The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-12
WashiugtOTr Notes.


TIE CLERK OF THE LOUISIANA RETURNING
BOARD TELLS HOW THE DEMOCRATIC MA
JORTTY WAS ERASED.
WASHINGTON, February l0.-Beiore the
Privileges and Powers Committee John f.
Mulherin testified that he was clerk OF the
Louisiana Returning Board. Some afida-
Wits were made by the clerks OF the Board
in the compiling-room. Can't say what
names were signed 90 the afhdavits. Most
any kind Of names were used. On Decem-
Der I'd saw in the hands OF Nlr. Llttleheld
and Major Eaton slips Of paper containing
the total of the electoral vote. On these
the Democratic majority was about four
thousand. These slips were furnished to
outside parties. Saw afterwards that
figures had been changed. Saw Wells
in q conversation with Litleticld in
Abell's room Saturday, December I'd.
Could not hear what they said. Monday,
December 4th, saw them again in CONVEX
sation in the clerks room. The converSa-
ton was in q low tone. Saw Littletield
take q paper from his desk, take it to
standing-desk, and get an eraser and make
some erasureS. This was about quarter
of an hour after Wells convcrsed with Lit
tIefeld. Up to q week before December
nobody but the members OF the Board or
the clerks OF the Board had access to the
rooms; after that the candidates for Con-
gress and Governor Packard were admit
ted. After that changes were made
on the statements OF the electoral
votes by order OF Judge Davis. Witness
saw the tabuated returns Of Vernon parish
previous to December I'd. On December
18th Littlefeld told witness he had fixed
Vernon parish, but did not say which way
or how lie had fixed it. Witness made up
some OF the affidavits himself, and signed
names and cross-marks to them. Did so by
direction of Judge Littlefeld [witness
direction to other clerks in the room.
Did not know what these affidya-
Wits were to be used for. Saw
no jurat to them. Saw Governor Wells
and General Anderson look at slips made by
Littlcfield, and Littefield told witness he
had sent the slips to Packard and George
| L. Smith. Saw some Of the clerks make
alterations on the consolidated statements
from different parishes.
| Do you know what clerks made these
alterations?
| don't want to know.
Who did it?
I changed one myself. | made these a.
| terations with ink.
| What were the contents or the afhdaflts
made up by the clerks.
They purported to give accounts OF rio-
lence and intimidation at the polls.
Witness stated that alterations were made
| in the supervisors returns, and from these
the final compilations were made.
VARIOUS ITEMS.
Rear-Admiral Bailey is dead; aged seven
ty-iour years.
Hon. Alexander II. Stephens has suffered
from an attack Of pneumonia, followed by
acute bronchitis. He is rapidly improving.
This statement is made to allay the anxiety
OF his friends caused by false reports Of bis
condition. Ralph Walsh, II. D., is his at
tending physician.
There was full Committee on Privileges
and Elections Of the Senate to-day, and they
considered Senator Howe's resolution and
bill in the Senate to summon some forty
bankers, merchants, clergymen, and law
yers OF Louisiana, who had signed memo
rial. It was, after hot debate, decided not
to issue the SMbpGndS.
The committee decided to report Conrad
n. Jourdan, cashier OF the Third National
Bank OF New York, to the Senate Us in con.
tempt for refusing to produce his books to
show the accounts Of Samuel j. Tilden, W.
T. Pelton, and Abraham S. Hewitt.