The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1876-05-25

A Witness Whs Wsuld Net Take Federal
BFihes.


Special Despatch to the World
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE COM
mittee to investigate the Federal
Offices in Louisiana held a long and
important meeting to-day. Edgar
Selye, q clerk in the New York Gus
tom House, made important revela-
lions. He testified that he went to
Louisiana as special agent Of the
Post Office Department early in
1870 and remained there until 1876.
Chairman Gibson asked the witness
if he knew of the manufacture OF
fraudulent pay rolls in the New Or
leans Custom House; and Selye re-
Piled that he did. Mr.. Gibson then
inquired who made up these fraud
ulent pay rolls, and the witness de
clined to answer, and read a short
statement in reply. In this state
ment Selye affirmed that be had been
threatened with Punishment in the
Louisiana courts, prosecution, Sc,
and that brides had been offered
him ii he would not tell what he
knew in relation to Louisiana mat
tiers. The witness wanted a promise
of immunity from punishment from
the Attorney. General, and said that
he had rather be kept in the custody
Of the House as recusant witness
than to be prosecuted by his enc
mics in Louisiana. When asked
who had threatened him in case he
testified, the witness responded that
lit was Frank Mercy, member Of
Congress from Louisiana. The wit
ness testified that be was threatened
on the 4th and 5th Of the present
month at the Fifth Avenue Hotel
in New York by Mercy and q Mr..
Aver, brOther-in.law Of Marshal
Packard, of Louisiana. Aver told
Selye that if he testified before the
committee he would find himself in
the penitentiary. On the 9Th Of
January Morey met Selye at the
Fifth Avenue Hotel. and told him
that if he testified, two indictments
which had been found against hin
in the Louisiana courts, would be
prosecuted. Morey also offered, il
case Selye would not testify, to gel
him a position, either in the New
York Custom House or in the Uni
ted States Secret Service, at a salar,
Of not less than $3.50 per month, or
, ii he could not obtain either of thest
positions, to pay him regular sal
airy OF $12O monthly from his owr
money. Seley possessed certain pa
, pers in relation to disrepntable poll
tical transactions Of Mercy in Louis
lana. Morey wanted these llocu
, ments and Selye delivered them t,
him in New York in the presence
of Colonel Sanford A. Hatch, in con
sideration of 600 down and fiv,
notes of 800 each. Selye KEEP
t copies of these papers, which h,
will deliver to the committee. Thu
1 witness testified that he saw More,
J. forge the name Of w. j. G. Bake
= to warrants for the arrest Of limo
: cent citizens in Louisiana preceding
/ the Congressional election Of 1871
J The witness gave lengthy accom-
t Of the manner in which Mofey II
Q cured his election, how he cause
9 the arrest and imprisonment {
f white citizens Of the Democrat
2 party who opposed his election an
t kept them confined until too late
o be of any service at the elections
r their respective parishes. Sely
; swore with the greatest fifmnes
l. that Morey asked him to arrest, lea
j. into the woods and murder . ma
o named Isaac Newton Glover, /
9 Claiborne Parish, who opposed Mo
r ey's election. Morey proposed thi
q murder in the presence of . ma
i named levitt, who will be summon
j. ed to testify before the committe
d in New Orleans. Morey came I'M
s the committeeman late with coul
G sci, and asked that he might eros
II examine the witness, and also o.
It posed . resolution offered BY n
q Blackburn asking the Attorne.
d General to grant immunity to tt
q witness, inasmuch as . cross exam
q ination is not allowable until Il
i direct examination is c0ncladed, an
) a. the direct examination cannot
! finished until the witness has t0l
:, all that he knows, which he refust
10 to do without . promise of immuu
o ty from punishment. The commi
l. tee were il . dilemma. They q
n journed, however, until to MORO,
A when MOrov will ha allowed Ia q,