The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-30

names of the parties to whom he thought the
money was due. The first knew anything
about it was as have stated" tla ~
Cross Examined Being shown the original
voucher contained in the envelope, said:
ssThey were called Legislative warrants.
They are drawn by the Warrant Clerk OF the
House, sometimes by the Clerk Of the Com
mittee on Contingent Expenses. The sigma
lures look to be genuine. l think they all
look to be genuine. York and Vigerss sig-
natures are correct" - Z
Defense then offered the vouchers to the
amount of $14, 27O, issued to G. W. Lowell
The Attorney General objected and called for
the record Of the court eDjoining Clinton from
issuing, at the time these we're issued, any
warrants. He said the vouchers could not
be considered such, as they were issued IN
contempt of an injunction issued BY the
court
He then recalled the Governors proclama-
ton calling for the presentation OF all
vouchers, in order to find out which were
valid and which were not, and stated that
large amount was thrown out He read the
statute of 1874 appropriating for the vouchers
issued by the legislatures of 1S70-l-2 "This
was a fraud and was enjoined as fraud, and
would like to know how the Auditor can,
|
vouchers. Here is man who says he has is
sued a warrant on what he has never seen.
Strange defense r s'.@ 3st
Judge VOORHEES, said the Attorney General
had characterized the defense as strange He
could truthtnlly say the prosecution of the
case against the defendant, too, was strange
very strange. The State had called by a
subpoena datces tecum for vouchers, and they
had gotten them, but now they seek to q 70 .
mere memorandum in their case which was
in the envelope with them.
The court said this desultory talk
took up too much time. The State
had right to use everything which
might throw light on the matter. The gen.
uineness Of the papers had been shown
enough. The question to be determined was
whether the Auditor had issued warrants
without license Of law. l14
The Court overruled the objection and the
Attorney General took . bill of exceptions.
Cross-e1amination resumed by Mr.. Se,nnaes-
was sick in New Orleans in August, 1874
There was q warrant issued in my name In
August, 1874. It was brought in the Funding
Board to be funded while Was amsmber.' /
saw it in Benhams hands. 1t wasfunded. I do
not know whether had an interest in it or not.
I never have received any interest on it, but
I was entitled to it. It was payable to my
order and Endorsed it.
Re-direct-I do not know where Sanford
Benham's clerk is. The vouchers were not
shown to me before the warrant was issued.
I never spoke to the Auditor about it. The
warrants were not presented then by Clinton
for himself know; he may as a member have
presented them. [The entry in the books Of
the Auditor when the warrant was issued was
called for, but the Court was informed q re-
ceipt only was given. do not know any
thing about johnson Armstrong. l do not
know anything about his account.
Very often when / was Speaker the books
for vouchers were repeatedly signed in blank.
| II had refused to approve the reports OF. the
Committee on Contingent Expenses they
would have turned me out. There are many
| things considered as contingent. Fuel and
stationery are considered contingent expenses
| Clerk hire is not . contigent expense, ano
yet it might be sometimes. Legislature
can not be carried on without stationery.
| do not know Mr.. Armstrong, and don't know
| whether he presented the voucher for $lO,'
726 80, payable to johnson Armstrong d Co..
for stationery. have heard Of this business
house from the newspapers
have examined the Auditors books and
probably examined this voucher. During thu
last regular session looked into the Audi
tors books. We relied upon our experts fol
the data to make up our reports. The writ
ing on the back of the warrant is not familiar
| to me, but have seen some like it somewhat
| was Speaker of the House in 1874, Janu
airy /. know how many clerks we were en-
titled to according to previous statute; but
think each Legislature can make its own laws
in that respect. The old ones do not bind
subsequent Legislatures. 3.
The Attorney Generals said that he would
probably have to offer the report Of commit
| tees on Clinton's affairs. iiiH ea
The defense then announced that they
would, when that time came, surely object.
Attorney General Field said that he did no
desire to, condemn or harm any officer Of thu
State. He supposed both sides wanted full
investigation Of the whole case. ..'t.
Three o'clock arriving, the court adjournt
until to-day at II A. NJ