Opelousas; the gin of Mr. Smith is the nearest from Opelousas than Mr. H'te A. Guidry; E. de Caillon's plantation is about southeast from Opelousas; claimant told me to haul the cotton on de Caillon's plantation, because he said all the cotton had to be taken away from the town of Opelousas; he wanted his cotton hauled to Mr. de Caillon's; the cotton was piled in an open place close to the woods, in the pasture, and after a shed was put over it; I helped put the covering over it; all the cotton at that time in Opelousas was hauled away; it was something about a month or two months before the Federals came here; I am not positive; I mean the first time the Federal troops came here; they remained here about one month; the cotton was placed about two hundred yards from de Caillon's house; the house could be seen where the cotton was; I don't recollect if de Caillon was at home at the time I hauled the cotton; the cotton could not be seen from the road; there was a man with me who helps load and unload, and told me where to put the cotton; I can't recollect the man's name; he lived in the town; he was a white man.

Second general interrogatory by the parish judge: Do you know of any other matter relative to the claim in question? If you do, state it fully.-A. I do not

his

NARCISSE + ZERINGUE. mark.

Deposition of ONEZIME A. GUIDRY for claimant, taken at Opelousas, La., on the 31st day of December, 1868.

First general interrogatory by the parish judge: Please state your name, your occupation, your age, your place of residence the past year; whether you have any interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and whether and in what degree you are related to the claimant ?-A. My name is Onezime A. Guidry; my occupation is that of planter; I am fifty-three years old; my residence. within the past year has been in the parish of Saint Landry; I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and I am not related in any degree to the claimant.

Being interrogated by HENRY L. GARLAND, Esq., counsel for the claimant, the witness says:

In the beginning of the year 1862 I sold to claimant 20 bales of cotton, and they remained on my plantation until the year 1863; I left my plantation a day or two before the Federal troops came here; the cotton was then on my plantation; I came back about six weeks after I left home; the Federals were then gone; when I came back home the cotton was gone.

Cross-examination by WM. FESSENDEN, Esq., counsel for the United States:

I raised said cotton on my plantation in the year 1861 with my slaves; I sold this cotton to claimant at the beginning of the year 1862; I made the bargain with claimant, as well as I can recollect, in his own store; I sold my cotton at the rate of 20 cents per pound; I sold said cotton to claimant on accouut of a note he held against me, given for a store account; when I sold the cotton I agreed to keep it under the gallery of a corn-crib; I had some other cotton at that time, about 25 or 29 bales; out of that cotton I sold 16 or 20 bales to Mr. Bloch; I think 16 bales; there was also on my place 9 bales which did not belong to me; said 9 bales belonged to Adele Guidry; all of said cotton was piled up together when I left my plantation; when I left I went to Houston, Tex., and left to escape the Federals; I voted against secession, but after Louisiana seceded I took part with my native State, and I went the whole figure. I do not recollect if the cotton I sold claimant was marked. Second general interrogatory by the parish judge: Do you you know of any other matter relative to the claim in question; if you do, state it fully?-A. I do not. ONEŽIME A. GUIDRY.

Deposition of ADELE GUIDRY for claimant, taken at Opelousas, La., on the 31st day of December, 1868.

First general interrogatory by the parish judge: Please state your name, your occupation, your age, your place of residence the past year; whether you have any interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and whether and in what degree you are related to the claimant ?--A. My name is Adele Guidry; my occupation is that of a seamstress; I am 48 years old; I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry; I am not related in any degree to the claimant; my residence has been for the past year in the parish of Saint Landry.

Being interrogated by HENRY L. GARLAND, Esq., counsel for the claimant, the witness says:

I resided on the plantation of Onezime A. Guidry during the whole year 1863; there was cotton on said plantation when the Federal troops first came here in 1863; the cotton was under the gallery of the corn-crib; I was present when said cotton was taken away; the Federal troops took that cotton; the Federal troops then occupied the parish of Saint Landry; I don't know the names of the persons who took that cotton; a few days after the cotton was taken away a man who said his name was John Royston came to the house and told me that he belonged to the company who took the cotton; persons taking the cotton neither gave a receipt or paid therefor to me, or as far as I know to any person on the plantation.

