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.

1696 CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
Question. Is he requried to swear to the value of it?
Answer. Yes. sir.
Question. Is it customary to swear up to the cash value?
Answer. He has to swear to the list he has made.
Question. Is it customary in this community, when people here value their property
for taxation, for them to state its full cash value?
Answer. I do not know whether it is the custom or not; it is my own custom. I do
not know the custom of other people.
Question. If you have examined the tax-lists, and lived in this community for six
vears and been an editor, you certainly have informed yourself on that point.
Ansswer. I have not examined the tax-list, except in business affecting myself, or in
this case, with a particular object. I have never examined it with a view to ascertain
how high they rated property.
Question. Have you no information whlether it is customary in this community that
property should be valued by the owner, for purposes of taxation, at its full cash
value?
Answer. I do not know of any prevailing custom. There are doubtless men who, in making out tax-lists, will give a full and fair valuation. I have no doubt there are others
who take out a margin and put in a lower rate. I know my own custom positively,
and I do not know any other positively.
Question. This is a matter that is generally a good deal talked about, about what
this and that man gives in his property at?
Answver. Yes, sir; I have heard of an instance where the man had only given his
property in at so much. So I say tlhe custom is by some to give in a fair value, and
others to cut under.
Question. Is it not according to the general practice, too, that the property should be
generally undervalued for taxation?
Answer. I cannot state the general custom.
Question. He states in this communication that an armed mob came to his plantation
and killed a colored man, and would have killed him if they could have found him;
did your investigations satisfy you of that fact, that a mob or band of men had previously come to Dr. Choutteau's house for the purpose of either killing him or inflicting
upon him bodily harm, and that they did not find him there, and they on that occasion
killed a negro?
Answer. I have no recollection of such an occurrence.
Question. Did you not testify yesterday that a hegro had been killed upon his plantation, but killed by mistake?
Answer. I did.
Question. What were they there for, if it was not for Dr. Choutteau?
Answeir. I stated that they were looking for a negro who had attempted to assassinate Mr. Bryant Richardson, and that negro was in the habit of frequenting Dr. Chouttean's plantation, and they went on that plantation with a warrant for that negro.
Question. Did yon not understand that they were after Dr. Choutteau also?
Answer. No, sir; I never heard the matter suggested.
Question. Did you ever hear that he was fired upon upon his own plantation?
Answer. I never heard that, except the statement he makes there that he was
shot at.
Question. You never heard it from anybody else?
Ansier. No, sir.
Question. I understood you to say he became a great leader of the colored men, trusted
by them, and had great influence over them; was that the case?
Answer. I do not remember hlaving said so.
Question. Perhaps I have confounded your statement with that of a previous witness; was that the fact?
Answer. He had a very great influence with the negroes in his neighborhood; but
this I will preface by saying, I have not, from my own personal knowledge, but common report in the neighborhood, that the League in that portion of the country was in
the habit of meeting on his place, and it was his custom, for a length of time, to have
an armed guard furnished him regularly, about his premises. from the League.
Question. Why was that, unless he had apprehensions of bodily harm or that his
premises were in danger?
Answer. I cannot say.
Question. Why was that, unless he was odious to a certain portion of the community?
A.lnswer. I cannot say why he desired the guard, or had it there.
Question. You know nothing of its necessity?
4Answ'er. I know nothing of its necessity. On the contrary, I believe there was no
necessity for it.
Question. Why do you say that; you have given us your belief; give the facts upon
vwhich you base that belief?