The daily gazette., 1877-02-07
THIRD EDITION
-" Decline to Answer
THE ONLY REFUGE FOR PER
JURED WELLS FROM
FIELDS MERCILESS
QUESTIONING.
HIS CONTUMACIOUS BEHAVIOR
HEDESIRES INFORMATION
AS TO WHETHER HE is
A VASSAL OR A PEER.

WASHINGTON, February G.-Wells is
at bay. To a long series Of questions
which probe the quick of the Louisiana
infamy he had to-day the unvarying, I'm
failing reply that while in duress he de-
clined to answer, and refused further in
formation. Helpless as a child in David
Dudley Fields hands, tripping and slip
ping into every pit-hole of his cross-exam-
ination to avoid further discovery, he
takes refuge under the arrest whose shell
ter he left in vain effort to clear his
smirched character, and, with the curious
fatality of liars, he has lied where lying
was not needed. West yesterday travers-
ed Maddox's testimony with telegram
giving Wells's verbal denial otthat rowing
power of attorney under which he was
charged to sell the vote of sovereign
State.
This telegram was so sent-sent with
the consent of Wells and the privity Of
Maddox. The truth, to which Wells at
last required, would have been to his ben
eft. He lied instead. On some subjects
Wells still talks, and to day wore away in
a repetition of yesterday. Wells sits on
| OllC oldC vi IllC JdDlC3 uOuUlSu W q t1OOh-
ed Y in his chair, his head tent and his
knees drawn. The strain of one days
examination after another has cut and
furowed the deep parenthetical lines
that rim his lifeless mouth. He is over
seventy, born French subject in the
colonial days of his State, and his bristl-
ing hair is white on head and chin alike,
and both aggressive. He has killed three
| ,,l n o,,.e 81,
1.-The last left with knife-point between
his shoulders, driven clean through to its
hilt. Last night, in answer to message
from the Sergeant-at-Arms, Wells gave
up two derringers and the bowie-knife
three fingers broad he has been carrying,
with no murderous intent that any one
knows. Men ofWells's stamp in Wells's
State carry these things much as they do
their handkerchiefs, which last Wells oc-
casionally forgets. l".
Il And this crouched, restless writhing
figure, striking the floor with his cane,
: shifting the table with both clenched
: fists, his hand, when highly excited find
J ing its way back to some hidden and
/ empty pocket, sits opposite David Dud-
, ley Field, clean smooth-brushed to the
last vagrant and thinning lock, one hand
gently stroking with foor extended fin
gers white whisker, and the other hold
ing smooth and increased memoranda
from which fall the questions. CAN
! (pause) ''and this word'' "a pause
e '''millions," was figure Of speech"
: So it goes on all day. Maddox sits be-
e hind Field, supplying hints and ques-
g tions. Only once Wells has trusted
Q himself of the stand to allude to him
!: 'It's either one of us or the other wher
j / get OUT" said Wells. and Wells is prob
9 ably sincere and gifted with good
! memory in these matters. 1t is an open
= secret that the bottom of the matter has
! not heen reached. Further evidence is
! yet to come. The bargain was COM
r pletad and the Republican price for the
} electoral vote is said to have been $780,
i 900. To avoid discovery every nerve is
e being strained. No witness who had
g material testimony has escaped attack
l A report is current tonight that Green
2 and of the clerks of the Returning Board
has been spirited away. CharlesS. Abel
Secretary of the board, testified before
the Senate committee to-day that he
knew nothing of the frauds in Vernon
j Parish, and did not see the return;
: changed. His testimony was merely
: negative in character.