of voters?
finswer. Something of the kind, but it made him prominent; that made it natural
for them to like him. I excused them for feeling that they had lost one of their best
men.
By Mr. BLAIR:
Question. Was Blackford successful in exciting them?
Ansiwer. Yes, sir.
Question. There was quite a riot?
Answver. Yes, sir, a tremendous riot; but the good men-Dr. Wadsworth, a good man,
a Methodist preacher, came out and preached-came out boldly and told them to disperse-that this must not be regarded as a political move. I knew Aleck well. He
was an innocent negro, innocently executed, but meddling, and in that case I thought
he was wise in meddling, if he could have done it in a way not to have caused a difficulty.
By Mr. BUCKLEY:
Question. There was no violence done by the negroes?
Answer. No violence followed, but it was providential, it seems to me, for there was
a tremendous excitement.
Question. Why should the colored people have felt an interest in the matter aftel
Aleck was killed?
Answer. It was charged immediately upon the whites as a design. Blackford aided
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