The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-02-09

by Wells. The first was'a letter to Maddox,
requesting him TO go to Washington ard
place before President Grant the pending
dangers of hestuaton." 1t was rs follows:
Nep Orleans November 90 1876 TO Mr..
j. ii Maddox, New Oreans-Dear Sir: I'M
derstending the political condition of matters
here from association with both political
parties and II friend of the President and Il
government office, would itnot he consider
ed part of your--to go at once To Wash
ington, with as little delay as possible, and
place before the President the condition and
the pending dangers of the situation Should
you conclude upon prompt action in the
premises allow me to commend you to Sena-
or West, who is my friend, ard with whom
you will freely communicate. Yours, very
truly, j. MADISON WELLS.
What were the pending dangers" which
were to be laid before the President? 1t
could not have referred to any danger from
mob violence, for none was apprchended.-
1t obviously meant that Tildcn had The most
votes, and if the Republicans wanted the
Slate, they must bestir themselves
The other letter was addressed TO C. 8.
Senator West of Louisiana, aud entrusted
to Maddox The latter says that on account
of the delicate nature of the contents of the
letter, he would not deliver il. Senator West
was sent for, and opening the letter, it was
placed before the committee. Here it is
Ncto Orleans, La, November 81, 1S7G-My
dear Senator: ! regret much not seeing you
when here / wanted to say much to YOU
| which it would be- at least, imprudelt to put
| | IN
in Washington as soon as The canvass is over,
which is upon us Our duties as returning
officers have augmented the magnitude of
the destiny of the two great parties, may
| | not say the nation. | fully cOm~rehend
| the situation as well as my duty TO the great
est living general, U. s Grant, and not with
my consent shall! this o pressed people be
governed by his paroled prisoners, aided by
their whle-livered towards of the North
Let me, my esteemed sil, warn you of the
danger. Millions have been sent here, and
will be used in the interest of Tilden. I'm
less there is some counter movement, it will
be impossible for me, or any other individ-
ual, to arrest its productive results. The
gentleman presenting this letter is fully aware
of the moves, and, if you allow, will COM
muncate freely to our friends, and act
promptly, or results will be disastrous A
hint TO the wise Strictly private and con.
fidential. Yours, very Truly,
j. MADISON WELLS.
To The Hon. j. r. West, Washington, d. c.
In this letter, ii will be perceived, Wells
speaks with scarcely disguise, and exposes
himself for sale az plainly as ever n handful
set forth public auction. 1t will be i'm
| possible to explain it away. 1t has been
identified as Wells handwriting and its
authenticity even is not denied by Fin.
Anderson, another member of the board,
swore that he knew nothing of the negotia
tons attempted by Wells; but asserted that
he had been approached by Democratic
State Senator, who offered to bride him with
5000, 600 10 influence his action in the board
The assault upon his virtue probably never
would have been known if the pending in.
vestigation had not brought it forth for in.
stead of Indignantly refusing the bride and
kicking the man who offered it out OF his
office, he gently told him that if he valued
his friendship lie would say no more about
it.
Senator Robertson denies that he used dis.
Anderson. Probably the latter did net want
TO appear too anxious, or was holding back
for larger sum
The Rrpublicansar are making strong efforts
to break the force Of the testimony by PROV
ing bad characters for Maddox, Pickett and
Littleffeld What is alleged against them
may all be true; fo1 the very fact of their
being the trusted agents of the returning
board in the plot to sell the.State, is Samag-
ing to their characters for honor or honesty
Their story is too strongly corroborated To
be doubted. 1t is as worthy of belief as in
any other case of a rogue turning States
evidence, Their guilt ought not to and will
not excuse Wells
Wells is the same man of whom Gen Phil
Sheridan wrote as follows:
"Isay now, unpquivocally, that Gov Wells
is a political trickstcr and II dishonest man
y \ His conduct has been as sinuous as the
mark LEFT in the dust by the movements of q
snake. I say again that he is dishonest, and
that dishonesty is more than can be expected
of me. y i" He has embarrassed me very
much since | came into command BY his sub
terfuge and political chicanery. > He
has not one friend w.:o is an honest man"
Wells himself, the central figure in the
drama which might be entitled Stealing n
State" was examined before the committee
on Monday. He wrthcd lik. II serpent
touched with h coal, under the searching
cross examination of MIR. Field. He denied
generally the damaging testimony of Mad.
dox, but his denial ard lame explanations
will have no weight against his letters, which
he acknowledged to have written His man,
ner was nsolent and threatening towards
Mr.. Field and lie was several times admon-
ished that he must conduct himself with more
propriety. So logged and watchful vas he
that Mr. Field almost found his match at last.
Wells held his own for a long while, by ses-
perate, downright lying, but was finally tip.
ped up and The nature Of his evidence expos.
| ed,
Wells said that the original returns showed
a majority for Hayes. He admitted that some
| ten thousand Tilden votes had been thrown
out, and that the Hayes majority returned
! by the board was about $500 This was
the moment of MI Fields triumph, and he
was so overjoyed that he rose up from his
seat. Said he, -" if Hayes had majority on
the original returns, and you threw out ten
thousand Tilden votes, how was it thet the
majority returned by you for Hayes was only
! 3.500?" Wells pnndercd over this awhile,
and after discovering that there was no sys-
TEN of arithmetic by which he could recon
cile such statements, lie reluctantly said he