African American News from East Carroll Parish
From the Library of Congress' Chronicling America Newspaper Database:
Black East Carroll – Hon. Cain Sartain has been commissioned by Gov. Wiltz as Sheriff of the parish of East Carroll; thus giving us a black Sheriff, black Clerk of Court, black Representative in the Legislature, all of our Justices of the Peace black, except one, and all the Constables black. Yet ‘Watchman’ [The Carroll Watchman newspaper] says, the black people are not satisfied, in this parish, with the condition of their political rights, and are on the eve of a revolution. In addition to this, had it not been for the people of Madison [Parish], our State Senator would have been black also.
Note: The rest of this article is fairly patronizing (to say the least), but is indicative of the political climate of the parish during Reconstruction. It must be said that the next time an African American was elected to the Clerk of Court position was not until 2008, when Hon. Beatrice Carter, was elected.
Lake Providence, LA: Four Negroes are under arrest as suspicious persons in the investigation of the murder of Thomas H. Deloney Thursday and the brutal assault upon his sister, Mrs. Alston. The latter is recovering, but has not yet been able to give an accurate account of the tragedy.
Note: Thomas Deloney can be found on this 1870 US Census extract as being born in 1866 in Louisiana and the son of an A. Deloney. His sister may be Anne Deloney, who is listed with a date of birth of 1862 in Louisiana.
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