The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-10
by THE HOUSE COMMITTEE.

Judge Cavance, counsel for the Demo-
cratic party before the Louisiana Return
ing Board, testified to the House Com.
mittee to-day that some Of the ailidayits
dated November is we're received by
mail from DeSoto parish November 2j,
and he asked Abel, the clerk Of the
Board, when these atIidavits had been re-
ceived, and the clerk replied November
IS. a minute later witness saw Kenner
go 10 the clerk and whisper something,
and then the clerk made some changes on
the receipt book. Witness asked Abel
what he was doing and the latter
replied nothing. Witness then took the
receipt book and found that Abel had
changed the date OF the receipt from
the 18th to the 25Ih, and the aiEidavils
were all sworn TO before Wolf, clerk OF
the court, in New Orleans.
At the session to-day OF the House
Committee in connection with the EIec.
toral vote, Captain G. Irving Ditty, Of
Baltimore, testilied-The reputation Of
j. II. Maddox as TO truth and veracity
among the citizens OF Baltimore is not
good. Witness would not believe him
nnder oath. Maddox's reputation for
honesty is not very good either. Mr..
Lawrence offered to prove that Maddox
offered TO furnish Confederate regiment
with clothing from the North and that he
solicited contributions OF money and TO.
bacco, but never furnished the clothing,
and also that Maddox furnished the Con.
lederate government with supplies, but
witness states he had no personal. knowl-
edge OF the facts enumerated. The only
persons who could give proper testimony
on these points were Gen. Bradley J Johnson
and his Adjutant General, Booth. The
general rumor was that Maddox did not
furnish the clothing he had agreed TO
furnish. Witness saw Maddox in New
Orleans last November, and Maddox told
him he was in New Orleans ostenslbly as
n revenue agent, but that in reality he
was n confidential agent OF the President
Of the United States. That he was &C.
quainted with people in New Orleans,
who supposed him to be Democrat.
That he had received very valuable in
formation which would be OF great ser.
vice to the committee of which witness
was member, and requested an intro.
duction to Mr.. Garfield or Senator Sher.
man. Witness mentioned the matter to
Mr.. Sherman, who said Maddox was
probably not trustworthy. Witness went
to New Orleans, at the request Of the
President, to witness the count of the vote
by the Returning Board. Witness has
been Democrats all his life, but voted for
Hayes and Wheeler; was in the Conied.
crate army.
To Mr.. Sparks-While witness was in
New Orleans he attended a ouadroon bali
and danced there. He told his wife about
It, and none other Of the ladies' and gen.
tlemen. Hon. Lyman Trumbull was
there also and danced with the girls. Mr..
Sherman or Garfield were not there, but
number OF the gentlemen Of both visit.
ing committees were there.
An excited war OF words at this point
occurred between members Of the com.
mittee and the witness.
Mr.. Sparks having said that he believed
Judge Trumbull would designate the wit.
ncsses story as stuff.
Capt. Ditty, replied, angrily, that if the
Chairman meant to insinuate that his
witness statement was untrue, lie assum-
ed something which he had no right 10.
The witness continued that all parties
vent to the ball rs n mater Of curiosity,
THE committee laughed heartily at the
closing portion Of Captain Di,ly's cvi.
dence.
Samuel NJ. Shoemaker. manaoer Of
Adams Express Co., OF Baltimore, testi.
fed: He knows Maddox by sight; his
reputation for truth and veracity is bad;
witness would not believe him under
oath. Tnc transactions Of Maddox upon
which this opinion was bas based occilrr-
ed about seven years ago.
Ex.Gov. stearns, Of Florida was called
to the stand and replied to questions by
Judge Lawrence that he never received
or sent any telegram saying that we
lmeaning the Republicans) must have
Louisiana, Florida and South Carolina
by fair means or ioul. Never received
a telegram from anybody outside Of the
State requesting him TO send aouriers for
returns which must be made TO show
majority for Hayes. Witness stated that
he knew the operator De Berry, who pro.
tessed to him to be Republican.
Mr.. Field examined d Gov. Stearns with
reference TO the returns from Baker
county, and asked him whether bc was
not informed before giving the electoral
certificate that two OF the precincts in
that county we're iraudulently omitted by