Cross-examination by WM. FESSENDEN, Esq., counsel for the United States: I owned 9 bales of the cotton that was taken away; I and my children and persons I engaged packed said cotton in the field, with the permission of Mr. Onezime A. Guidry; I don't think said 9 bales were marked; the Federal troops came on the place about 10 o'clock in the morning and left at about 3 or 4 o'clock in the evening; there was no white person on the plantation except a man by the name of Henri, who done nothing on the place but hunting; about 15 Federals came to the plantation; I don't know how many wagons they had; not many, because they made several loads and even took a wagon on the place; the persons that came on the plantation had blue coats and pantaloons; they bad caps; they were armed; I did not see the Federals except on the plantation; I was there all the time; they were on the plantation and around it during three or four weeks while they occupied this parish; Mr. Guidry's plantation from Opelousas is about 3 or 4 miles.

Second general interrogatory by the parish judge: Do you know of any other matter relative to the claim in question; if you do, state it fully?-A. I do not.

her

ADELE GUIDRY.

mark.

Deposition of JOHN BTE. LOUAILLIER, for claimant, taken at Opelousas, La., on the 2d day of January, 1869.

First general interrogatory by the parish judge: Please state your name, your occupation, your age, your place of residence the past year; whether you have any interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and whether and in what degree you are related to the claimant?-A. My name is John Bte. Louaillier; my occupation is that of a laborer; I am forty-seven years old; I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of controversy; my residence the past year has been the parish of Saint Landry, and I am not related in any degree to the claimant.

Being interrogated by counsel of the claimant, the witness says:

I always lived in the parish of St. Landry from my birth; I was Ete. de Caillon's slave before and during the war, and resided on his place near the town of Opelonsas; I was on that plantation when the Federal troops came here in the spring of 1863; I do not remember who commanded the Federal troops at that time; Mr. de Caillon had no cotton at the time on his place; he raised no cotton; there was no cotton on the place except what claimant put there; the cotton was baled; I do not remember how many bales there was; there was a big lot of them; I do not remember if Ete. de Caillon was on his place when the cotton was first hauled; Mr. Tenodin requested me to take care of the cotton and see that the creatures did not eat it; there was a shed over the cotton; I did not know who put there; Mr. E. de Caillon was on the place after the cotton was hauled; he was away from home when the Federal Army came here; the cotton was taken away by the Yankees; strangers to me and the country; I expect the Federal Army was here at the time; these persons who took the cotton were dressed as soldiers; they were dressed in blue cloth, I believe; when they came home they asked me if there was any cotton here; I told them claimant had cotton here, and I showed them where it was; all the cotton baled was taken away; I saw Narcisse Zeringue haul that cotton there; after Narcisse Zeringue hauled the cotton there none was taken away to my knowledge except by the Yankees; I took the Yankees to the shed and showed them the cotton; they did not pay me for the cotton, and left no receipt with me for it; Mr. de Caillon nor his family were not on the place when the cotton was taken away; I was the only person there belonging to the place, and there was some other black people about the house that did not belong to the place.

Cross-examined by WILLIAM FESSENDEN, counsel for the United States:

