Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-02-07

The WitDess-l will freely whenever renewed
of the disability imposed by the House, Which
holds me in duress.
Mr.. Lawrence asked the witness whether he
declined to answer because he feared he NJ ght
render himself liable 10 criminal prosecution.
Witness replied he did not.
Mr.. Field-Wil you explain what position
you occupy?
The witncss-Am | . vassal or peer?
The Chairman-That has nothing to DO With
your position. You arc under obligation to
answer every question, excepting, or course
such as might tend to crlmlnate you.
Winess-I reserve to myself the construc'
ton of my rights, and the committee have no
power to force me 10 answer questions Whllc L
am under sentence OF the House
Mr.. FieId-You rejected 10000 votes and
upwards; were they rejected Tor any cause other
than alleged Intimidation
Witness-L decline to answer.
@, Did YOU not know tho rejection ci ten
thousand votes was part of conspiracy to
rive the electoral vote TO the party not entitled
70 il? \, | leave that for yourself TO answer
O. Did you take part 10 any such conspiracy (
A, Does that conclude your question
The Chairman-Oh, answer the question or
not. :,
Mr. Tucker-Wc will take vote to see II
such conduct on the part of the witness should
be tolerated in tho committee.
The Chairman-The question is whether the
committee will require witness to answer.
MIR, Tucker-Thc sentence OF reprobatlon
should be put on the witness for not answer
Jog.
The HtncsS-Ihen | am VasSa!?
The Charmau-keep order, sir.
MIR. Seeye remarked it was unanimously de-
cidcd this morning. so far as the authority OF
the committee went, that the witness should
| answer the questions.
Messrs. Lawrence and Burchard concurred
| with Prof. Seeyc.
MIR. Field to the Chairman-ls il not case
| of contempt and misdemeanor under the laws
| of the District Of Columbia for a witness to re-
| fuse to answer questions propouuded by com
nlttee ?
! The Chairmau-lt is.
The witness-You cannot deter me.
The Chairman-Yo Gu will be accommodated.
The Wituess-I am willing to be accomno-
dated.
Mr.. Field-Ihe witness Is contumasiou5 in
| the highest degree.
Mr.. Field then exhibited to witness stale
| ment showing the number OF votes rejected 10
the several parishes, attested by Chas. 5. Abel,
secretary OF the returning board.
Objection vas made to the paper.
The question being taken the objection was
oYerrulcd by strict party vote. The stale
| mcnt showed tina! the board rejected 1863
kellogg and 10, $50 NlcEnery electoral votes.
Another paper was exhibited to witness also
| attcsted by Mr.. Abel showing the supervisors
| Of registration returned 1911 Kellogg and
| SO,5l5 McEnery electoral votes; also the certl
| fcate of the returning board certifying to the
| election Of the Kellogg electors and that they
| received 1915 votes, and that the McEoery
electors received 0,50O votes.
MIR. Lawrence asked witness whether, 1t the
| return from Vernon parish, as carried With the
tabuIated statement, was different from the
original returns, it was donc with his kuowl
edge ur appreciation
The witness replied it was not nor had he
| knowledge it was done with the appreciation OF
auy other member Of the board; aud he also
denied the truth of Littleleld's statement that
| be directed the returns to be altered SO as to
elect Hunter and Andrews judge aud district
| attorney. They we're his personal, but not Pc
ltica friends.
Mr.. Field intcrrogatel Witness about tho pa
pcrs the former had exhibited, but the witness
declined to answer.
O. Because you arc under durcs9 are you rln-
willlng to tell the truth?
Witness. | AIN Dcver unwilling to tell the
truth.
Q. Then why do you not answer?
The witness. When the contempt is remoy-
ed will answer, but not till then.
q. You we're asked just now whether you
threw out votes lor reasons which were found
ed on evidence satisfactory TO yourself. Will
you answer? y. That embraces the whole
question, and therefore decline
Z. VIII you answer y. tell you | de-
cline.
@. Are you not willing to testify whether
your board threw out 10000 and odd votes
honestly or dishonesty? y. am willing when
relieved from contempt OF the House.
9. Are you willing to do SO now? n. |
cauuot answer the question until released from
such contempt.
q. Are you now willing to answer the ques-
ton whether III throwing out 10000 aud odd
votes your board acted honestly or dishonesty
A. We acted in conformity with law.
G. 10 throwing out votes? A. We threw
them out for fraud intimidation, and violence
ct the polls
O. Were any throw out because of irreguIari-
ties? A. | think Grant parish was. excluded.
Q. Any except that ? \. think not.
g. Was there single objection 10 the votes
or the ground that they were not actually cast
A. None.
9. Then they must have been thrown out
on the ground of intimidation A. Men were
forced to vote contrary to their wishes.
Q. Had you any witnesses before your board
to p,ove that any particular voters were induced
to vote contrary to their wishes? A. 1t was
impossible to have oral testimony. The board
nd tol 10 t1,,bt hn,, hn falrn
by both parties.
Q. Did the voters themselves testify that
they voted under compulsion Was such evil
dcnce furnished to you? A. think SO.
Q. Will you say that proof was presented to
you that a hundred different voters had voted
under compuIsion contrary to their judgment?
n. do not know how many. l think there
was evidence Of the TACT. There may be 100
or 800 or more who said they were forced to
vote contrary to their wishes
10 further examination witness said 90 votes
we're rejected except 10 consequence of intiml-
dation, aud among other things Mr.. Field call
cd the attention Of the witness to the fact that