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.

1440 CONDITION OF AFFAIRS IN THE SOUTHERN STATES.
Question. Did you inform anybody at that station, or any of the civil authorities there,
that Eustick had threatened to kill Diggs?
Answer. No, sir; because he had told nearly everybody in York himself.
Question. After Diggs was killed did you tell the civil authorities in Sumter County
what had happened?
Answer. No, sir; only to the Post-Office authorities, who ought to have taken charge
of it, I think.
Question. Did the Post-Office Department have charge of cases of murder, at that
time, committed in Sumter County?
Answer. They ought to have attended to it, I think-the United States deputy marshal, Corcoran-I think he is still deputy marshal.
Question. Did you ever hear that the man who killed Diggs was in disguise?
Answer. Yes, sir; I understood he had something white over his face.
Question. Did you ever hear that a body of men were secreted in the woods, a short
distance from the train?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you ever hear that any whistles or responses were made between the
man shooting and the body of men in the woods?
Answer. Yes, sir; I heard a whistle very plain, and some two ladies met him upon
the hill, and asked him what was the matter, and he would not tell; the whistle was
plain; it sounded like it was back in the woods.
Question. Have you any reason to suppose any men were back there where the
whistle was blown?
Answer. I do not know anything about it; I was not back there.
Question. This man Eustick was discharged before the killing of Diggs?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Was his home in Sumter County?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you know whether anybody was prepared to make oath that Eustick
killed Diggs?
Answer. Only what he told me and the other conductor, Mr. Anderson, who is on the
road now.
Question. Who informed Curran that Coleman must not go back there?
Answer. I do not know. I did not ask him that question.
Question. You do not know how he got that information?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. He did communicate to Coleman that it was not safe for him to return?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Were you on the train the night the man in disguise entered the mail-car
with pistol in hand and threatened Coleman's life?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. That was not your train?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you ever hear it said along the line of your road here that no appointee
of Mr. Hays should run on the road?
Answer. No, sir.,
Question. Did you ever hear that a colored man was taken from the jail in Sumter
County and shot?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. Did you hear that such an instance as' that had occurred during this present
month?
Answer. No, sir; I never heard anything about it. This man Harris, on the road,
was appointed, I think, through Mr. Hays, and some other man on the road-I do not
know his name-was his appointee; neither of them ever had anything said to them at
all; both have been getting along very well on the road.
By the CHAIRMAN:
Question. Was opposition made to Diggs's appointment on account of his color?
Answer. No, sir. I would rather have Diggs with me on the road than some white
men who were on the road before him.
Question. What was his office?
Answer. Route-agent. I always found him very nice and clever about his mails, and
never heard him give a word out of the way on the road.
Question. He gave satisfaction to the company?
Answer. Yes, sir; I never heard a word about him.
Question. You say Coleman was objectionable-to whom? The traveling public?
Answer. To the people generally.
Question. He had taught a negro school, you say?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Was that the objection?