The Van Buren press., 1877-02-06

WASHINGTON.
The Examination Of the Returning Board
Witnesses.
WASHINGTON Jan. 80.

Littlefield, clerk Of the Louisiana re-
turning board, testified before the Nor
rison house committee to day that on the
Sd of December he altered the original
returns from two Of the polls in Vernon
parish SO as t. transpose ITS democrat
ie votes over to the republican candida
tes that he did this BY the express di-
rection OF Gov. Wells, and that after
making copies of the altered original and
substituting them for the originals, the
latter were burned either by himself or
Gov. Wells, he did not remember which
but at all events with Gov. Wells knewl
edge.
Gen. Hurlbut, of Illinois, examined
Littlefeld, and after reading certain
things from page Of notes Of yester-
day, which witness is recorded as hav
ing then made, he asked him how it was
that his answers of yesterday and to-day
did not agree3 Witness said he did net
make answers yesterday rs claimed, but
he refused to answsr all the questions,
and he stated here, as he did at the be-
ginning of his direct examination. that
he made no such answers in his examina-
ton on yesterday.
The committee on powers, privileges
and duties OF the house in counting the
electoral vote, o-day recalled Louis NJ.
Kenner, of the Louisiana returning board.
who testified as to the vacancy in the
Louisi na returning board. DIR Kenne.
dy, who proposed to fill the place. was u
democrat, and man OF fair standing in
the community Wells and Anderson
were against Kennedy. Witness knew
Hayes was elected by throwing out vo-
tes. Votes we're thrown out because
there WIS evidence of intimidation
hanging, men driven from the polls, and
from their crops; and, therefore, the
board thought they were justified in do
ing so; we had some testimony that per.
sons voted the democratic ticket through
fear Witness thought there ere in,
stances in which affidavlts of intimida-
ton, etc, came in with returns.
j. A. Littlefield was recalled. His tes-
timony was, in substantial points, simi
lar to that previously given before Nor
rison's committee. He said that yester-
day when he appeared before the COM
mittec he had taken no legal advice, but
since that time he had a conference with
an attorney, who Informed him that he
could tell the whole truth, il he did so
under protest. Otherwise, he would
have to bear the burden Of suspicion OF
abstracting the original return Of Yer
non parish.
Mr.. Field asked the witness to look at
the paper marked "S,' and he answered,
after slight inspection, that it was the
same that was before the returning board.
Witness, in reply to questions, said that
be was requested by Gov Wells to take
the returns Of the two polls, taking the
votes from the democrats and giving
them to the republicans. In poll Two
aud Nine the number of votes thus trans
ferred was l78 The original figures
erased and those required written in their
place.
BY Mr. Field-What motive did Go"
Wells assign for this--to make chat ge
Answer-To elect Hunter Judge, An
drews attorney. and Kelso state senator,
the parishes being in the judicial district
in which Gov Wells resided.
Question-Was one of the persons
named James Andrews who refused to
accept Office on the ground that he was
not fairly elected2
Answer-I presume so, from the fact
that he was candidate for district at
torney.
Mr. Field exhibited the certificates OF
election of two friends, Hu ter and
Kelso, which witness believed to be gen.
uine. 8
BY Mr.. Field-When the change OF
figures was accomplished in the way you
say, what became of the original papers
from Vernon Parish ?
Answer--I was instructed by Governor
Wells to bring him two statements &C.
companying the consolidated statement
l gave them to him the day after the
official promulgation; he was about to
put them into his pocket when l asked
him whether it was not indiscrete to do
so, and he said / was right in reminding
him. Whether he or destroyed them,
| can't say, but saw them burned As
to the original statement OF the polls OF
Vernon Parish with the alterations now
before him, Gov. Wells told me to de-
stroy or make way with it. l felt l had
done a little too much already, aud took
the paper home for the purpose OF de
stroying it but didnot l communicated
these facts to Mr.. SpearinF, my uncle,
and gave him the paper, to be used by
him and Others in whom confidence could
be placed, to be used in behalf of the
Nichols government, which MIR. Spearing
suppor ed and thought that Nichols
was elected governor. requested OF
him that my name should never be known
in this transaction. and that | should not
be subpoenaed to testify. ] gave him
the paper in New Orleans, The last time
| saw the paper was in the Office of Gov.
Palmer, at Springfield, it having been
conveyed there by Mr.. Spearing. From
that time to this he had never seen the
paper till it was produced yesterday be-
fore the committee
Question--Descrbe the occasion and
circumstances of Gov. Wells asking you
tn alter the returns
Answer-On Sunday night, December
3, the board and three or four of the
clerks took dinner together They sat
at dinner three or four hours. From
there we went to the ooms of the re
tprn;pu hoard flor hainu thpra n fa a.