Mexico weekly ledger., 1877-02-15
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATIONS.

j. MADDOX again appeared before the
House Committee on Privileges, on the LIST, and
testified at length regarding his negotiations
with President Wells of the Louisiana Returning
Board. His evidence was mainly ccrroborative
of that OF Pickett given on the previous day.
Maddox testified that Wells asked him to go to
Washington, see influential men, and endeavOr
to get some money-One million dollars he thought
would be about right. Wells said he would ike
to serve his party, but the risk was very great
and he would not undertake it unless paid for 1T.
The majority was too heavy for him TO handle,
and he did not know where to commence 10
throw out. Witness went to Washington,
saw Secretary Cameron. and told him that Wells
wanted money. The Secretary declined to have
any thing to do with the matter of money. This
negotiation having fi ed, witness returned to
New Orleans, and Gov. Wells then suggested
that they endeavor to make some arrangements
with the Democrats. On examination,
witness said that Gov. Wells never asked him to
see Col. Pickett or any other Democrats; what
he did was on his own motion or the joint motion
of Wells and himself. Q.-Was there any ar
rangement between you and Col. Pickett as TO
how much money you were each to get: Al
did not know how much L was to get; that de-
pended upon circumstances; Col. Pickett said he
did not care about II except for charitable pur-
poses.
General Anderson, Of the Louisiana Re-
turning Board, testified on the % before the
House Committee on Privileges, that to his
knowledge there was no change made in the fig
ures of Vernon Parish as sworn to by Littlefield;
he was not present, however, Wnen the returns
from that parish were passed upon; did not
know of the destruction of returns from
any parish; never had any conversation with
Maddox regarding a proposition to sell out the
vote of the State; nor with Wells, nor
did he know of any negotiations for
that purpose. Q.-Was there any proposition
made by any one in relation to the use of money
to affect the declaration of the result? Ayes;
Pr. W. A Robinson, Democratic State senator,
came to my room at IL O'Clock at night on the
Path or 25th of November and said to me, there
was an opportunity to make d good thing, and
that | would get $500, 900 If l would insure the
State for the Democrats. l replied, that was a
subject | did not wish to entertain. lie asked
me To think it over. Ireplied thatit would be use
lcssfo me to do so, and before he left the room
he eXacted a promise to meet him at the St.
charles Hotel at = the next evening. | romise
to meet him to get rid of him. | did not meet
him. He came to the Board and called me out.
inquiring why | did not meet him. L said l had
forgotten, when he replied that it was too i'm
porIant for me TO forget. / said TO him, ~ do
not want to converse any further with you on the
subject. II You wish to retain my friendship,
you will never ag lin mention the matter"
j. H. Maddox was again before the House
Committee on Privileges on the Sd, and pro-
Guced the two letters heretofore mentioned in
his testimony. They are as follows:
NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 90, IS76.-To Mr.. j. II.
MADDOX, New Orleans: DEAR
standing the political condition OF matters from
friend of the President anu as q Government
officer, would it not be considered part of your
duty to go at once to Washington with as little
delay as possible and place before the President
the condition and pending dangers ST the situa-
tom: Should you conclude upon prompt action
in the premises, allow me TO commend you TO
Senator West, who is my friend, and with whom
you will freely communicate.
Yours very truly, j. MADISON WELLS
NEW ORLEANS. La, Nov. 81, 1o76.-MYD DEAR
SENAToR-l regret much not seeing you when
here. l wanted to say much to you which would
be at least imprudent to put upon paper. |
trust, however, to meet you IN Washington as
soon as the canvass is over which Is upon us.
Our duties as returning officers have augmented
the magnitude of the destiny of the two great
parties-may | not say the nation: | fully
comprehend the situation as well as my
duty to the greatest living General, u. ;. Grant,
and not with my consent shall this oppressed
people be governed by his parOled prisoners,
aided by their white-livered towards OF the
North. Let me, my esteemed sir, warn you of
the dagger, Millions have been sent here and
will be used in the interest of Tilden,
and, unless there is some counter-movement
1t will be impossible for me or any one Indlvid-
ual o arrest Its productive results. The gem
tleman presenting this letter Is fully aware of the
moves, ami if you allow will communicate tree
ly to our friends and act promptly, or results
VIII tie disastrous. y hint TO the wise. Strictly
private and confidential.
To Hon. j. r. WEST, WashIngton. D.
During the reading of the first letter, Senator
W est entered the room, and at the request of
Mr.. Field he opened the letter addressed to- him
and read It's contents as above given. The Com
mlttee then went into private session.
Investigation of the conduct Of the late
election in Mississippi was continued before the
Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections,
on the Sd. j. I. leicester. President of the
Hines County Board of Registers, testified that
there was a conference of leading Democrats of
Hines County II short time before the election, at
which 1t was proposed 20 furnish one OF the Dem
oCratic Judges of Election at each polling place
with a duplicate key to the ballot-box. Witness
furnished about 10 of these duplicate keys to diff
1erent men, all OF whom were white men. and. he
thinks. Democrats. He slipped a small parcel
into the vest pocket OF one of the Judges. re-
marking as he did SO: ''Here is something
which may be of use to you." Did not tell them
what use " as to be made Of them. but thought
were all smart enough to find out how and
for what ts use them. In auswer to a question
from Senator Teller, the witness said: Il sup |
pose my idea was that if there were too many
Republican votes in q ballot box, the key was to
open the box, that the Republican votes might
be taken out and Democratic votes substituted
in their stead" The witness admitted that the
Republican Judges of Election in Hines ,ounty
were generally igr GRANT negroes, and it was
toxicated on election day. He admitted
further that duplicate eallOt-boxes were
cry polling precinct in the county. Henry Out
law, of Aberdeen, Monroe County, testified that
all meetings which colOred Republicans attempt
ed to hold in his county, during the late cam
were broken up by armed Democrats;
the witness was at a meeting in Aberdeen dur
ing september; at that meeting II cOtsrad men
"CIC EuObs sOulc vi tltEu kilIeO OutTlSnb, ana
others were so seriously wounded they have
since died; Democrats had a practice of riding
through Monroe County at night, taking
colored men from their beds and whipping them, |
and many of his race had slept out of doors for
several nights previous to the late election, to
prevent being dragged from their homes and
whipped; the witness was wounded n the shoul-
der, by a bullet. at a political meeting in Sep
TENDER last. Upon taking the witness stand,
asked to be excused from testifying. |
He said he should not dare return home if he
told the whole truth.
The cross-examination Of Gov. J. Mad
ison Wells was continued at length by Mr.. Field,
Of the House Committee on Privileges. on the
5th. Witness still declined to answer many
questions asked him regarding the action of the
Board, but made a general answer
no votes were rejected exceptin accordance
With the law.
Messrs. Wells and Casanave, of the Lou
Returning Board, testified before the
House Committee on Privileges on the 5th. Gov.
Wells was examined by MIR. Lawrence and tes-
ifed that Maddox, with whom he had a slight
acquaintance. came to New Orleans, |
md called upon HIM Nov. Is, repre-. enting that
le was an agent of The Government, and he had
,apn sent down there 70 look after the DOtiticaI