The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-02-07
WELLS TESTIMONY.

John Ray Advised the Returning Board
what Returns to Throw Ont.
| WASHINGTON, T, b. The report of Wells
testimony, yesterday, which covers several
thousand words, concludes as follows:
| 10 answer to duestions Gov. Wells was
| forced to admit that there were frauds in the
Vernon parish rs,urrs, and that these frauds
had c,ept into The returns signed by him and
other mt n bers Of the b7srj, and that this
was either an tempt TO cheat or an attempt
at spseulstion.
He also admitted that under The operation
of thaee frauds Andrews, for District Attorney.
and Hpne or, for DISTRICT Judge, we're counted
in as elected. Also, that Andrews has since
refused to serve, asserting that he was not
fairly elected.
CIV. Wells also stated that after The 20ih of
| Deoember sll persons except Kay were ex-
cuded from the R,urning Board, and that
Ray was admitted rs often SIS wanted. and
| advised the board SIS TO tho lsw and the facts,
apd also advised the board what re urns to
throu ont
On the cross-examinston Of Wells, the
following entusd:
Qlestlon you say in She course of
your conversation wi b e. o. Barrett, that
you Hs q H6tefmlnsa 10 mhKS STATEMENT 10
Gov. Nichols
Answ L. is most Infamous lie.
%, you mean to soy that the question is
an lofanous lie?
Al s.y the substance of the question is
lie.
OF you would answer my question in the
way n witness sht uld aaswer, 1t would be
better2
A will not AK your advice how I shall
answer q question.
finally, tho witness answered "no." He
proceedeh 10 deny everything touching the
Maddox and iittlefitld matters, but on ques-
lions outside Of these and Vernon parish
Questions, be refused to answer.
Odd you not say to Barrett rr Kennedy
you would make clear breast OF il?
At is hn infamous lie.
Gov Wells looks weary this morning.
Abell is before Howe's committee. He 'es-
tifigd he did not see Littlefsd alter the Yer
non parish returns, bnt Litilefeld told him OF
ii.
The commission ia in private session.
ABATTLE yVETH THE INDIANS.
The savaEFs BADLY Defeated by Gemerai
MiIes-The Battlefield Covered with
Traces of Blood.
NEW YORK, Feb. Ga dispatch dated
Tongue River, III. r., January 10, says
Gen. Miles has bad another severe fight
with the Indians, and has gained an
. other victory over them. The Indians
consisted Of bands Of Cheyennes and
Ogalalia Sioux, under Cream Horse,
and numbered between six hundred and
} eight hundred lodges.
Gen. Miles com mand left this post on
the 9th Of Decent Der, and proceeded up
Tongue River. His command consisted
Of five companies OF the fifth infantry
| and two companies Of the twenty second
, infantry, and numbered about three
hundred fighting men. Through lack
Of transportation Gen. Miles Was com
PEELED to employ Montana Ok teams
, that happened TO be at this post TO
t transport his supplies.
This train he sent out three days in
advance Of the departure Of The mAin
l command, under charge OF Major
| Decker, with two companies Of the 22l
[ Infantry aud one OF the 9Th Infantry
: After oyertaking the train with the
balance Of the command, Gen, Miles
abandoned tho wagons and drove his
s oxen in order to have them at hand to
a assist in pulling his train up steep hills
and through deep canyons.
At the time Of leaving this post there
= was O. heavy snow on the ground, and
: heavy storms, with intensely cold
weather, obtained during the whole
DSIBJu VI WIZ IApSdlbAOhs HS bitNFS
ment Of troops was necessarily tedious,
: and the haTdships they endured were
very great.
sixty miles up Tongue River, discovered
signs of q recent Indian eucampment
and pushing On struck their full force
Y on the 7th inst. On the evening OF that
, day quite heavy skirmish took place
, and on the 9Th, the Indians to the mum
1 Der Of one thousand warriors, we'll arm
ed and plentifully supplied with ammu'
Gen. Miles attacked them, however
with his little command and succeeded
Ia gaining q decisive victory. The loss
- Of the Indians is hard to estimate, but
I | is known to have been great. Ihe bat.
tleheld was covered with traces OF blood
The Indians fought with great de3per-
alton. The battle was contested on very
, rough and broken ground, where ii
would have been impossible for cavalry
| to ride.
The Indians were entirely on foot
and charged the troops repeatedly,
1 Our officers and men displayed the
= poured deadly Volleys into the ranks ol
the hostiles.
For more than FIVE hours tho fight
ragged as terribly as ever was Witnessed
= On battle field. 4 heavy snow storm
prevailed during q portion OF the light,
Miles loss was tour killed and six
= wounded.
Gen. Miles pursued the Indians into
| Wolf Mountains rs far AS his limited
supplies would permit. The command
has returned to this post, in good condl-
ton, considering the terrible hardships
1t has ensured.