Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-02-01
]. MADISON WELLS.
He Il InteryfeWed by q New York
Herald correspondents.

He IL Interviewed by q New Y0rl
Herald Correspondent.
New YoRK, Februaryl.-The Herald
Washington correspondent gives the fol
lowing report Of an interview with ]
Madison Wells, of the Louisiana return
ing board, in relation to the evidence
given yesterday before the house com
mittee. He says:
Wells, who is confined in the capitol
was interviewed by the Herald CORE
spoudent, who asked.
DO you know John I, Pickett, who
has been telling a startling story OF your
u don't know John T., Pickett, and do
not remember ever to have heard that
name before"
DO you know ]. Il. Maddox
Yes, very WE'LL l have known him
since the days Of the Mexican war, that
is since 1876"
A copy of the letter reading as fol-
lows: You fully understand the situa.
ton, can't you advise with mNiin rela-
ton thereto" was then read to the prise.
ner. Mr.. Wells said II wrote such o
letter to Maddox, but not in connection
with the subject you have mentioned.
The story as it has been repeated TO me
is an infamous lie, and bsseless as il
malicious. | am anxious to be heard in
defense, or at least to tell my story, aud
when the time comes perhaps [ may be
able to tell more than would be agreeable
to my prosecutors. You say | was to sell
out Tor $1,000, 900. What n%onsensel
Sl,OOO,O 900 No, not for $40, 100000
would batray my party. This, sir, is a
matter of principle and | can only ex-
plain this series of damnable lies as
part of a conspiracy to iujurs me.
Witnesses we're brought four hundred
miles to malign my character"
This put Governor Wells in a conf.
Dental humor, and with : broad grin he
explained that if be had been in the sell
ing out business his friend Maddox was
not the man to whom he should have
cOu6ded the plan. As for Pickett, he is
q myth as far as he knew.
DO you know what LittleGeld has
testified to q
Yes, l have heard the outline Of his
evidence. 1t is a part and parcel of a
job to bring the returning board into
disgrace. 1t is a trick to ipjure our rep
utation before congress and the people
of the country, but it will fail; know it
will. There is to be an exposure on the
other side Of the question in a few days
that will set many matters not now un-
derstood in their right light. The Dem
ocrats seem to forget that there are two
sides to this controversy, and that it will
be made to appear that Governor Hayes
can be quite as warmly defended by his
friends as Tilden's friends have been
jealous 10 their efforts to prejudice the
Republican vote Of Louisiana. Wells
said that ha had not made, nor did be
inteld TO make any application for a
writ Of habsas corpus. Such a step
could not be taken without his
consent. 1t was his purpose to
rem lin quietly in the bas,ls until TIA
4th Of March, when he supposed he would
be certified to courtsnd released on bail
He would not now state what would be
the tenor of his statement before the
c)mmittee His contempt was thus far
c,n6ned to his refusal to deliver up pa.
perI before the returning board. Per.
haps this would exclude him from the
privilege Of making any statement before
the house COMMITTEES. There was, how
ever, another committee in the senate,
and it might be that he would be u
mope1 to appear as a witness before the
senate committee. At all events, be
could afford to patiently wal. until the
time came to refute the parcel Of ina
mos lies which had been told about
H. fH