I do not remember when the cotton was brought to the place, if it was in the winter or the spring; I do not recollect how long it was when the cotton was taken away

from the time it was brought there; it must have been six or seven months after; I disremember whether Mr. de Caillon was there when the cotton was first brought; the cotton was put over the gully in the pasture, about half a mile from the house; I could not see the cotton from the house; there was a road going to where the cotton was; the cotton was not on the road; it was thirty rods from the road; that road was not a public road; it leads through the pasture into the woods; I do not remember if I was at home when the four loads of cotton was first brought there; I saw them when they brought some of it there; to my knowledge I saw them bring two loads of cotton there. I have known Narcisse Zeringue ever since I was a little boy. He was the man I see haul the two loads. He did not ask me where to put the cotton. I do not know how long he was hauling. I knew Mr. Perrodin at that time. I have been acquainted with him for the last twenty years. I do not know where the lumber came from that made the shed over the cotton. The shed was about 18 feet wide. It was not much larger than it was wide. I can't tell how high it was. It had a roof made with planks. The sides of the shed were with planks. The planks were not close together, and wide enough in some places for cows to put their noses through, and in some other places their heads. I saw Mr. Perrodin on that plantation. He came there, I believe, the same week they were hauling the cotton, and I saw him there several times afterwards before the cotton was taken away. Mr. de Caillon's place is about two or three miles from Opelousas, as well as I can judge. I went where the cotton was before it was taken away, and nailed the planks where the cattle had broken in. Nobody went with me.

As much as I can recollect, I believe the cotton was taken in the spring. At the time the cotton was taken Mr. de Caillon and family were away from home. There were persons with those who took the cotton away that I took to be officers. I do not remember whether they were dressed in black or grey; they had something on their shoulders. Some of the soldiers inquired if there was any cotton there. They had no wagons with them when I first showed them the cotton. Two days after they came with wagons. Some others came for corn and some for cotton; six of said wagons took cotton. They had four mules to each wagon. Some of the wagons were painted blue. I do not know how many bales they hauled at a load. I can't tell how many times they came in a day. I do not know how long they were hauling the cotton away. I don't know if it is nearer to Barre's Landing or to Washington from the plantation. I do not know which direction they took with the cotton. I did not see any other person at that time dressed like these persons who took the cotton. I did not leave the plantation. Some of the cotton was marked. I don't know if it was all marked. I can't tell what mark. I can't read. Mr. de Caillon had not raised any cotton for three years before the cotton was brought there. I believe de Caillon's son is the brother-in-law of Mr. Perrodin now. He was not then. Second general interrogatory by the parish judge: Do you know of any other matter relative to the claim in question; if you do, state it fully-A. I do not.

his

JEAN BTE. × LOUAILLEIR. mark.

Deposition of Onezime L. Guidry for claimant, taken at Opelousas, La., on the 2d day of January, 1869.

First general interrogatory by the parish judge: Please state your name, your occupation, your place of residence the past year; whether you have any interest, direct or indirect in in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and whether and in what degree you are related to the claimant?-Answer. My name is Onezime Guidry; my occupation is that of planter; I am 57 years of age; my residence the past year has been in the parish of Saint Landry; I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and I am not related in any degree to claimant.

Being interrogated by HENRY L. GARLAND, Esq., counsel for the claimant, the witness says:

I hauled for claimant in the year 1862 cotton from Mr. Hypolite A. Guidry's gin to the town of Opelousas; I cannot tell exactly; I suppose about 20 bales; I do not know from whom claimant bought the cotton; he hired me to haul the cotton, but did not tell me from whom he bought it.

Cross-examined by WILLIAM FESSENDEN, Esq., counsel for the United States: I recollect it was in the year 1862 I hauled the cotton, because it was taken the year after; I am positive it was in the year 1862; I never made no memorandum of the hauling of the cotton; I never expected to testify in the matter; I hauled the cotton in the spring; I left the cotton at claimant's store; I can't say if the cotton was marked; the matter of the hauling of the cotton has not been brought to my attention lately; I do not know if there was any other cotton at Mr. Guidry's gin; as I was hauling cotton for claimant I sent my wagon there; I did not go myself; at that time I lived

14 miles from Mr. H'te A. Guidry's gin; I did not myself see the cotton taken from Guidry's gin; I did not come myself with the cotton to Opelousas, nor deliver it personally.

Re-examined by HENRY L. GARLAND, counsel for the claimant: Claimant paid me for the hauling of the cotton.

