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. 1919
Question. All these other cases you have mentioned, of instances where the persons
killed, were assassinations by disguised men in the night-time, were they?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you understand that they visited their houses and took them out and
killed them?
Answer. Yes, sir; took them out in the night. I heard that Isham Ezell was killed
in his house.
Question. Over what period of time do these murders you have specified range?
Anslwer. They run back to about June.
Question. Last June?
Answer. Yes, sir; and since that.
Question. Had there been any murders previous to that in Choctaw County?
Answer. Yes. sir; there was another one that I recollect now.
Question. What one?
Answer. Nat Edwards was killed prior to that. I never heard that they were disguised at all.
Question. What were the circumstances of the killing of Nat Edwards?
Answer. They went to his house in the night, and called him up; he got up and refused to open the door, and they shot him through the door and killed him.
Question. You understood it was a party of men?
Answer. Yes, sir.
Question. Was he a colored man?
Answuer. Yes, sir; very old.
Question. Did you know him?
Answer. Well, I knew all these parties that I have spoken of.
Question. Was Edwards a good negro?
Answer. Yes, sir; he was a good negro.
Question. How were these other colored men that were killed in point of character?
Ansswer. Well, sir, they were all very good men.
Question. Did you understand what causes were assigned for killing them?
Ansicer. No, sir; I never heard any cause.
Question. Have you known or heard of any cases of negroes being whipped in Choctaw County?
Answer. Well, I have heard of some, but I have paid so little attention to them-that
was a matter of no importance-that I do not believe I could undertake to state anything of that sort.
Question. There was not much account taken of circumstances or affairs of that
kind?
Answer. No, sir; unless a murder was committed it was not considered much at all.
Question. Did you hear that these whippings were inflicted by men in disguise?
Answer. I have not heard much of that at all; I have not heard about that. I recollect that I heard some parties down in the lower end of the county, just before the
election, talking about whipping a negro severely down there.
Question. Before the election?
Answler. Yes, sir.
Question. Did you understand what he was whipped for?
Answer. It was about his politics.
Question. Do you know whether they were disguised or not?
Answeer. I do not reckon that they were, sir.
Question. What has been the effect of these murders and whippings upon the negroes
as to exciting alarm among them?
Ainswer. There is one effect it has produced now: they all want to leave here, all
want to leave the country and go away somewhere-to Kansas, or somewhere else.
They are afraid to stay here.
Question. Is that exciting any apprehension among the whites-fear that they will
lose the benefit of their labor?
Answer. I have heard the whites speak but very little of it. What I have heard is
that they are afraid they will lose them. I have only heard a few men speak about it.
Question. If the negroes are left to themselves, and not influenced by their employers,
or intimidated by any one, how would they, as a general thing, vote, in your opinion?
Ansier. I think they would vote the republican ticket.
Question. Have you any reason to believe that they have been deterred either froln
voting at all or from voting the republican ticket, on account of fear or apprehension
of loss of employment, or being outraged?
Answer. Yes, sir; I think so. In my opinion they have. In 1868 we had an election
for the ratification of the constitution. In that year-1868-they were threatened if
they voted the radical ticket that they would be discharged from employment. In the
same way in the election for President in the fall of 1868 that was a common thing.
Question. How was it at the election last fall, for governor?
Aniswer. They did not talk to me much then. I did not hear; I do not know what,