The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-02-05
The Louisiana InyegtigatIon,

AAONo pTchulnk.
LITTLEFtELD AGAIN ON THE STAND.
, The examination Of ]. +. LiuleGOI
was continued, and he testified that h
. waatventy.six years old; had been In Ne,
Orleans since 1868; was on the Allianc
t steamship line as purser for two se,
sons; afterwards went to Galveston in III
, ice business; went back to New Orleau
In 1871, but was not engaged in bushes
lor six or eight months afterwards, hi
} headquarters at that time being at Smear
, ing's livery stables; succeeded In Vettin
} on the roll Of the custom house with s.;
per month salary, never did any work
was on the rolls for five or six months
working for the party, doing nothing, lik
the rest OF them; always made SpeaFipe'
house his home; staid in the front Q
the stable; helped him little, but paid
nothing for his board; was in the custom
house until the election Of 1872, fre
quented bar rooms, &C., but did mo-
spend the greater portion Of his tim,
there; after the election '72 was appointed
clerk Of the Returning Board through
Col. johnson, who had had him appoint.
ed in the custom house; shortly after.
wards served as Secretary Of the Board
until the adjournment Of the Retunni M
Board, about two weeks; was then ap
pointed a hay inspector by Governor
Kellogg; served as such until the fall OF
70, about two years and half; had nc
other occupation until he went on the
Board, on the 9th Of November; spent
most Of the time at Spearing's stables,
had gambled in his life, but very little in
the last year or two; kept House during
the past year with lady, but objected to
giving her name; she was an old acquaint.
ance; witness hired the house in which
they lived; paid 81 or S. per month rent;
had saved some hundreds OF dollars when
he left office; had considerable iewelry;
the relation with the lady had now ceased
when he left New Orleans; she was not
married; she had friends in New Orleans;
witness passed for her husband; she bore
his name, and vas always recognized as
his vile; had two children by her;
one was dead; the first one was borne
in ~; witness had lived with the lady
for five years; they lived lately
on Chestnut street, in the 9th district,
kept house three years in the 9Th district;
served on the Returning Board from the
9th OF November to the 23d OF December
last; Gov. Wells made the suggestion to
him OF altering the returns on Sunday
evening, December Sd; dined with the
Returning Board that same evening: had
at the time no special charge Of the Yer.
non returns; three clerks were in the
room when Gov. Wells made the sugges.
tiOn; but did not think that they heard
the conversation; Gov. Wells called wit
ness TO him, and putting his finger on
polls two and nine Of the electoral vote
OF Vernon parish, said: "Littlefeld, 1
want you to transpose the returns" Wit
ness made no answer, and the returns
were LETT with him; sat at that same desk
and transposed the votes, but did not
complete the work that night, but got
through with the electoral, State, and
part Of the parochial returns; left the re.
turns under some paper and found them
there the next morning; told Eaton and
Davis Of his work; Eaton was drunk
Sunday evening, as they all were, and
promised 10 assist him, but being sober
the next morning refused; then told
Woodward OF his work; finished the work
on Monday; put the return with the 9TH
ere the return was brought back ON
Tuesday marked Compiled" four or five
days afterwards Gov. Wells told witness
to destroy il; madd no reply; had con-
versed with Gov. Wells between the suv-
gestion to alter and the orderto DESTROY:
Gov. Wells was going to take the true
return away with him, but did not, at
witness suggestion; did not know wheth.
er or Gov. Wells destroyed the return,
After Wells had been before n Congress.
sional committee witness had talk with
him, and he said he was worried, because
he had been questioned about the Vernon
return; said the matter ought to he fixed, /,
and suggested to Davis to make a COPY
OF that return, and said he would have
them rejected, and would furnish
the evidence on which they should
be rejected, himself. Davis wanted
witness to assist him in making
up this simulated return. We made
this return purporting to be the original
return. The false return I might have
shown to Davis. Wells asked us If we
had found those three polh. All the
conversations were in the clerks Office.
Don't know whether, the returns we fab.
ricated were signed. He asked us to find
three polls that would make up the re.
turns which had been DESTROYED from
Vernon parish. This having been done,
Davis asked Wells to furnish his evil
dence on which to throw them out.
Wells asked US If we had selected the
three polls. We said yes. Davis asked
him how soon his evidence would be in
to throw them out on. He said in u day
or two, and took memorandum Of the
matter and went of. Davis placed the
forged return among the other returns.
Mr.. Davis, Mccormick, Eaton and Wood
ward never had any acquaintance with
Wells previous to going on that board.
Witness don't remember that he has ever
Conversed with any one aboutthis matter
except speariug, Eaton and Mr.. Collins.
Mr.. Collins belongs somewhere in the
West. Witness has known him some
years. He lived in Louisiana sometime,
He is m extensive land owner.
Thinks the conversation with Collins was
in Spearings stable. ACollins is abont G5
years old. Collins said witness ought to
bring the facts about the Vernon parish
iorgeries to light for the sake Of Spear
ing, who favored the Nichols govern.
ment. Spearing complained Of the Re.
publican government; said'he had never
been paid anything by any Republican,
and had suffered pecuniarily through Re.
publican rule, and he thought better
state Of things would come from change
in which Nichols should be made Gov.
ernor. When witness first took this Yer
non return, he carried it home and forgot
all about 1t till it dropped ont OF his
pocket day or two after in putting on
his coat at his home. This was in the
morning. Put it in n drawer OF the
wardrobe. 1t remained there till the
morning OF ths day witness left the CITY
ofNew Orleans. When witness first told
Spearing about the Vernon return il was
in the presence Of Clifford, and the latter
thought il was a big thing, and wanted
witness to come to Washington with
him, where he could get 100000
for the information. Witness replied he
would have nothing to do with such a
proposition. Clifford replied something
about either having telegraphed to WASH.
ington or his purpose to do 80 in conse.
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