The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-22

tedious. While the Democrats are
elated over the testimony of President
Wells, the Republicans claim that
it did not injure their cause
There is considerable apprehension of
trouble on the 9Th of Jsnua-y, when the
Governor is to be inaugursted. Both
Packard and Nichols will be inaugu.
rated, as the Republicans will not oppose
the inauguration of Nichols, but should
he attempt TO exercise the functions OF
the office he will in all probability be
resisted and call be made for more
troops, eleven hundred of whom are now
stationed here.
The House Committee.
New ORLEANS, Dec. 2l.-J. Madison
Wells, President of the Returning Board
testifed-ln canvasslng the returns COM
pared the Supervisors reports with the
tally sheets of the Commissioners when
they did not agree we deducted, but
considered principally the tally sheets;
sent for tally sheets when parties interest
ed in the election asked for them; sent
for the boxes of Concordia parish at
the instance of ex-senator Harris; did
not know then and don't know
now that he had any interest as
candidate at the late election !;
found on examining the tickets all
the electors had been voted for, but the
votes were not porperly counted; we
counted the tickets and included them in
our comparisons; the votes omitted were
on the Republican side; haven't made
our estimate OF the aggregate vote
thrown out; will furnish the committee
with such statement; can't tell the num-
Der of votes thrown out for each party
without referring to the books; did not
consider what party would be affected
by the votes thrown out; thinks
that they threw out East or
West Baton Rouge; don't recolect
which declined to furnish the original
papers to the committee, because they
belong to the state; the papers are still
in control OF the board; the law requires
the supervisors to seal up and forward
the returns by mail; some Of the returns
came by hand and were counted; the re-
turns from Grant parish were not sent
by the supervisor; when the supervisors
reports are sent they should be accom-
panied by the tally sheets; do not re-
collect that the law requires the board
to canvass from the statement
of the commissioners instead of super
visors; received the boxes from Concor-
dia that did not come through the super
visors; refused to consider Grant parish
because it did not come through the
supervisors.
Mr.. Jen ks-If the supervisor was
knave enough not to forward the returns
and you had returns made by the COM
missiuners of elections, did you canvass
such vote?
Gov. Wells-No, sir, we canvassed no
votes not received through supervisors.
The senate Committee.
New ORLEANS, December 2l.-The
Senate investigating committee met
promptly. An effort was made by Senator
Mcdonald to have the members Of the
Returning Board subpensed, action on
which was finally postponed by the com
mittee till tomorrow.
The question of taking the deposition
of Eliza Pinkston was discussed for some
time and finally postponed until to-mor-
row.
Counsel for the Republican side stated
that they had some torty-two witness to
testify in regard to Odschita parish.
The Democratic counsel stated that it
would be impossible te have their wit
nesses here before next Tuesday, as they
l,I -, ri 10 ,ub inh
ish would be taken up, and had sub
penaed their witnesses from East Baton
Rouge first.
The Republican counsel stated that
the whole number OF witnesses from ali
the parishes would reach 500.
Senator Salisbury thought 1t best to
have an understanding at the present in
regard to fxisg limit to the inquiry, as
500 witnesses on either side would con-
sumo all the time till the first inst.
Chairman Howe thought the mass Of
evidence might be abridged by the
counsel on either side agreeing as far as
possible to accept the testl mony before
the Returning Board, without either
side being expected to develope further
testimony from those witnesses. A
lengthy discussion ensued In regard to
the bes, means of reaching the object
aimed at, viz whether or not there wss
full, free and fair election
in the contested parishes. 1t was
the general opinion that this
could best be secured by examining
and completing the parishes separately
and that the respective counsel might
silt the testimony Of their witnesses ana
leave out ali except the most Important
testimony, and thus sveid much labor
and waste of time, as It appears from the
tsbulsted statements furnished by the
Returning Board that the polls have
been rejected in twenty-five parishes. lhe
labor necessary 10 determine the fairness
of the election in these alone would be
very great. =,
Il was finally agreed to proceed with
OuachIts parish.
James Gallagher, aged so, native OF
Ireland, was the first witness called-Re-
sides in louisiana; has resided IN Loulsl-
ana for three years; came ifom MIL
wsukee; lived in Ouschits during the
last election; the hrst disturbance hnoHh
of was on the 4th of July last, st the
Methodist Sunday school, when reports
were received of the uprising of the ne
groes on the island; some OF the rifle
Companies left and went TO
the Island and Bastrop that
night: sitter that l learned
that three rife companies were organized
under Captains Mcleod, Rufington snd
Theobald. Squads of them visited Mr..
Whitead, on whose place l worked, to
induce him to join the Democratic cluo.
They said nothing to me, thinking was
q Democrat. Whitesd asked what su-
thority they had to call on him ana
force him to join the Democrats. One
of them, named McHenry said, "tnst the
msiority of the people we're in the Dem
ocrstic party, and if they did not carry
the election McHenry would be q
desd man. A few days alter
wards nine armed bull-dozers
followed Mr.. Whitesd and wife
from Jordan's Station and made numer-
ous inquiries about him, and the next
og Mel aad's cOmO4p Y