Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1877-02-13

his task before he drove the rough old
man into a corner.
1t is doubtful whether in all the long
and varied experience Of Mr.. Field
that he ever had tougher CON test
than that which for nearly four hours
was waged between him and Wells
this afternoon. Cool and wary as is
Mr.. Field, he was in imminent dan
ger several times of losing his tenn
per, while on three several occasions
Wells lashed himself into such a rage
that he almost sprang from his chair,
and it was expected that he would at
tempt a physical demonstration on
Mr.. Field. He pounded the table with
his fist, he refused to answer, he inter-
jeCted replies and comments into the
midst of Mr.. Fields interrogatories,
he sneered at him as New York poll
tician, intimated in the plainest terms
that he was no gentleman, and behav-
ed generally in such a manner that
had it been in court Of justice he
would have been summarily punished
on the spot. At every opportunity he
rung in the old cries of murder and
intimidation, and mob violence. His
sublime audacity was exhibited in the
most striking manner twice in success
sion, when, after replying in the most
lnsolent manner to questions put by
Mr.. Field, he turned in the most innO-
cent style to the chairman of the COM
mittGe and asked to be protected
Hour after hour Mr.. Field endeavpred
to pin him down to the point, but
never did trout at the end of line
dart hiLher and thither in more in
comprehensive angles and tangents
than did Wells in winding devious
ways to evade the questions he did not
wish to answer.
Finally the patience of Mr.. Field
was exhausted, and he in turn appeal
ed to the chairman of the committee,
who then administered a stern repri-
mand to Wells. After this he calmed
down little, and COndescended to at
tempt an explanation of the letter
written by him to Senator West. AS
will appear in the regular report the
explanation which he youchsafed was
Of the lamest character, and can find
no intelligent believers. Toward. the
latter part of the examination Mr..
Field succeeded in landing his trout
beautifully. Wells said that the Origi-
nal returns showed q majority for
Hayes. He admitted that some ten
thousand TiIden votes had been
thrown out, and that the Hayes ma
jority returned by the board was about
$500. This was the moment of Mr..
Fields triumph, and he was SO over
jOyed 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 that the majority returned by
you for Hayes was only $500 Wells
pOndered over this for awhile, and af.
ter discovering that there was no sys-
tenn Of arithmetic by which he could
reconcile such statements, he reluct-
antly said he had been misunderst TODD,
and that Tilden had majority on the
face of the returns.
During the entire period of Wells
examination his quomdam friend,
Maddox, stood by Mr.. Field and eyed
him closely, but Wells was not seen
once to return his glance. The viii
famous adventures who have fatten-
ed for ten years on the very life-blOod
of the people of Louisiana have GER
tainly been very fortunate in having
the active assistance of such a man as
Wells in executing their dark de-
signs. Looking at him this afternoon
as he sat in his sullen defiance one
could not but be reminded Of Gen.
Sheridan's description of him, and
see in the minds eye the Shiny trail
of the SCI pent.
When Mr.. Wells came here in the
custody of the Sergear t-at-arms of the
House he brought in his trunk several
pistols and one of the historic deadly
Thug knives. This afternoon when
he went to the committee room he Sc
creted on his person a revolver and
carried in his hand his riiie-cane, and
1t is believed that lie also had on his
person the Thug knife. This was not
suspected until the threatening de-
mOnistrations made by Mr.. Wells,
when Mr.. Field finally succeeded in
bringing him to bay. 1t is said that
Mr. Wells has slain three men in the
course of his life, two of whom Were
colored men. 1t il not difficult 10
conceive that man capable of IT."
crimes which he has cOmmitte |
against the State would have no hest
tation IN adding murder to his other
enormlties.