Reconstruction Matters: Murder of Bennett J. Boyett, 1866, Winn Parish, LA Submitted by: Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** From: National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D. C. (Discovered by Jeff Reeves) From Dept. of the Gulf material [L. R. (R-12) R. G. 393] _____ Win Parish, La. Sept. 5/1866 Con. McFaten Alexandria, La. I the undersigned authority hereby certify under oath of office, That my life has been threatened by No. of persons in said parish, persons of property for issuing a state warrant against some characters living here, the affidavit was made by a free man to ground (grant) the warrant. I placed the warrant ihn the hands of the constable, & I presume as such threats as has been made against me, are the reason he refused to act. Some five or six persons, if not more have said that they would kill me & the said freedman & also Dr. Lynch & if they could not get us out from our houses, would come to our houses and do the work. I am satisfied that it is out of the powers of the civil authorities to do anything here, where the white was the aggressor & the Negro the complainant. I am in favor of enforcing the laws & give all justice, but I do not see how I can do so, unless assistance is rendered. My opinion is that if the matters mentioned above was well sifted, a good many persons would be concerned in this matter, whose names are not now known. I have good evidence to prove that my life has been threatened & am satisfied that they have been at my place on last Sunday night for that purpose, but they di dnot find things as they expected. Capt. Young can tell you a good deal more than I have written. He would remain and assist me but says his time is out & must leave. I am respectfully yours, A. V. Ragan, J. P.**** The State of Louisiana Parish of Winn Sept. 4th, 1866 Personally appeared before me J. T. Corley, an acting justice of the peace in and for the Parish of Winn and State of La.: T. F. Smith, John W. Shumaker, William T. Bell, E. H. DeLoach, and Mrs. Fatama Boyett, all residence of the parish of Winn, Who being duly sworn deposeth and sayeth that the Statement laid down in the petition is a true and correct statement of the murder of Benet(?) J. Boyett and the arrest and punishment of these selfs to the best of their knowledge so help us God. (Signed) J. W. Shumaker Fatama (her "x" mark)Boyett William T. Bell T. F. Smith Egbert H. Deloach Sworn to and subscribed before me the undersigned and acting Justice of the Peace this 4th day of September A. D. 1866. J. T. Corley, J. P.** The State of Louisiana Parish of Winn Sept the 2nd 1866 To the honorable Military authorities of the State of Louisiana, (commanding) We the undersigned Petitioners respectfully reprisents: that on the 29th day of June 1862 John W. Stovall, A. G. Colliar (Collier), James Rains, James Teagle, T. J. Haddox, James M. Haddox, James P. Oliver, John Roberts, Thomas Cox, Q. A. Hargis, Nathaniel Bolton, Luca Radishic (Radescich), C. A. Meacom, Phillip Burnstine (Bernstein), Tholmas Millin (Milling), William Howell, John Dickerson, Benjamin Tedley (Teddlie), Christian James, Dr. Cook, __________ Shoulders (Shoulders), Elisha Martin, all residents of the Parish of Winn, armed with Guns and Pistols and without any authority formed themselves in to a mob company & prosceded to the house of William T. Bell and arrested him in his own dwelling house, and then proseded to T. F. Smith's and from there sent a squad to J. W. Shumaker's and arrested him and a squad to Bennet J. Boyett's and murdered the said Boyett a peacable and respectable citizen of the Parish of Winn in his own dwelling house, and then proseeded to arrest E. H. Deloach, C. G. Clark and others, all residents of the Parish of Winn and on the same day marched them under an armed guard to the town of Winnfield and put them in the Parish Jail and kept them in jail or under an armed guard untill the fift day of July 1862 during which time the said mob falsely and malitiously sentenced the said W. T. Bell, T. F. Smith, J. W. Shumaker, E. H. Deloach, C. G. Clark, to be ironed and sent uner an armed guard to General Hymans (Hyams) head quarter Arkansas, there to be disposed of as he General Hymans saws proper, and on the 5th day of July 1862 started the said prisoners on foot under an armed guard to Camp Jackson treating them very badly and on the road placed heavy irons on them, the prisoners, keeping them under a heavy armed guard and continued the march to Camp Jackson and from there to Monroe, Ouchita (Ouachita) Parish, La., ____________ the said prisoners was put in the Parish Jail and there kept untill the 7th day of Sept 1862, charging said prisoners with treason against the Confederit Government, after which the said prisoners were tried by a Confederit District Court held at Alexandria on the 10th day of November 1862 and nothing being found against them they were honorably Discharged, after which said case has been laid before the Civil Court for redress and damages, said Civil Court of the Parish of Winn refused to give any redress or damages or to bring the murders to justice, therefo we your Petitioners pray that the aforesaid mobing Party or murders be arrested and delt with according to law. Your petitioners further pray that ninety thousand dollars damages be assessed, fifty thousand to Mrs. Fatama Boyett, the wider of the murdered B. J. Boyett, ten thousand to W. T. Bell, ten thousand to T. F. Smith, ten thousand to J. W. Shumaker, and ten thousand to E. H. Deloach. Your petitioners pray that you the said military authorities arrest the aforesaid mob of murders forthwith as we believe they will abscond if not arrested. Petitioners: John W. Shumaker William T. Bell W. W. Boyett J. W. hearn William Coleman Noah Coleman Thomas W. Bell Jhon Smith William D. Smith G. A. I. Smith (first initial could be "J") J. W. Cooper (first initial could be "G") John Cooper John (?) Neely John W. Lucas W. A. Adams L. L. Adams J. B. Adams John Adams B. G. Adams J. W. Boyett Eli Cooper (Eli could be J. C.) Wm. T. Boyett T. F. Smith C. H. Deloach Alexander Wall Andrew Wall