The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-11-20
THE RETURNING BOARD.

: At about fifteen minutes past II o'clock. tn
t Board was called to order. Present, Wells
D Anderson, Arroyo Cassanave and Kenner.
The following communication from thu
Secretary of State was received:
OFFICE SECRETARY OF STATE, |
= New Orleans, Nov. 10, 1874. {
Hon. J. Madison Wells, President Board of Re
turning Officers:
Sir-From the press reports of the yester
days session of the Returning Board, l see
that this Office has mysteriously been brough,
before the public in such manner as to lead
many into the belief that the returns of St.
James parish had at some time been in my
custody and had been exchanged or tempered
, with, and that the Supervisors returns of all
the other parishes are deposited with me, l
would respectfully call the attention of your
Board to the fact that this office has not now
} nor has it ever had the charge or custody of
any parish returns of the late election, except
that Of Orleans as directed by law, and these
remain in the same sealed packages as de-
livered to me.
Very respectfully, P. G. DEs1oNDE
I Secretary of State.
Mr.. Zacharie said that he had no hesitancy
in giving his authority for the statement that
the returns had been taken from the Office of
the Secretary of State; that George E. Bovee
was the man
WHO HAD TOLD
him. Bovee stated that he (Bovee) had had
access to the returns since they came into
possession of the Secretary of State
Judge A. B. Slonaker, as counsel for and on
behalf of J. A. ella, candidate for the State
Senate, asked that the parish of Carroll be
taken up. He said that he had been engaged to
represent Mr.. Ola and had call away from the
city on business, and desired to leave this
evening. He would not be able to return in
time to be present at the canvass of the parish
if taken up in its regular order. It was the
only parish in the Senatorial District in which
there was contest. 1t was charged that G..
c. Benham had tempered with the returns.
The truth Of this he would not vouch for.
If the returns corresponded with the result an
nounced at the polls, there would be nothing
to say.
On motion Of Mr. Arroyo, the request of
Judge Slonaker was acceded to.
Mr.. Zacharie entered protest against the |
compilation of the votes of the parish. He
had information that the returns had been |
tempered with. They had been seen in pos
session of Geo. E. Benham, while in this city,
spread out on a table, and parties had been
seen at work on them with pen and ink.
The combined statement of votes cast in
the parish shows Benham 2O69, Ola 296, audit
is claimed that the correct vote was Benham
1913, Ola s29.
As soon as the verifcation of the statements
Of votes with the tally sheets was completed,
the following a....
PROTEST 1
was fled by the Democratic Committee on be-
half OF the Conservative Democratic Party.
Counsel protest against the canvassing and
counting of the vote of the parish of Carroll:
l. Because the election was considered in
violation of the law, with view to enact frauds
n said election.
z. That such frauds were actually enacted.
3. That the returns, tally sheets, etc., are ,
lot made up and returned according to law.
4. That since the making out of the original 7
eturns, tally sheets, and other memoranda,
ne same have been fraudulently tempered
nth, altered and defaced, SO as not to show
be true state of the vote actually cast. O
All of which they are prepared to show at I
proper time to be fixed by the Board, and to /
how that said frauds, irregularities and in '
will make a material difference so :
r as the State, Congress and Legislature, and '
Their officers are concerned. Y
F. G. ZAcHARIE, G.
CHAs. CAvANAc,
VIM. r. WHITAKER.
Judge Sloanaker also filed protest on the N
rounds that the returns were not a true state -,
ent of the votes cast
Both protests were received and filed. A
me will be set for the hearing of evidence. L
Wards eight and nine were disposed Of, and 8,
e Board adjourned until P. NJ.
THE EVENING SESSION. u
Wards ten and eleven were canvassed, and
e Board adjourned until IL o'clock A. NJ. To-
" til