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.

1604 CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
He could not discern the number, but didn't think there was more than half a dozen,
I think he told me.
Question. Was it their purpose to kill Dr. Choutteau, from your information?
Answer. Yes, from the best information I had, it was their purpose to kill him. I
was under the impression that they went away with the impression that they had
killed him. It was at night, and dark.
Question. Had they shot into the house and killed Coblentz?
Answer. Yes, sir; into the house where Choutteau resided.
Question. Is that in this town?
Answer. It is in or near the corporate limits of the town. It was at one time in the
corporate limits of the town, but they have reduced the limits.
Question. Was there any effort made to discover the murderers?
Answer. Yes, sir; the sheriff informed me that he followed them a considerable distance toward Demopolis or Moscow, or rather the landing on the river below. I learned
when I got down there that morning that the sheriff had gone there that morning.
You could tell by the dripping of the blood, as they carried him off, that one of their
men was killed; and you could see the dripping of the blood along the road; it could
be followed for some time; I didn't follow it long; I understood they followed it some
distance.
Question. Did the man recover?
Answer. The man never recovered, I am confident, because I never saw so much
brain as was lying on the floor. I had no idea any human had so much brain.
Question. I am not speaking of Coblentz.
Answer. No; I am speaking of the man that Coblentz killed.
Question. Were the community, afterward, informed of this man's death?
Answer. The rumor was that he was carried to his parents.
Question. Where is it said that they lived?
Answer. That they lived in this county. The rumor was that he was carried to his
parents.
Question. He was a young man?
Answer. Yes, sir. I did not know him personally. I knew his father very well.
By Mr. BUCKLEY:
Question. Did you understand that this attacking party was disguised?
Answer. Well, sir, I don't think any one could tell. I did hear that this Dutchman,
Coblentz, shot the man's head off of his shoulders, and I did understand that a disguise
fell off with his head, or with his brains; but I can't give you any information. There
was a jury of inquest; and I suppose they investigated that matter; I heard so. I
never saw the disguise. It was said he had a disguise on of some kind.
By the CHAIRMAN:
Question. You may go on with your enumeration. You have said that several persons have been killed in the last few years.
Answer. A negro man was taken out of jail, I am informed. All that I say is from
information from others. This man Coblentz was the only instance where I saw the
man dead. A negro man was taken out of jail and hung, and shot too.
Question. What case do you refer to?
Answer. His name was Jasper; I don't remember his given name. It was probably
two years ago. It was alleged that he shot a young man in his store between this and
Gainesville, and robbed the house.
Question. The committee have heard of his case. Jasper was taken out at night by a
band of men?
Answer. Yes, sir. That was my information.
Question. Were they said to be disguised?
Answer. I never heard.
Question. Did you understand how numerous they were?
Answer. I don't remember. There was a considerable crowd, I understood.
Question. From the jail in this town?
Answer. Yes, sir. There was another taken out of jail before the last term of court.
Question. You refer to the Zeke High case?
Answer. Yes, sir. A very few days before the last term of court. It was alleged
that he confessed that he had killed a young man in this county, who went from this
town with the sheriff to assist in suppressing a riot at Belmont, which the sheriff can
tell you about better than I can. There was a good deal of excitement here at the
time. There was a young man named Collins, from this neighborhood, killed, and he
confessed he killed him.
Question. How many shots did you understand were fired into Zeke High's body?
Answer. I don't remember. I heard it was a great number. I heard he was very
badly shot.
Question. In Jasper's case, was he not taken out and first hung and then shot afterward?
Answer. I understood that he was both hung and shot. I suppose they hung him