The New York herald., 1874-12-31
TAMMANY TACTICS ECLIPSED
Farce Of Republican Govern.
ment in Louisiana.
EVIDENCE OF BOTH SIDES
The Returns Of a Parish Find
Their Way to a Bagnio.
A Voter Registered In Fourteen
Wards.

NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 80, 1874.
1t s very evident that the troops in the city are
making complete preparations to preserve the
peace In case any dlficulty occurring upon jan
uary4 Upon the other hand, the White League
are perfectly quiescent and 1t Is now generally
believed that. beyond peaceable demonstration
and solemn protest, the people will rely upon the
justness OF their cause for redress.
THE INVESTIGATION.
The Congressional Investigating Committee met
at the Supreme Court room, In the Custom House,
at two O'Clock to-day and renamed in session un-
til i've P. M. tonight. They resumed the nvesti-
CATION at half-past seven O'Clock In one OF the
parlors Of the St. Charles Hotel where it is now
progressing.
The proceedings were opened by an announce
ment by the Chairman OF the Committee that the
first Investigation would be the acts OF the Re-
turning Board, the next its organization and the
third the conflict OF the citizens with the police.
TESTIMONY OF A MEMBER OF THE RETURNING
BOARD.
T. J. Anderson, q citizen OF East Feliciana ana
planter, was called and he exhibited copy Of the
law governing elections and registration, and
said I'VE kept minutes of our proceedings and
statement OF the returns after their ex-
animation; they are in the possession
OF the Secretary Of State; no printed copy
OF minutes was MADE. The witness then
explained the appointment OF Arroyo after the
resignation OF LOngsrreet. The Board was elected
by the State Senate in 1873 and the members were
CHOSEN rom all parties. 1t was composed OF one
democrat, Arroyo; one conservative, Anderson,
and three straight republicans. The democrats
were represen ted by one committeeman and the
republicans by auOther; the course Of procedure
was first to take the returns OF the parish OF Or
leans, next the FIRST and Second Congressional
districts, and aterward the parishes in alphapeti-
Cal order, except In cases OF protested parishes.
COUNTER EvIDENCE
F. C. Seacherie was then called and said he was
selected to represent before the Board the
conservative interests. General Anderson
had claimed not 10 be republican,
but he acted with the Kellogg govern
ment. He had large pecunlary interests in
the States something like $4,000 in bonds
which he had been assured the witness had TO
work through the Funding Board.
General Anderson. who was present, denied this
statement.
Seachere replied :-"You are mistaken. You
told me OF this circumstance yourself. You had
evidently just been dining at the time and may
have been excited; but the circumstance you mar
rated to me yourself. You said you mad worked
through the Legislature claim for when you paid
three minutes afterward."
[Dtigent inquiry develops a report that claim
for removing snags from one OF the navigable
rivers OF louisiana came into possession Of Gen.
eral Anderson and was passed by the Legisla-
ture.-HERALD REPoRTER.l
TRANSPARENT FRAUDS DETECTED
The witness protested against certain ju.
dicial authority assumed by the Board
and Its failure to give the demo-
cratic party representation. Mr.. Arroyo
was not elected as Q democrat. The Board first
desired to take up the parish OF Orleans, on the
plea that the officers desired their seats This was
met by resolution OF The officers elect declining
to accept their offices until ull canvass had been
made. The returns OF Orleans were perfectly fair.
The lew votes excluded did not change the result.
Some frauds were attempted in the First and
Second Congressional districts, but were SO bung-
lingy done as to be easy OF detection. After the
two Congressional districts had been canvassed
all the precedents which could have been estab-
lished were decided.
Upon that every possible contingency which
could have arisen must have come up. Alter TINS
a change occurred. When a country parish came
up for canvass all that was necessary was lor
member Of the Republican Committee to object
and the canvass was laid aside. The law
REQUIRES that a protested return must be laid
aside and the protest examined. If the protest
is sustained the return cannot be counted. The
Board alter entertaining the protests, prOcee ded
to make the canvass. Wnen objections wera
made they said 1t was not a canvass or q compi-
lation although the vote was put down like the
rest and they were actually complied.
EVIDENCES OF FRAUD ABsTRACTED.
During this compiling frauds were discovered.
There were some in st. Helena, Sabine and As
sumption parishes. Some OF the papers were
made out anew, and many evidences OF fraud
were distracted.
The Supervisor OF De Soto parish, with the re-
turns giving democratic majority OF 900, Jailed
to put In an appearance. Duplicate returns were
obtained from the Clerk OF the Parish Court,
Dut the Board declined to receive them. The
originals, It Is said, were in the posse sson
OF a prostitute who offered them to the Demo-
cratic Committee for $1,000. A mandamus was
taken before Judge Hawkins, but ne declined to
grant 1t. The box In the parish OF Avoyelles was
stolen. The republicans claimed lbs majority.
The democrats thought it about even. The Board
gave $50 republican majority.
INTIMIDATION.
After the Board canvasscd and compiled the en-
tire State IL went into secret session, when were
considered the general charges OF intimidation.
No opportunity Tor ofering reouttlng tes-
timony was permitted. Afdavits were alb
stracted and they proceeded to throw out
the largest democratic polls. BY the democratic
returns we had majority OF only 81 In the House
and 1000 for Treasurer. by the returns there were