Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-02-04
WASHINGTON.
Rare Developments from Louisiana.
Testimony of Federal Supervisors
of Election.
The "EYidence' on which Judge
Durell Acted.
Affidavits Manufactured . by the
Thousand.
Amdavits
Didn't Know 1t was Forgery.

the Registration List.
WASHINGTON, Feb, AT the sittin
of the Senate Committee on the Louisiana
case this morning, Mr.. Morton said the pa
pers upon which the Lynch Board made its
| returns had not yet arrived. 1t had been
charged that it was not intended to send
them.
Mr. Lynch, questioned by Mr.. Trumbull /,
| said be was summoned to bring all the
papers. He had informed Valley, United
States Supervisor, who said he would send
them.
MIR. Bovee on interrogation said he did
not bring the papers because he thought
them immaterial; thought they were left in
| the committee room.
The committee directed that Valley be
summoned to bring all the papers that bad
been before the Lynch Beard, and have
since been in his possession.
| 1eMr. Morton said Mr.. Bovee would be re-
quired to produce all such papers in his pos
session as soon as possible.
Capt. Jackson, in command of the United
States troops at Mechanics Institute, was
sworn. He understood from the verbal
orders of the Marshal that he was simply to
hold the building;would not have interfered
| if riot had occurred in the street. Re-
ceiyed no orders from the Marshal after he
took possession. Would have prevented
anyone frouu entering the building, had the
Marshal so ordered. Stationed guards at
the door by direction of the Marshal.
How q Cypher was Raised.
Capt. Jsques testified that he was a
United States Deputy Marshal and United
States Supervisor in Plsquemine parish.
al -, ,drod nd Gftr- I,,
plcate registration papers after registration
had closed. Returned to New Orleans
after the election and signed l,314 affidaVits
taking the names of all but 300 from the
poll list. The Commissioner signed the
affidavits in blank. Many of the men were
of straw. Didn't know how many names
of existing persons he signed. Presumed
he signed the names of $50 existing per-
sons without authority. Did not know it
| was forgery. Got the afhdavits from Gen.
| Sypher. Got the 800 names by going from
plantation to plantation. Some said they
could not vote there were such crowds at
the polls; others that the polling places
were too far of, being from twelve to thir-
ty-fiVe mules distant. On the 10th of
December received q letter from Sypher
telling him to ''bring down all the affidaVits
yeu can get; the General is four hundred
Short" Gave the affidavits to Bovee who
said "Jaques, you're
A HeII of Fellow"
Told the Gen. and Capt. Sypher how the
affidavits were got, and they approved it.
When Sypher started for Washington he
told witness to get at least 200 more afi-
| davits. When Sypher returned he said wit
ness had done we'll. Witness said he had
no official station at that time, and recaiy-
| ed no compensation for bis work. Plaque
| mine parish was Democratic, but enough
names were put on the registration list at
| the polls to always elect Sypher. Witness
had been in the Customhouse, and Sypher
| ard Casey promised to reinstate him. 1t
| had not been done. He has not received
any promise of reward for disclosing these
| facts. Had determined to leave that whole
crew who were nothing but hell-cussed
| thieves. 1t has been the custom III LOuisi-
| ana to stuff the ballot-boXes and make false
registration. 1880
Mr.. Sypher interrogated witness, who
said in reply that Sypher sent him to Pla
| quemiDe parish to insert names Of persons
not in existence at all, and get all the afi-
| davits he could.
Sypher-Coald any affldavits be made by
q person not on the registration list?
Witness-They could as well as we could
open the ballot box and put in votes in
your presence.
Witness further testified that this took
place under the Warmoth administr alton,
| and Sypher told him not TO let Warmoth
| know anything about it. Sypher told wit
ness, both in 1868 and 1870, to put all the
names he could on the book, SO that the
votes cast should not exceed the registra-
! ton. He was then q sworp supervisor.
| Never thought whether putting false names
| on the list was his duty or not, because all
the other supervisors were doing the same.
| Delevan told him he stuffed ballot boxes
and made false registration in 1868. Dele
van was supervisor in New Orleans during
| the last election. Told him about two
weeks ago he could make some revelations
| concerning the 7th and Sth wards that
would upset the whole Kellogg party. Har-
mer, State Register, in the 9th ward in 1870,
| told him similar facts concerning those
| elections. These officers were appointed
| by Warmoth. He considered the oath of
office of supervisor mere matter of form
and Of no consequence. In 1870 1900
votes were cast in Plaquemine Parish, and
1900 or 300 counted. The boxes were
stuffed. Gen. Sypher brought the boxes
and was present.
Logan moved that the testimony con-
cerni0g Sypher be excluded, for the reason
| that he was member of the House, con-
cerniDg whom the Committee had no right
to enquire.
Witnesses in relation TO the issuing of
| duplicate certificates Of registration said
4 81 - -1,0 Il
the right TO vote in 1868 and 1870, the only
wrong being they had no right to vote on
them in 1872.
Another u. s. Supervisor.
E. j. Barksdale testified. He was United
States Supervisor of Washington Parish {.
| Conducted the election 10 the satisfaction OF
both parties. Thinks 600 or 700 votes cast
| were sent. from New Orleans through
Sypher and F. L. Herwig. After the cleo
ton he went TO Parish Langiphoe to
take testimony. No one seemed willing to
| complain of fraud. On his way back to
New Orleans he net Wann and told him
everything seemed fair. Wann said it
wouldn't do if it would defeat him, and he
must get testimony of fraud. Gave him
| 250 names, but he didn't report them.
| Wann got two Germans to swear to intimi-
dation and fraud. 1t was found one Ger
man was not permitted to vote because
mistake was made in the ward in his regis
tIation papers. Took bis affidavit.
He made general statement Of intimi-
dation and fraud. Did not swear to the
report. Signed it. Didn't believe the re-
port true. Nothing but the sympathy he
had for The party induced him to make the
false reports. Sypher promised to get wit
ness a position in the customhouse, but did
not fulfil his promise. If be had got the
appointment
lie Might Have Kept His Mouth
Shut,
in which case be would not have been sum-
mOned before the Committee. Meant to
make such report as would be to the inter
est Of the Republican candidates without
doing anything wrong, but might have
been warped. Found some parties whose
names he had given had voted, but inelud-
ed IL EN- in the report.
Pinchback said owing to the course the
| Investigation had taken, he should want to
summon five or six parties who were ap-
pointed Commissioners of Election by
| WaTmoth and removed by him because
they Weaid not obey instructions.
The committee will decide tomorrow,
when they receive the statement of Pinch
| back of " hat be intends to prove. whether