The Ouachita Telegraph - Tragedy Ensues After Poisoning of Dr. Sanders Date: Jul 2000 Submitted by: Lora Peppers ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/la/lafiles.htm *********************************************** The Ouachita Telegraph Friday, October 22, 1875 Page 2, Column 2 The Feliciana Troubles. A tragedy has occurred in East Feliciana parish, the result of which was the killing of John Gair, a notorious negro bully and politician, and the hanging in Clinton of a negro woman by unknown persons who had forcibly taken her from jail. The provocation was an attempt by the woman to poison Dr. Sanders and family, confessed by the woman, who declared that Gair was the instigator. Gair was regularly arrested at Baton Rouge, and, on the way to Clinton, was taken from the Sheriff by masked men, the sheriff and posse disarmed, and since that time Gair has not been seen. Whether the masked men were Gair's friends, or enemies, does not appear. His body has not been found, nor his whereabouts reported. Dr. Sanders is recovering. The poison was placed in the water used by the family. Saturday, August 10, 1882 Page 2, Column 3 On Friday evening last, Messrs. Courtland Smith, R.T. Kattell, Ventress Jones and others went seining at Thompson’s creek, which runs between East and West Feliciana. They took some negro men along to assist them. Having found a suitable place to cast their sein they dropped from a bluff into the creek, and found to their great surprise that the water was twenty feet deep. Several of the party could not swim, and before they could be gotten out of the water, one of them, Bill Diggs was drowned and several others came near losing their lives. They were not able to recover the body of the drowned man. This is one of the most treacherous streams to be found anywhere, many victims are added to the number who have lost their lives in it. – B.R. Capitolian. # # #