Re-examined by WILLIAM FESSENDEN, Esq., counsel for the United States:

I was in account with claimant, and the hauling of the cotton has been allowed to me. I made the settlement directly after the hauling.

Second general interrogatory by the parish judge: Do you know of any other matter relative to the claim in question? If you do, state it fully.-A. I do not.

O. L. GUIDRY. Deposition of CHRISTOVAL L. DUPRÉ for claimant, taken at Opelousas, La., on the 2d day of January, 1869.

First general interrogatory by the parish judge: Please state your name, your occupation, your age, your place of residence the past year; whether you have any interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and whether and in what degree you are related to the claimant.-A. My name is Christoval L. Dupré; my occupation is that of a planter; I am thirty-two years old; my residence the past year has been in the parish of Saint Landry; I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry; claimant was once married to a sister-in-law of mine.

Being interrogated by HENRY L. GARLAND, Esq., counsel for the claimant, the witness says:

I sold to claimant 21 bales of cotton in 1862; the weight was 9,439 pounds. I kept the cotton on my plantation until the year 1863. It was taken by a detachment of the Forty-first Massachusetts, commanded by Lieutenant Rhodes. It was in the spring of 1863, in the latter part of April or May. I had in my charge upon my plantation some other cotton belonging to claimant; I had 40 bales of cotton besides those above mentioned. Said cotton was also taken at the same time.

Cross-examination by WILLIAM FESSENDEN, Esq., counsel for the United States: I then resided at the same place as I now reside, about 8 miles northwest of Opelousas; I raised the 21 bales of cotton on my place in the year 1861; I made the bargain with claimant for my cotton in his store in Opelousas; he paid me 9 cents per pound; he paid me in payment of an account I owed him; the cotton was under my gin-house when I sold it. Afterwards I received orders from the Confederates to haul it out, because it would be burnt; I hauled it about 100 yards from the gin-house; I hauled the cotton away on the approach of the Federal army, a day or two before it was taken. All the cotton on my plantation was hauled out there; no attempt was made to burn it. I say an order; it was more an advice than an order to move the cotton. I have been informed that some cotton had been burned in the neighborhood. Some of my friends in the Confederate army advised me to move the cotton away from my buildings.

Q. What do you know of your own knowledge relative to the ownership of the remainder of the cotton upon your plantation?-A. I know of my own knowledge that Mr. François Dupré sold two bales to claimant; I weighed the cotton myself. I was present at the time of the sale and receipted the cotton for claimant. I know that I was present when claimant bought 38 bales of cotton in the seed of Oscar Alphin; that I hauled the cotton to my gin-house and ginned it and baled it; the bargain was made with Mr. Alphin in the claimant's store; I cannot say exactly when the bargain was made; it was in the fall of 1862. I don't know how much claimant paid for said cotton. I do not know where the bargain with Mr. F. Dupré was made. I was not present myself at the time it was made. Claimant told Mr. F. Dupré at my house to haul this cotton and I would receive it. This cotton was baled when brought to me by F. Dupré. This cotton was marked F. D.; the 38 bales were also marked; it was marked J. P.; the 21 bales were marked C. L. Dupré; the 2 bales of F. Dupré, I recollect, had the gin-mark C. L. Dupré. I was present when the bargain was made with Mr. O. Alphin. Alphin helped haul the cotton to my gin. I do not recollect how much claimant paid him for his cotton; I do not recollect how much a pound. Claimant not pay him in my presence. I do not know if Alphin was in the Confederate service; he moved away from the parish the same year, and I lost sight of him. Mr. F. Dupré was not in the Confederate army. I was not myself in the Confederate army; I never was an officer or agent of the Confederate Government. The persons who took the cotton away gave me no receipt; they offered me one, but I did not take it. The cotton took the road to Opelousas.

Second general interrogatory by the parish judge: Do you know of any other matter relative to the claim in question? If you do, state it fully?—A. I do not.

