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. 1907
Answer. My opinion? I had no opinion. When I heard the noise, it sounded like
something unusual; I remained up; I knew the negroes were hammering down around
their place, and building and repairing; and after it no alarm, no disturbance was
reported to me-because that is the habit if anything wrong occurs.
Question. You remained up to see if anybody reported?
Answer. No, sir; I remained up to entertain the company. I never thought anything
about that-the noise notwithstanding.
Question. Had you heard of any threats made toward Abe Lyon before that?
Ansiver. No, sir; not a word.
Question. Had no suspicion that he would be visited?
Answer. Not a bit.
Question. You went down next morning; did you see any horse-tracks down there?
Answver. I went down and saw horse-tracks in the road.
Question. How many?
Answer. I cannot tell you.
Question. Where did they hitch their horses?
Answver. I don't know.
Question. Had they gone on horseback?
lAnswer. I do not know.
Question. What was your information?
Answer. I don't know that.
Question. Did you never inquire whether they were on foot or on horseback?
Answier. The testimony offered by the negroes at the inquest states that they were on
foot. The house stands fifty or one hundred yards from the lane or public road.
Question. Did the testimony show how many men were there?
Answler. It did not state; it said there was quite a number of them.
Question. Did not the woman, Mrs. Lyon, state how many she saw?
Answer. She did not know.
Question. What inference did you draw from the testimony, of the number of men
there-twenty-five or thirty?
Ansier. I could not draw any, only what was said. She said the yard was full.
Question. Was it a pretty large yard?
Answer. No, sir.
Question. To have filled the yard would it liave taken forty-five or fifty?
Answer. I do not know; it would depend on how they stood. She said they were
approximating around.
Question. Did she say they were negroes?
Answer. No, sir; she said she believed there were negroes in the company.
Question. A good many negroes?
Answier. She did not state; she did not know.
Question. Did she say she could see their faces?
Answer. I do not think she stated that.
Question. Did she say she thought they were disguised?
Answver. I do not remember that. I believe she states that she could not recognize
them.
Question. Because they were disguised?
Ansiver. I do not know whether they were disguised or not. If she stated that point
I do not remember it now.
Question. On the day succeeding that night the citizdnrs got together and passed these
resolutions?
Answier. The citizens were called in.
Question. Who called them in?
Ansiver. The citizens of De Sotoville.
Question. Called in whom?
Answier. Called in the citizens of the vicinity of De Sotoville.
Question. Were you present?
Answer. I was.
Question. Who was president of the meeting?
Answer. I do not remember the chairman.
Question. Were you?
Answier. No, sir.
Question. Who was the secretary?
Ansiver. If I mistake not, I think a young man by the name of Easely; I am not
certain.
Question. Who drew the resolutions?
Answer. There was a committee appointed to draw the resolutions. I think that it
was Captain Gray. These resolutions were published in the Bladen Springs Herald.
Question. Who were the committee?
Ansier. I do not know whether I recollect all of the committee.
Question. Were you on that committee?