The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-12-25
LOUISIANA.
Evidence Before the Com
mittees.
RumOrs Of q Coalition Be.
tween WarMOth, Pinch
back and the Dem
Ocrats
The House Committee.

poll 2, Eleventh ward; there WAS no IN
timidation during the election, but there
was after the voting closed
Mr.. Zedick, Democratic supervisor,
testified. Would not allow me TO quit
the count and 60 home; they mad several
men keeping tally sheets; had pistol
laying on the table; sent for a police
man TO protect me; the policeman was
run out of the office; he left for fear Of
fuss; some one SAID there would be al
effort made to take the ballot box, and
the officer left; the Democratic commits
sioners would not let me quit; what they
wonted me to do was required by .aW;
they told me- if | left would
60 away dead; when the box was opened
the votes had all been counted out but
the tally sheets were not completed; l
went to get new tally sheets, because L
didn't think the tally sheets were correct;
Mr. Kemplsn Was sick and was sleeping;
l didn't object to new tallying; was in
structed by Mr.. Bsckus to take our time
in counting the votes; the law requires
the count of votes to be completed in
twenty-four lours, but it was thirty-six
hours before l got away; l went to sleep
after the votes were counted; never re-
ceived any instructions rs to how l
should act; was working tor the people,
received private notes while the vote was
going on: had instructions three or four
times to close the box il saw anything
wrong; election was quiet and peacea-
BILE; believed al. the votes poled there
were legal; five were allowed to be IN
the room from each political party had
only three men counting them up; said
l had six when the box was taken TO the
supervisor; they compelled me to go in
the carriage with the box and deliver 1t
to the supervisor; the law required Us to
do this duty; didn't think the tai ly sheets
were correctly kept; think the Demo.
Gratis received all the votes that were
counted for them.
Cross hummelshine, one threatened
to take the box; | told him that if any
body attempted to take the box |
would shoe. him; signed the re-
turns unuer lear of my life:
Mr.. Dedrick told me If I went home |
must 20 home dead, or have doctors
certificate; signed the tally sheet under
bodily fear.
A.. w. Kemston of Orleans,
Republican Commissioner of election at
poll two, Eleventh Ward Election passed
off peaceable and quiet up to closing OF
polls | commenced tallying but could
not count and put some one in my
| place; Mr. Lcdicks threatened; me | did
not know until this morning that he was
commissioner; had not read the cleo
ton law 1 continued to count until 8
O'Clock Wednesday morning when
| got sick and wanted TO quit,
when Ledwick and Flower jump
ed up, showed their hands in their
pockets, and SAID the counting had TO go
on; others outside said, stick them up
| and make them go on; | considered this
| threat; about ten o'clock Mr.. hearsay
laid he could not continue; Mr.. Lcdwick
said the count had to 90 on, or he would
take charge of the counting; threats like
these above mentioned were made several
times during the day; Major Burke visit
| ell the polls several times during the day
and asked if everything was going on
| tight, and if he could do anything for US;
| Alter the votes were counted | objected
to tally sheets. They did not cOrrepond
and lacked some 5nr = votes, to which |
objected. Some gentleman came IN and
| sat down TO the table and showed his
revolver. They finally adjusted the
tally sheets with his assistance, and
signed them because | feared for my
lite. They had more pistols than ! had.
Abers statement shows the vote thrown
out bv the Returning Board, exclusive
of that not returned by the supervisors
to be l0,2S0 Democratic and ,IG3 Re
publican.
Louis Backer. supervisor Of registra-
tion of the Eleventh ward, parish OF Or
leans testified that he is Il Republican;
did not order the commissioners OF cleo
tion to bring the box OF poll z to my
office; the man Burke made changes on
the tsley sheet; the commissioners
signe1 the talley sheet; two OF them told
me after that they signed under
intimidation; Ledgerot, one OF the
commissioners Of election, delivered 70
me the tally sheet signed by all the
commissioners, and sworn TO by him ms
correct; did not include this note in
my consolidated report.
Cross-exsmined-Two of the commits.
sioners refused 10 sign the sheet because
they were threatened, and did not think
the sheets were correct; the change made
bv Burke was to take ten votes from one
Democratic Judge and add them to the
Republican judge when | went to poll
No. 2, saw men keeping tally sheets who
were not authorized by law TO do SO; from
what saw the Democrats had determined
do as they pleased; about 3,lOO regis
tered in the ward; about 72O coloreii
about As of them voted the Democratic
ticket; lS6 white voters voted the he.
publican ticket IL that ward; great
many were discharged after the election;
| before the election some cJlored men told
me they would vote for Republicans, but
| feared losing situations; knows tn!rty-
! one colored men VINO have been dis
charged since the election for voting the
! Republican ticket; objected 10 giving
names Of men discharged; says II lie
| told their names there would be
trouble: they requested him :Or Gods
sake not to tell anybody their names, and
he refused to do so; knew three men who
were threatened before the election;
couldn't give names; didn't recollect
them; think there were more than 60
Republican votes cast at Poll No. 2; has
70 opinion as to whether there were
more Republican votes cast At that poll
than were accounted for.
Msior Burke recalled-Mr. Backers
has sworn that | corrected the vote on
the tally sheess Of Poll No. >,
Eleventh ward, in his office, TO the extent
of ten votes. l declare upon oath
that Mr.. Backers hiss stated ialsehOod;
did not change tally or make any
entry whatever on either the tally sheet
kept for the Democratic party or on the
tally sheet which was signed By all Of
the Commissioners and delivered TO Mr.
Backers and sworn to by Mr.. Letig
the tally sheet which l hold in my hsnc
was taken to Bsckers office By Ledis
and there laid on desk; Mr.. klmptor
carried the other tally sheet and tw'
s,a,amants nf tha votes " hlch had heel