The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1876-12-21
THE INvEsrreamr~
toohpiled from Associated Press Reports up,ess
Otherwise Designated
LOUISIANA


otherwise Designated.l
LOUISIANA.
The Congressional House Committee
met at New Orleans on the 18th, Mr.. MORT
son presiding. communication was re
celved II ON the Louisiap Returning Roard
s.atlng IN substance thr four members Of
tae returning Board Gened the authority
OF me House of Representatives to review
nv, ,ne decision OF the Returning Board until
they had delivered their dotS1ments to tha
General Assembly. They also protest tn
against the attempts Of the Honse
SSt hepr' sentatives of the United
etat TO obtain and review docu-
ments IN their possession, and claimed
that as individuals they could not under
sne hs'liutlon and laws of the State sur
h lenuer them. They stated that they would
| nave copies OF all documents made for the
Committee if the Committee would provIde
Ine necessary means. The Chairman in.
| stfuc, ed the Sergeant-at-Arms 10 notify the
members OF the Returning Board that their
presence would be expected at eleven a m.
on tne 18TH, In obedience to orders of the
speaker OF the House of Representa-
yves OF the United States. Another com
| munication from Charles s, Abel Sec.
rotary OF the Returning Board was
| READ, IN answer to a subpoena duces te,7,yo
| served on him, declining to furnish the doc.
uments, as he had been instructed not TO do
81. these re'usals created considerable ex
titciieht' Inc room was crowded with spec
| tators and witnesses.
MT. Wells, of the Returning Board,
was before the House Committee on the 18th.
out declined answering questions, denying
the authority of the Committee to ipterro-
gate him as to Returning Board matters. He
sad il the Committee would employ eight
clerks IN addition to the clerical force of the
board, all the papers could soon be copied.
C'her witnesses were examined as to the late
e'eclion, but nothing new or startling was
developed. Subcommittee were appointed
10 be located in different parishes of the
Stats, who would leave when copies of the
Returning Board had been obtained.
On the evening of the 18th, the Re-
publican counsel sent protest to the House
Committee, demanding that facilities be
offered them to attend the sessions of the
committee, and insisting that they should
be protected against insults and threats. On
the l4th, Mr.. Glover, Supervisor of East
Baton Rouge, testified before the committee,
and submitted copy of the affidavit &C.
companying his returns, showing that riot
tumult and terror prevailed throughout the
Parish. He did not witness any violence,
but was Informed of it by Others He said,
companying the returns was prepared at the
Custom-House iu New Orleans.
Two colored witnesses CHenry Car
roll and John Petty testified before the
House Committee, on the 18th, to the effect
that they had voted and acted with the Dem
ocrats at the late election, and that for so
doing they had been subject to threats and
abuse, Carroll stating that attempts had
been made hat
shot and killed on the 10th of No
vember in mistake for him. Petty tes-
tilted that he was shot and beaten by cOlorcd
men for having voted the Democratic ticket
William Ward (colnred) testified that he was
Republican in 1874, and took 3 seat in the
Legislature, although fairly beaten at the
polls. He stated that the History of the
Ou,rages on Red River" written by him, he
believe d at the time to be true, but now he
knew better. 0. B. Morgan, discharged from
a clerkship in the Gust House, on the 10th
of November, testified that Supervisor An
derson had told him, after the election, that
the Democrats had carried the Parish of
East Feliciana, only one Republican vote
being pollcd. On meet ng day some
men came to Andcrson'S office, and said
he ought to be hung, but they did not other
wise modest him. Witness lad frequentud
the Custom House since his discharge, and
had seen a number of persons there making
where they were not in accordance with the
testimony given in regard to intimidation.
Supervisor Clover, of East Baton Rouge. Lad
said to witness that it was peaceable there
on the day of elect on, but Glover did not con-
slider it safe to return there after the election;
that he had thrown out some boxes and
elected three Republicans to the Lc9isla-
ture. The witness conversed with Super
visor Leday, of Lafourche, before and after
the election. Leday told him that the par
ish was Democratic, but it would go all
right; that he was not there for any foolish
ness; he would throw out enough polls to
elect the Republicans. He said nothing
about intimidation. Witness said he had
been advised not to 90 before tie Congress
sional Committee, as he would not get his
place back in the Custom House if he tes-
tilted.
NJ. S.. Peeler, of New Orleans, was be
fore the House Committee, on the 10Th, and
testified that he was United States Super
visor in Poll 2 of the Second Ward; that
an attempt was made by the Republican
Commissioner to prevent Democrats from
voting; that Mr.. Hare, Republican Commits
siOner had told him, after the election, that
there was some trouble about that poll; that
the Democratic Commissioner would be ar
rested, and they would take the box and fix
it to suit themselves; witness was offered
$500 by Mr.. Casey, a Republican Marshal, II
he would let him and another Marshal have
the box he declined the offer and notlhed
the Democratic Committee, who sent force
for protection; the Republicans subsequ mt.
Nv made an attempt to seize the box ana
take it to the Custom-House; witness was
subsequently, assaulted by Hare, Republican
Commissioner, because he would lot certify
the returns as correct and refused to allow the
box to be taken by the Republicans. GA the
cross-eXaminatIon, witness said the election
was peaceabe, quiet and fair; had been told
that if he did not keepin he would be Killed
for going back on his party; was still Re
publican. Pompey Steele, Marshall Taylor,
L. H. Flowers aud Henry Smith (ali colored)
testified that they voted the Democratic
ticket at the last election, and had been as
saulted and maltreatcd so doing. FLOW
ers said he canvassed the State for the Dem
ocrats, and had heard large number of
colored men say they would vote the Demo-
cratic ticket, and others said they We're
afraid to vote such ticket owing to threats
which had been made against colored Dem
ocrats. s. j. n. Smith, lawyer, OF New Or
leans. testified that he canvassed the State
for the Democrats; saw no intimidation OF
colored people except by Republicans, who
said if the Democrats got in office the col
ored peop,e would be again enslaved;
saw a number of negroes who prom
ised to vote the Democratic ticket
heard of no disturbance In the
Parish of East Feliciana; supervisor Ander-
son had told witness that Parish would go
Democratic, but would be counted Republl-
can; that he (Auderson) had said the Gus
tom House officials wanted him to swear
that fraud. violence and intimidation were
practiccd by the Democrats, but that he re-
f,,en To do