C. L. DUPRE.

Deposition of JOSEPH RAYON for claimant, taken at Opelousas, La., on the 4th day of January, 1869.

First general interrogatory by the parish judge: Please state your name, your occupation, your age, your place of residence the past year; whether you have any interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and whether, and in what degree you are related to the claimant?-A. My name is Joseph Rayon; my occupation is that of a planter; I am thirty-eight years of age; my residence has been in the parish of Saint Landry the past year; I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and I am not related in any degree to claimant.

Being interrogated by HENRY L. GARLAND, Esq., counsel for the claimant, the witness says:

François Coulon Devilliers, père, is dead. I know that he sold to claimant in the year 1862 a lot of 9 bales of cotton; said cotton remained on Mr. Devilliers' plantation; I believe the cotton was taken away in the year 1863; I was not on the plantation when the cotton was taken away. I live about 3 or 4 acres from the plantation, and I was daily about, the plantation when the cotton was taken away. There was other cotton there that was taken about the same day the cotton of François Devilliers, père. I saw the Federal troops daily about my place and Mr. Devilliers'. It was during their occupation of this section of the country when the cotton was taken. I was not personally present when the cotton was taken away from Mr. Devilliers', but they passed with the cotton before my house, and I recognized the cotton by the brand. The cotton took the direction of Barre's Landing. I did not know personally the persons who took the cotton; the persons who passed before my house had the uniform of the Federals. I had at the time cotton taken away by the Federals from me. My cotton was at my own place. I got a receipt for my cotton from Captain Pope's sergeant.

Cross-examined by WILLIAM FESSENDEN, Esq., counsel for the United States: I was not present at the time the bargain was made for the 9 bales of cotton above alluded to.

Q. What do you know of your own knowledge relative to the ownership of said cotton at the time it was taken?-A. I know nothing of my own knowledge, except what Mr. Devilliers told me. I know that Mr. Devilliers had other cotton at his place besides the 9 bales belonging to himself; I don't know how many bales. The 9 bales were marked F. C. D.; the rest of the cotton had the same mark; I noticed the brand particularly when the cotton passed by my house. Mr. Devilliers, père, was at that time about sixty-three or sixty-four years old; he had two sons; they were in the Confederate army.

Second interrogatory by the parish judge. Do you know of any other matter relative to the claim in question? If you do, state it fully.-A. I do not.

JOSEPH RAYON. Deposition of LOUIS MALVEAUX for claimant, taken at Opelousas, La., on the 4th day January, 1869.

First general interrogatory by the parish judge. Please state your name, your occupation, your age, your place of residence the past year; whether you have any interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and whether and in what degree you are related to the claimant?-A. My name is Louis Malveaux; my occupation is that of a plauter; I am about forty-six years old; my residence the past year has been in the parish of Saint Landry. I have no interest, direct or indirect, in the claim which is the subject of inquiry, and I am not related in any degree to the claimant.

Being interrogated by HENRY L. GARLAND, Esq., counsel for claimant, witness says; I sold claimant 1 bale of cotton, but I do not recollect at what time; the cotton was sold before the Federal troops came here; that bale of cotton was at my mother's, Thoteste Esprit, widow J. Bte. Malveaux. The cotton was ginned and baled at Mr. Gradeniyo's gin. I and others hauled this and other cotton from Gradeniyo's gin to Widow Malveaux's plantation. I do not recollect how many bales I and others hauled for Sosthene Malveaux. I do not know how many bales we hauled for Mrs. Malveaux, but there was altogether 15 bales that were put under a shelter on the plantation of W. Malveaux. That was all the cotton that Sosthene Malveaux, Wo. Malveaux, and myself raised in that year. I lived at the time on the plantation of Sosthene Malveaux; those 15 bales of cotton remained on Widow Malveaux's plantation until they were taken away by the Federal troops. I was present when the Federals took the the cotton. I did not tell them that the cotton belonged to claimant for I could not