The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-22
WELLS,S CONFESSION.
How be Buiidozed the Ballots Of Twenty
two Parishes.

NEW ORLEANS, Dec. Zl.-Ex-GO Wells
appeared before the House committee this
morning. He was again asked for the original
returns and records. He did not refuse to pro-
duce them, hut sought to evade the demands.
A part Of the records. specifically receipts for
consolidated returns, were produced, and from
these and the stubs Of many that had been
torn from the receipt book. 1t was shown
that the supervisors consolidated statements
had been received irreRularly. by hand. by ex-
press, or by mail, when the law required that
they should all be forwarded by mail. Wells
testified tnat in canvassng the returns the
board compared the supervisors reports with
the tally sheets Of the commissioners, and when
they did not agree the board deducted, but con-
sidered principally the tally sheets. 1--WE found"
he said, "on examining the tickets, that all the
electors had been voted for but the votes we're
not properly counted. We counted the ticks
and included them In our compilation. The
votes omitted we're on the Republican side We
have not made any estimate OF tho aggregate
vote thrown out. We will furnish the commit
tee with such statement. I cannot tell the num-
her OF votes thrown out for eacA party with out
referring to the books. We did not consider
what party would be affected by the votes thrown
out. I think we threw out East or West
II ton Rouge, don't recollect which. l
cannot furnish the original papers to the COM
mttee because they belong to the State. They
are still In control Of the board The law re-
Quircs supervisors to seal up and forward
turns by mall. Some OF tho returns came by
hand and were counted. The returns from
Grant parish were not sent 10y the supcrvlsors.
When the supervisory reports are sent they
should tie accompanied by tally sheets. | don't
reculect that the law requires the bO lrd to can
vas- from the statements OF commissioners IN
stead OF supervisors. We received boxes from
Concordia which did not come through the sl-
pervsors, ana refused to consider Grant parish
because the returns did not come through the
/ supervisors"
MIR. Jenks--lf tine supervisor was knave
enough not to forw rd the returns. and YOU had
tion. did YOU canv "a such voter
Gov. wells-Nn, sir. We csnvassed no votes
not received through supervisors.
The at ention ot GOV. Wells was here called
to the fact that the boxes from Concordia did
not come through the supervisors, ana MIR. Wells
replied. excitcdlv. " No sir how could theyf'
The law requires that the Commissioners Of
Election shall tie appointed from both parties,
but " ellis said he didn't know that all tue polls
In the state were represented bv Dem ocr,tic
commissioners, and could not tell whether there
was a single Democratic Supervisor of Regstra-
ton IN the state. lie sent for the ballot boxes in
l. II Baton Rouge, but did not count those
boxes Tor what was considerpd GOOD and =, m
cient reason No evidence taken by the
board after going INTO secret session. He cOuldr't
say whether the boxes rom toucOrdtt were re-
that the democrats knew that these hoxes
were being sent for He believed "A request
was made to send Tor the boxn- Of the poil- In
the parish ~ orleans from whith the supervisor
maze o returns, me board did not consent %
esnd Tor thsu. lie threw out no poll In the
Iatish OF Orleans that was returned to the
board. but don't rrueuber whether III
The poil- IN the pIrsh were returned.
He kept minute book Of all the prOceedin4s OF
tie no rd. No minutes were taken IN secre,
session. hey were made aiterward. Inc board
hlled vtcancy IN lo't caused oy the re.igna-
tiOn Of Gen. Longstrrct. but did not NIL the
vacancy In 1879, used by the resignation
there shall be 4 Democrat on the board. | think
T. IL the duty of the board to nll vacancies, but
DID not oil the vacancy IN 1870. because he board
could Dr. Hugh Kennedy. he
gentleman proposed for the vacant position
on the BOARD, IL "a gentleman OF hlsh standing,
| ireproAchAtle character. aud friend of mine
but the board could not agree on his appoint
msnt. and no other name was pres nted. did
not vote on the question, aud do not think any
nember OF the BOARD was much opposed to Mr.
Kennedy but IN talking over the question We
found that We cnulu not ngree.
When asked how bout holding Federal
ofice tSmvryor ~ IN. P'ru ind state fro
Omember "f the Re urning Bbard) az the same
time. wells denied that he Was state Qf III ca ~
member of the Returning board. He Hcknowl-
been MADE bItfer by psrs-cution He said he
Was not biased IN I vnr NJ the Reuubn-
can uarty by his claim Of $4,000. "When s,w
Mr.. lilden's letter he continued, Il considered
NV chances for getting single dollar OF my
relatives hold claims a-greeatlng $1,000. but
am. and have been Tor many wears. cstranged
firm firm my KIN . snd know no'hins Of
pain how he had made a change
of -! votes IN favor Of HAYES n Vernon. an un-
Iroiestei parish. lie received Republican re
tyrns from other hands tnan the sup, ryisors.
lie would not receive Democratic returns from
any Of cr than the >uJtrvisor,. He SAID: Iuon't
know the number ot polls we rejected. In al
the nunher 0on'i know of "A single Republican
piI.' We Is evaGed, cuhce led, biundt red, aud
unundsr"d IN his testimony to-day. but MAS un-
aule to hiis the scoIndrelism Of his party.
Ine Democratic members OF the committee
say tuat in to-day's WORK there has teen more
gained TN N In the previous tight days. Hunt
bIt damaged the Republic N case further IN the
cross-r xatuln ,tion ct Wells.
Ihs House committee IN executive session to-
day instruuted MIR Morrison, Chairman, To re-
port the members Of the Reforming B ard 10
the House iuf contempt IA refusing TO produce
/ sl4.r fYIl. tan