Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-12-15
BRIBERY.
ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE A REPuB-
LICAN ELECToR WITH TILDEN's
MONEY
Another Characteristic Manifestation
CT Democratic Reform,

Another Characteristic Manifestation
CT Democratic Reform,
AT the casting of the electoral vote
i'll Louisiana, Judge A. b. Leyissee,
one of the Republican electors, made
the following startling statement:
"Mr. President, before casting my
ballot, I wish to make one remark, /
have been offered to-day 100000 to
vote for Samuel j. Tildcn. lconsid-
er my right to vote for Rutherford
b. Hayes worth more than that"
Judge Lcvissce afterward made the
following affidavit Of the facts:
United States of America-DistrIct
of Louisiana. Personally came be-
fore me, the undersi gned authority,
Aaron Is. Levissee, a resident of the
parish Of Caddo, in said State, who
being by me duly sworn, dcposes
and says as follows. to-wit:
am sojourning temporarily in the
city of New Orleans, and have lodg-
ings at the residence of Mrs. \. in
said city. On Monday, the 4th inst,
l went to my room about o O'clock,
p. NJ. Immediately on my arrival
Mrs. A. handed me q note written IN
the following words, VIZ:
A. B. Levissee.
DEAR SIR: You will obl,gc me very
much by meeting HE tomorrow Tues
day., Nov. 5, at Mr.. Cassidy's hotel, at
a. m, as | wish to see YOU on important
business.
This note was written and signed
by man whose name and signature
were familiar to me, and with whom
Mrs. A., her daughter, n girl of II
years, and myself, were all acquaint-
ed, and we all knew him to be
AN ACTIVE AND DECIDED DEMOCRAT.
l had, however, never had a business
transaction with HIM and knew of
no business on which he might want
to see me. Mrs. A. and her daugh-
ter both told me at the time of the
delivering of the note that he betray-
ed unusual anxiety to see me, and
left with them besides the note the
most urgent verbal request that l
should not fail to see HIM as indicat-
ed. The great urgency and solici-
tude expressed in his er,togeth
er with several very significant ex-
prcssions made use of by him, some
of which they represented to me at
the time of deli, ering the note, as
sured them, as they then told me,
that the object Of the proposed III
tcrview was to
OFFER ME A BRIBE TO CAST BY ELEC-
TORAL VOTE FOR TILDEN AND
HENDRICKS.
On the next morning, Nov. 5,quite
early, and before | had breakfastcd
or LETT my room, the same gentleman
who left the note as above stated,
called again at the house where l !
lodged, and requested to see me. I
met him in the parlor, and after a
formal salutation he requested me to
meet him at place which he desig-
uated at an early hour that morning
to attend to business of much i'm
portancc. Without remarks assent
cd, and named l p. NJ. Of that day
as the hour. In the meantime, before
the arrival of the appointed hour,
being quite confident what was the
purport of the proposed meeting, l |
sought an interview with United
States Marshal Pitkin and revealed
to him fully my suspicious, and stat
ed to him in terms that l had no
reasonable doubts that the intention
was to offer me a bride to cast my
electoral vote for Tilden and Hcnd.
ricks, and that I proposed temporiz-
ing with the parties offering for two
purposes. First, with the view of
developing as fully as possible all
circumstances, names of parties, etc.
connected with or implicated in the
move; and second, to keep the brib-
ers in pursuit of me until it would be
too late to attack any one else for a
like purpose. Marshal Pitkin APP
proved of this suggestion, and re-
luestcd that l should carry 1t ont. I
met the engagement promptly at l
o'clock, and found Mr.. b. at the
door on the sidewalk. Being already
known to each other we Immediately
entered into a private conversation.
After stating that he had an impor-
tant proposition to make to me, and
assuring me that he had no other
than friendly motive in making it,
and that it was, according to his
view, mere business transaction,
and one calculated to promote the
interest of the United States, etc,
ETC., he asked me if | would be will
ing to accept a sum Of money.
SAY $4,000 OR $4,000,
and refuse to accept the Governors
certificate rs an elector, aud thus de-
feat Hayes and Wheeler. l made
no direct reply, but continued the
by way of asking ques-
lions. Our conversation was very
full, and lasted half an hour or more,
during which l said that amount:was
wholly inadequate, and to insure y
further delay suggested u larger
amount, and urged that for such a
service, in such an emergency, it
would be as easy to get more IL less
With this that interview ended, hav-
ing appointed to meet him again that
day at p. M. In the meantime l
advised with Marshal Pltkln of the re-
suit ofthis interview and informed him
when and where the next one would
be held. and invited him to be
where he could observe for himself.
met b., as appointed, at I p. NJ.
Mr.. 3. then told me that he had to
change the proposition, and that 1t
would be required of me to cast my
vote directly for Tilden and Hen
tricks, and for this
III, rnrJn AccI-pE uE S100 O0O