The Ottawa free trader., 1877-02-10
TIE LOUISIANA LEPROsY.


lleges OF the house, at Washington, referred
to in our last, has bsen continued during tie
week.
On Friiay, Maddox, the treasury agent
who had been sent by Wells to Washington
to sell out the returning board for million
of dollars, was rigidly cross-examlned by
Judge Lawrence, republican member of the
committee, but without any success in break.
ing HIM down.
Then Anderson, of the returning board,
wanted to be heard. He of course contra
dicted all Maddox said about the returning
board proposing to sell out, and oil Little
| fields evidence in regard to Vernon parish /;
but when Field came to cross.cxaminc him,
frequently contradicted himself, and finally
did admit that "a friend" had suggested to
him that money could be made by the board
IN selling out.
On Saturday Maddox was again brought
before the committee, apd this time was able
to produce both the letter Wells had given
him as an introduction to Senator West at
Washington, and the letter Wells gave him
to carry to West ia regard to the business
Maddox was sent upon. The salient point of
the latter is the suggestion Wells makes TO
West that millions of money was being sent
to Louisiana to be used in behalf OF securing
q returning board count for Tilden, and he
urges West to get up a Counter movement
in favor of Hayes, or "it will be impossible
for me Wells to prevent disastrous results"
With the explanation of Maddox that he was
sent to Washington to blackmail therepubli-
can leaders in behalf OF the returning board,
and to alarm them with the threat that other
wise they might sell out to the democrats, Of
course all this becomes plain as A BE.
On Monday Wells was allowed to appear
before the committee and "detend himself"
He was first examined by Lawrence, who of
course gave him full opportunity totell his
story In his own way, and by dint ofintrepid
swearing he licked the ugly statements of
Maddox and Littlefeld into a moderately
harmless looking shape. But he sooi got In
to desperately hot water when Mr.. Fisld COM
menced his ross.examination. Fled made
him swear over and over that, while lie could
not deny the tamperng with the Vernon par.
ish returns, he knew nothing whaever of
how 1t happened. In reference to ms letter
to West, he tried to interpret it as rsferring
entirely to Vests reelection to the senate
but v hen Field read it over to him 8ntence
by sentence, asking what each me,nt and
how that could refer to Vests reelection he
declined to answer and demanded theprc,ec-
ton of the committee, declaring, il great
rage. if it was not awarded he would protect
himself" meaning by offering violsnce to
Field.
Next day the cross-examination was con-
tinued, but Field insisted before he vas ad
mittel to the committeeroom Wells should
be searched and disarmed if he had any weap-
ons. In spite Of his indignant protest, the
search was made, and Wells was found TO
have in his pocket a pair of Derringer pistols
and long ugly knife resembling an Indians
scalping knife, and his cane was found TO be
a combination rifle, loaded and ready for
use. These were taken from him, and the
examination resumed. The most that Field
elected from him was an admission tha. owe,
10000 democratic votes had been thrown ou.
by the returning board, and the only ground
on which he pretended to justify the fraud
was the general one suggested by Bob llgerI
soil, that the innate cussedness of the demo1
Gratis of Louisiana was such that their wholel
vote ought to have been thrown out 4
On Wednesday the only witness of imporI
tance examined by the committee was Davis
another clerk of the returning board, wht
swore that when the original Vernon return
was discovered to be missing neither the sec
retary nor any member of the board raisei
an inquiry as to where II had gone, but Sec |
retary Abel simply and quietly ordered d.
Wis and Littlefield to take the informal daa
furnished by the secretary of state and make
a new return to complete the boards recoal
DAVIS also says the records show the formal
action Of the board in rejecting three PIE.
cincts Of Vernon parish while all four men.
bers of the board have sworn that no acti,n
beyond approving the consolidated
return as reported was taken. /