New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-01-30
WHOLE NUMBER f78l.


OF citizens and other evidence. In the par.
ish of Natchitoches there were certified re-
turns to the board. Counted some 1900
atfidavits from De Soto. There was no
contest for Sabine; they took she Dem
ocratic returns.
To General McMillen-Eatchitoches was
Thrown out upon sworn evidence that Re-
publicans had mo- opportunity 20 vote.
They did not know where the polls were
until the day of election, and that they
were put in out of the way places, and
kept in the possession of Democrats. There
seemed to be a settled design 80 prevent
Republicans from Sotlns, @n6 theye was
not fair election.
To Mr. Trumbull-The evidence was all
ex parte; no witnesses were examined; was
not Influenced by newspaper statements or
rum0rs; the atfidayits which formed the
evidence were sworn to before authorized
officers; were assured that this was the
case by certificates from United States
CouIts, showing who the supervisors were;
received them from Mr.. WOoltey, the
United States commissioner and the super
VISOR OF election of the State; had no state
ments 0t any supervisor OF other election
oficeS that there had been Intimidation,
bribery or corruption.
Hr. TrulnbulI read che qaw Requiring
such certificates to authorize the board TO
9cIuSs W return Iut VOTES Ol any poll
MIR. lynch thought the law should 9e
construed literally, SO as 20 LEI the board
get all the information possible.
Ts Mr.. 1lIll-D0n't think the board foq
fnally inquired whether they had the right
60 accept anything but she returns of State
officers GO inquire whether there was not
bribery at the polls, but they did prSctie
ally conclude that they could.
To Mr.. McSae-submiteed the Satioa0l
Alp4n a. D. ,l,,,.
!, AS the record OF the date upon ~hch the
board promulgated the returns OF tine cleo
tiOn, 20 wit: On the evening OF she day
upon which ehe boaSd made. Che official de
mani upon the Governor $0y the official re-
turn; shought the shutting of the doof in
the face of the committee of the board was
sufficient assurance tha5 the returns would
not be delivered.
Mr. Bovee admitted that the board did
not wait for an answer from the Governor
to their demand.
To Mr.. Morton-AIr. Burch said that the
canvass of votes was nearly completed be-
fore the demand was made, did not wait to
see whether he would obey Judge Durell's
order for the returns, but took it for
granted from the treatment the committee
received that he would not; after Judge
Durell made the order above mentioned,
there was no demand upon the court
of the returns, so far as witness
knew. In Mr. Cages district the
returns from United States supervisors
were the basis of the boards returns. In
one parish in this district the same registra-
trati0n papers were voted on at two polls,
and one hundred votes were thrown out.
In another the State canvassers left the
work uncompleted. The votes upon which
the return was made from Terreb0nne par
iub in ha IaSaptaH r,ariab. ahnya
toned, the returns come from the United
States supervisors.
Mr.. Morton said it seemed to him that
the committee should not inquire so IL uch
about the decision of the board. 1t was TO
find that the board which was constituted
judges by law had certain evidence before
them upon which they acted.
Mr.. Trumbull's view was that Che bOa2d
had no right to count votes at all, and that
the witness did not know upon What evi-
dence they did act. The witness was sx-
amined concerning each disputed district,
and in each said that the board acted upon
the returns of the United States officials
and atfidavis furnished by them, and that
he did not know how these officers procured
said papers except what the papers them-
selves showed.
To Mr. Ray-Mr Bovee stated that in
one, the parish Of Rapidcs, the evidence be-
fore the board showed that the registrar
kept the list in his own residence and re-
fused to permit colored men to come in to
register.
The testimony of Mr.. Lynch showed that
in all the actions of his board III throwing
out polls, counting atfidavits as votes, etc,
and returning certain parties as elected, the |
board acted on what it considered sufficient |
evidence of fraud, intimidation or unfair |
ness, as the case might be, which evi- |
dence, as above stated, was furnished by |
the United States supa. visor. The evidence |
upon which the board acted has been sent |
for, and is now on the way from New Or |
leans; in no instance did the board have |
the official returns Of the State officers au.
thorized by law.
MIR Trumbull directed Mr.. Lynch to |
look over the evidence upon which his |
board acted when it shall arrive, and pick |
out and present to the committee that upon
which the committee acted in the disputed
districts above mentioned.
Mr.. BOvee, eX Secretary of State, sworn,
and examined by Mr.. Morton-After his
from office by Governor War
moth he again came into possession of
the office December g; made list OF the |
Senators and Representatives. in 1872, and
submitted it to the Legislature; sent in no
original papers upon which the count for
Governor and Lieutenant Governor was
made, and only duplicate of the returns
Jf the board: was present during the whole
time when the board of which he was Il
member was saade the evidence of fraud
before his committee came from all !
Dut thirty parishes. ne think, leaving )
twenty six parishes from which such
evidence came: in his own parish
I new and unnecessary registration
was given; had great difficulty in register
ng: had but three days to register five
hundred goters; got some three hundred
and sixty registered in that time; some
voters had to travel from two to ten miles,
and spend from two to five days to be reg
steredo The registrar gave no notice OF
where he would be at certain times fre-
luentRyo and then he was sometimes out Of !
blanks. Once he said he would be at a ;
certain place at a certain time; witness went
here with two hundred and fifty voters and
le was not there, but at another place. There |,
was an evident intention to- prevent the /
registration of Republicans; some Of the
others complained of those difficulties, but
IS general thing they had no trouble; the
chairman of the Democratic committee
seemed to- have the whole thing in his com
nand and got his full strength registered; |
here were some parishes in which the diff
,ultIes were much greater; there were some
evidences of false SegistTati0n and some of
loubt in some parishes; does not know of
INV instance in whicn atfdavits counted as
yoies were signed before being filled out;
he blank afidavits were generally sent tie
United States supervisors.
To Mr. Jrum buil-WitnesS sEa9 sarHi-
late for police juror, which was about tho
iame as county supervisor; the votes for
hat office sere canvassed the same as
,ther yotes; after the Supreme Court sie
,ided that he was Secretary of State wit
less had a duplicate seal made; ehis was
lbout December 4; might sometimes have
1een slightly influenced by other than
sworn statements; but in the main they
we're Sworn statements; in some instances
'eturns were signed by both United States
supervisors, but such cases were not many.