New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-12-16
OFFICIAL JOURNAL sTArE o. LOUISIANA.
SINGLE COPIES: FIVE CENT
The Returning Board.

AA1ss "E.
Tho Returning Board.
The Returning Board met yesterday at
eleven o'clock. All the members being
present, tho minutes of the previous day
were read and approved.
Mr.. Anderson asked that an inves'i CATION
of the charges against clerks be entered
into at once. bis was agreed to.
Mr.. Zacharie then read communication
from Mr.. Dubuclet, State Treasurer. The
following is copy of the letter:
STATE OF LOUisIAyA,l
Treasurer's Once,
New Orleans December IA. 1874.
To the officers and Members Of the Returning
GENTLEMEN-In justice 70 Mr.. Haupt,
hereby certify that never had any cOnver-
sation with him or anybody else about the
manipulation of the votes now before the
Returning Board, while he was secretary
Of eaid board, nor did he (Haupt) make any
such proposition to me.
Respectfully.
ANTOINE DCBUCLET,
State Treasurer.
As the letter denied what Mr.. Casanave
had said in regard to q conversation that
took place between himself and Mr.. Dubu-
clet, he asked that that gentlemen be sent
for.
This was done, and Mr.. Dubuclet ap'
peared and was questioned in regard to the
matter. He was asked If he wrote the
letter read to the board bearing his sigma
ture. lie answered "yes."
Mr.. Casanave then asked Mr.. Dubuclet
if he did not tell him that Mr.. Haupt had
approached him and told him that he was
secretary OF the Returning Board, and as
such could be Of service to him.
Mr.. Dubuclet ans wered yes, but that
conversation related to the other Return
ing B0ard-not this.
Mr.. Casanave said he did not understand
there was any other Returning Board.
Mr.. Dubuclet explained that he meant
the Returning Board Of 1872.
Mr.. Casanave said he dia not understand
why Mr.. Dubuclet should have spoken to
him in regard to that Returning Board, a.
he (Mr. Casanave) was not a member of
that board. He certainly understood Mr..
Dubuclet a. meaning the present Returning
Board, and that was the reason why he
came back to the board, and, in secret
session, recommended the appointment of
some one else as assistant secretary.
Mr.. BertOnneau, one of the retained
clerks, referred to in the affidavits made by
Messrs. Haupt, Levy and Fische. was then
examined. He made very clear and frank
statement to the following effect:
He said he did not work on the night Of
the twenty-tifth ultimo, and consequently
received no order concerning Thanksgiving
Day. On the twenty.sixth Thanksgiving
Day. he went to the Office as usual; found
some clerks in the Office; asked tho chief
clerk for the papers he was working on the
day before; they were handed to him by
Mr.. Campbell. the chief clerk. Mr.. Ber.
tonneau said the book kept by Mr.. Camp
bell shows that the parish compiled by him
(Bertonneauj that day was East Baton
Rouge; on the same day he also helped Mr..
Campbell on his general statement. Mr..
Bertonneau testified that during the time
he was working the doors were open, the
clerks same in and went out, the papers
were scattered ON his desk and could be
seen by any one.
As to the papers from Sabine parish, Mr..
Bertonneau said they were handed to him
by Mr.. Campaell, on the eighth Of Decem.
Der, after they were canv assed by the
board. When receiving them Messrs.
Arroyo and Anderson asked him to be very
careful with them, as the candidate de.
clared elected by the returns was reported
defeated in the parish.
As to the returns from St. Helena, Nj.
Bertonneau said he never had had them in
his possession. and never saw them until
last Friday, when they we're examined by
Mr.. Cvanac and some ether gentlemen.
testimoney, the board was 60 we'll con.
yinced of his innocence that withOu: dis.
senting voice lie was declared exonerated
from all blame: and this Judgment of the
board was sustained by all who were pre-.
sen: and heard Mr.. Bev:o nneau give his
statement.
After the board had eSonerated him. Mr..
Bertonueau rendered his resignation.
which the board refused TO receive.
The following affidavit made by Mr..
Charles S. Abeli. the assistant secretary Of
the board. was then read and ordered to be
tiled:
new ORLEANS. December IS. 1874.
Personally appeared before me Charles
S. Abel. who depOses and says that On
November II he assumed charge OF the
office of the Board Of Returning Officers as
its assistant secretary; and from the records
Of the Office. the returns of the parish of
St, Helena were received and receipted for
BY Mr.. G. T. Haupt on November ). 49, !,
and we're not out Of the Auditors or Treas
urer's vault but once, and then all of the
returns were brought up and the returns
arranged in alphabetical order by Mr..
Fische and Mr. Steele, and resealed and
taken back to the vault by them. and were
not taken from there till December 8, when
thew were brought before the board by Mr..
Green. Q clerk in this Office. The seals were
then intact, and were broken in presence of
the board, and the email packages were
turned over to Mr.. Campbell, chief clerk,
in whose possession they remained till can
yassed by the board.
On Saturday, the twelfth instant. l
took napers into the back office
to Mr.. Green. They we're letters anu
the minutes of the previous days to be
copied into the minute book, and letters to
be briefed and filed. Among the papers to
be spread on the minutes was the protest OF