Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-02-07
Louisiana,


vote, yesterday morning, recalled Gov. Wells.
The crossexamination was conducted by MIR.
Field, who asked the witness whether just be-
fore he left New Orleans he had discussion
with i. j. Barrett, member Of the Packard
Legislature, about the action OF the returning
board, aud be replied he had not.
@. Was anything said by him as to having
an Interview with Gov. Nichols? A. Yes.
@. Did you say in the course of your couver-
satlon with MIR. Barrett that you had deter
mined TO make statement to Gov. Nichols.
A. 1t is q most infamous lie.
Q. Do you mean to say the question is an
infamous lie? A. | say the substance OF the
question is lie.
Q. Ifyou would answer my question ID the
way witness should answer it would be better.
4. | will not ask your advice as to how shall
answer question.
The Chairman. You must answer 10 response
to the question. This is not place for per-
sonal explanations.
Witness. | can defend myself elsewhere:
O. Did you state that you had determined
to make statement to Gov NlchosI "A.
No, sir.
@. Did you say anything about the nterVon-
ton of MIR. j. p. Kennedy? a. l did not.
sir. Mr.. Barrett had asked me whether l
would have an interview with Gov. Nichols.
| replied that | would, as Gov. Nichols was =
gentleman. Mr.. Barrett made an explanation
10 the Legislature reiutiug the false charges
against me.
The witness 10 further response to questions
said be also had conversation with j. L. Ken
ncdy about an interview with Gov. Nichols.
Kennedy opened the conversation, and asked
him whether he had any objections to an inter
view with Gov. Nichols, and he replied 10
language similar to that 10 his conversation
with Barrett. Kennedy suggested the inter
view with Gov. Nichols about State matters;
| Both Barrett and Kennedy We're his political
friends.
0. Did you not state that you would make q
clean breast Of it? A. 1t is a most Infamous
lie.
.. Do you mean to say that you never said
| TO anybody you conversed with that you IN.
tended to make a clean breast OF It? A. l.
| said nothing OF the kind
@. What was there 10 State affairs about
which you wished to have an Interview with
| Gov. Nichols? A. [ do DOT know what Gov.
Nichols desired, therefore l cannot say. Had
| remained 10 New Orleans [ would have had
! the proposed interview with Gov. Nichols.
MIR. Field read letter dated New Orleans,
Jan. II, 1877. and signed by Gov. Wells, as
| follows: II am quite unWell, too much so to
| Gil our engagement to day; will inform you to-
| morrow relative to its iul6llment
! Witness said he wrote that note, aud that
MIR. Kennedy was to have been present at the
proposed interview with Gov. Nichols.
The witness was asked whether be did not
an hour after he wrote the above note send in-
other marked confidential" as follows:
Dear Sir-After our friend Barrett had left
our room there was placed 10 my hands mat
ters requiring my absence from New Orleans.
The witness said he expected to be back 10
| a few days, and then related that he had been
summoned to Washington.
| Mr.. Field asked question requiring expla'
| nation of the manner Of proceeding to canvass
the vote 10 Louisiana The witness said that
90 Saturday be had sent note to the commit.
| tee asking to be heard only with reference to
Maddox and Vernon parish, and be did not in
tend to throw away his rights as an Amercau
citiZeD and be forced to answer questions on
other subjects. He desired to answer no other
questions whatever until the House should re.
lie7e him from the charge of contempt of its
authority. When thus relieved he would feel
| free to answer.
The chairman reminded the witness that he
| was subponaed to appear here and was ex.
pected to tell the whole truth. but he declined
now to answer, and if he persisted 10 doing so
| the witness again placed himself in contempt,
and such would be the opinion Of the commit
tee and of the public at large.
Mr.. Lawrence agreed with Mr.. Seelye and
| the chairman that the witness should answer.
| Mr.. Field asked the witness several questions,
among them the following, namely 10 cau-
| wasting the vote of NatchitocheS were any lr-
| regularitcs discovered? Did the returning
| board deliberately add 535 votes to five OF the
HAYES electors which had not been cast for
| Hayes? Did you not add 574 to the votes cast
| for Hayes 10 the parish Of Concordia ? These
questions the witness severally refused to an
sWer, The witness also declined to answer the
question whether 1900 votes had not been
thrown off from the Tiden electors in the par.
ish of Orleans.
Q. Were there any forged at1idavits before
the returning board? A. | decline to answer.
Q. Did you advise that forged afidavits be
prepared ? A. I decline to answer.
@. Did you not direct that forged a1idavts
be prepared 10 the Vernon parish case? a.
did not advise the preparation OF any forged
affdavits whatever.
Other questions were propouoded, but with
like unsatisfactory result
Mr.. Field called attention OF WltDeSS 10 the
note which he addressed TO Mr.. Maddox on
the Goth of November, as follows You fuI-
ly understand the situation. Cannot you adj
wise with me relative thereto % MIR. Field
asked the witness why be wrote this note to
MIR. Maddox, when be replied that it was TO-
tended to be shown to the President and other
republican friends, and in order that Mr.. Mad.
dcx might have an entree to such friends 10
order to cxplaio the political condition 10
Louisiana, Mr.. Maddox being public officer
and having been sent to Louisiana for that
purpose The witness had also seut by MIR.
Maddox letter to tho President on the same
subject, drawing his attention to the fact of the
cxaspcrated condition of the people Of that
State so that he might be prepared to arrest
any movement initiating against the returning
board, and to prevent destruction Of pa
pers, etc.
By Mr.. Field-You have stated that you
never altered return or destroyed a paper
A. | decline to answer the question. Witness