Copy
State of Louisiana}
Parish of Grant}
Personally appeared before me the undersigned authority. W.R. Rutland, who after being by my duly sworn, deposes and says That on Tuesday 1st day of April he was violently and forcibly driven from his house in Colfax of this Parish and that he barely escaped with his life by flight in the wood. He further deposes and says, After he was driven from his house and in the night time of said day, One Eli H. Flowers together with Ethan Ellsey, James Williams, Lit Sadler, Lewis Michen, Edmon Ware, Baptiste Ellsey, William Ward, Reason Wilkins, aided and assisted by R.C. Regester, Green D. Brantly, Thomas Bailey, W.J. Calhoun, Kinared Harvey, and numerous other persons not now known to affiant forcibly broke open and entered his house and carried away therefrom, household furniture, clothes, provisions, bed, and bedclothes, one piano, one guitar, one sewing machin, money and valuable papers and books to the value of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars, and converted the same to their own use contrary to law and the Peace and dignity of the State. Wherefore, he prays for a Warrant to issue commanding te Sheriff or Constable or any of their lawful deputies to apprehend the said persons and cause them to appear before the Hon'l Daniel Kelly Parish Judge for the Parsh of Winn, there to be dealt with as Law and Justice may require because the Civil authority in this Parish is not able to enforce the Laws by reason of violence and lawlessness.
Signed W.R. Rutland
Sworn and subscribed Before
me on this the 4th day of April A.D. 1873.
signed A.V. Ragan Justice of the Peace
Parish of Grant
State of Louisiana}
Parish of Grant} I, David Haray a Notary Public in and for the Parish and State above written duly commissioned and sworn, do certify that the above and foregoing is a true copy of the affidavit of W.R. Rutland, and signed and written by him, before A.V. Ragan, known by me to be an acting Justice of the Peace in and for the Parish of Grant, duly commissioning and entitled to be respected as such.
In Witness whereof I have signed this officially and affixed the impress of my Seal, on the 14th day of February AD 1874.
David Haray
Notary Public
(Copy)
The State of Louisiana}
Parish of Grant}
To the Sheriff of the Parish of Grant or any Constable or any of their authorized deputies therein or J.G. Payne Special Constable of the Parish of Grant or to any of his legal authorized Deputies__
Whereas, W.R. Rutland of the Parish of Grant has this day made oath before me that Eli H. Flowers, Ethan Ellsey, James Williams, Lit Sadler, Lewis Micken, Edmond Ware, Baptiste Ellsey, William Ward, Reason Wilkins, aided and assisted by R.C. Regester, Green D. Brantly, W.J. Calhoun, Kinared Harvey and others did attempt to take his life and violently drove him from his residence in the town of Colfax in the Parish of Grant on the 1st Instant, and on the night of said day, did forcibly break and enter his dwelling house in said Parish and take therefrom household goods and money to the value of Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars contrary to the Laws of Louisiana.
Now therefore in the name of the State of Louisiana you are hereby commanded and authorized to arrest the above named persons and carry them before the Parish Judge in and for the Parish of Winn in the State of Louisiana to be dealth with as law and justice may require.
Hereof fail not and due return make of this writ to the said Parish Judge in and for the said Parish of Winn.
Given under my hand officially in the Parish of Grant and State aforesaid this the Fourth Day of April A.D. 1873.
A.V. Ragan
Justice of the Peace
Parish of Grant
Read the within Warrant on 4th day of April 1873 and immediately repaired to the vicinity of Colfax the residence of the accused but could not apprehend them owing to the presence of an armed force arrayed to prevent the arrests which this warrant required. I therefore return the same to the Count from whence it emanated, after having called on his Excellency the Governor W.P. Kellog to send me a sufficient force to enable one to execute the proesss, which he failed to do.
This 11th day of April A.D. 1873
signed J.G. Payne
The State of Louisiana}
Parish of Grant}
I certify the above and foregoing to be a true Copy of a warrant with the returns on same now on file in my office.
In witness Whereof I have (sp?0 signed my name and placed my seal on the same this the 14th day of February A.D. 1874.
David Haray
Notary Public
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