The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-06-03
CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.


y
Chairman Gibson having yesterday
announced that an important witness
summoned TO appear before the com
mttee could not do 50 before night. the
committee adjourned to O'Clock last
night. It was subsequently ascertained
that the witness alluded to was no less
than
J. H. BECKWITU,
the United States District Attorney, the
result being crowded room. Mr.
Beckwth, upon being sworn, stated ihat
he was appointed in 1870 to succeed
Alonzo r. Long, who had committed
suicide since his appointment. Mr..
Gurley has been his assistant, and also
Mr.. Hutchinson for q short period Mr.
Grrley was i'm the office before witness ;;
lie earns salary Of $1,000 Mr.. Hutch
inson was appointed special attorney at
n salary Of $500, to investigate ware
house cases. etc. the suits by him were
never tried he was very long getting
them Mt issue Mr. Gurley attends to
the correspondence of the office. land
cases. plcadngs in certain matters, but
rarely. il ever, attends to the trial OF
cases
FtNlVFElib FRAUDS.
Witness states that he has some re
membrance of the Postof1lce frauds, but
could not positively state the amount of
the defalcations. A certain party by the
name of Hays seized the PostofIice :;
LonreH tnho teas Wdictcd rs u defduHcr.
or somebody else. was allowed to take
from the vault and carry away the most
important papers. so that there was but
very little data left to establish the
amount Of the mbezzlement, which was
averrcd in tho indictment TO be about
SIG. 600 this referred particularly to tho
money order department. A civil action
on the bond was instituted; does not
remember whether it reached judge
ment, but il was afterwards compromised
in Washington Messrs. Jno. W. Mad
don and Geo +. Brott were among the
bondsmen. More money was recovered
through compromise than could have
been collected by executinga judgment
The indictment against Lowell is still
pending; the iH'elTeguum in tho courts
prevented these matters being pushed.
Lowell's friends held that tho compro-
mise effected quashed the Indictment
Witness is of a different opinion.
Judgment was obtained against Post
Muster Taiaferro. His father compro-
missed his share of the bond judgment
stands against the other boudsmen.
The criminal suit WAS not pushed, Talia-
fcrro being deranged in mind.
THE SUGAR CASES -..
dated before witness took charge of his
office. There may have been some un-
collected judgment on these aud the
wine cases when he was inducted into
Office. but he has no recollection Of the
matter.
GRANT PARISH CASE.
In the Grant parish case there were
which seven OF eight were brought to
trial The first trial was mistrial the
second one resulted in the conviction OF
three of the accused. The jury was at
that time selected by two freeholders
selected by tho court. 1t is now selected
by jury commissioners appointed at
each term OF the court, and drawn in
with the state law for the
parish of Orleans. Witness knows Of
no secret docket. save that papers are
withheld from the public until after the
arrest of indicted party. Witness never
goes before the Grand Jury. Mr.. Gurley, |
his assistant. attending to that portion
Of the work. Was not before the Grand
Jury who investigated the Durell- ,
Norton matter; has heard that Durell
had information that the Grand jury
was about to indict Norton before he
it, Has known Charles Clai
borne for wears was Clerk Of the Dis
trct Court from it's reorganization
during the war to the time of his flight
was for some time clerk of both courts
he had fled the country before his defal
cation was known, his bond was for
$1,000, and Is worthless his embezzle-
ment amounted 10 over $50, 900; there is
-, a lin4,
There is al action against Mr.. j. II.
Oglesby, who has been Jury Commits
sioner since 1872 had his case reached
trial it would have been submitted to
Jury selected by him.
Cross examined on the
SUGAR FRAUDS.
Witness stated that at the time he
went into office there were some in
dictments pending against different
parties, that they were disposed or In
all sorts of ways; in the case of Clark
| don't think the indictments were
good at all events the case was NOTE
DrOsed by order Of the authorities at
Washington, Clark having given iDfor
nation of frauds in the Memphis Gus
tomhouse.
Witness never advised the compro-
mise in the Lowell case.
In the WHISKY case bWo SuitS uttu oocu
disposed Of by noHe 1r0Sequi e. W.
Wells, in the Henderson case. because
he did not want him acquitted and the
evidence was no stronger than in the
Fahrenback case, wherein he was found
not guilty.
After the conclusion of Mr.. Beck
with's testimony, the Committee ad-
journed to this morning.
During the day Messrs. Vance and
Woodburn, OF the Coushatta Commit
tee, examined one witness from that
section. These gentlemen leave to-
night for Red River.
A trip to the jetties was contemplated
for odav but the idea was subsequent