Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-02-14
Attempt to Buy an EIector.

A. B. Levisse, one of the Hayes and Wheeler
electors in louisiana testified last week, be-
fore the Senate subcommittee, that, after
election and before the electoral vote was
cast, an effort was made to buy his vote for
| Tilden, or induce him to refrain from vot.
ing, with thirty or forty thousand dollars,
and afterward with one hundred thousand
dollars, but his price was two hundred thou
sand dollars. C. w. johnson was one of the
would-be bribers. He stated that johnson
arranged an interview with S. W. Ashur,
which took place in retired part of New
Orleans, at which Ashur presented his prop
osition, whether the witness would be will
ing to receive a certain sum of money say
thirty or forty thousand dollars. and refuse
to receive his certificate as an elector Wit
ness gave no direct answer, and asked sew
eral questions, and finally said the price was
too small, and that he might as well receive
two hundred thousand dollars as forty thou
sand dollars; that it was big chance to
make big thing; that it only happened
once in hundred years that one man had
an opportunity to make President; and
finally, that johnson might say to his friends
that Levisse was not unwilling to listen to a
proposition but that they had not got up to
his price yet, after which Ashur and John
son left him, having made an appointment
to meet him again at the st. Charles hotel,
that same evening. They found too many
people in the rotunda of the hotel so they
took a walk. johnson then changed his
proposition, and said that witness would be
required to vote for Tilden. Witness replied
that this was new question, and put him
off and stuck to his price of two hundred
thousand dollars. Finally, after more close
inquiry witness wanted to know who his
hackers were. Then he went off to see his
friends or prompter, and was back in half
an hour. Witness asked him whom he had
been to see, and he gave the name of Walter
Pugh. The witness doesn't know Walter
Pugh. Ashur said one hundred thousand
dollars was the utmost that could be raised
by Pugh or the hackers, and asked the wit
ness to go with him, next morning, to GER
tain place on the common, and they would
meet two men, Pugh and the moneyed man.
Witness and Ashur met the two men accord
ingly. The man said to be the moneyed
man the witness recognized as Mr.. Herman.
dez, a prominent New Orleans broker. Her
nandez wished to talk, and the witness de-
clined, saying Hernandez could talk to
Ashur. Witness then went home, after
making an appointment for the next morn
ing at the hotel. lie met Ashur, next day
at eleven o'clock, and made another appoint.
ment for twelve o'clock the day after, when
he met Ashur, who said to witness that one
hundred thousand dollars was all that could
be raised. Witness stuck to his two hun
bred thousand dollars, and said it was not
worth while to talk about it any more
Ashur is a jew, fine business man and
good neighbor, and witness regrets to have
been obliged to expose his name. Witness
reported all these proceedings to Marshal
Pitkin, as they TRANSFERRED, and Mr.. Pitkin
was well satisfied with what the witness had
done. He has never seen johnson since.