The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-02-11
RETURNING BOARD INFAMY.
THE TESTIMONY or A CLERK WHO COM
PILED THE RETURNS.
Altering the Figures by Order ofJudgc Davis
Hayes Vote Raised aud Tiiden's Reduced
In Nearly all the Louisiana Parishes.

FILED THE RETURNS.
Altering the Figures by Order OF udrc Davis
Hayes Vote Raised and Tiiden's Reduced
In Nearly all the Louisiana Parishes.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10.-Further revcla-
tions Of Louisiana Returning Board infamy
were made to-day by one Of its clerks. John +.
Mulhcrrin. who was employed in the compiling
room OF the board. Mulhcrrin testified posi-
lively to changes by meas OF ensures and
figures inserted or altered in the electoral vote
In nearly every parish OF Louisiana This
room was under the superintendent OF Judge
Davis, whose testimony was taken some days
ago 10y the Committee on the Powers and Prvi-
lcgcs of the House. Mulherrin confessed having
made alterations in one or two instances under
instruction from Davis He did not consider
that hc WIS doing exactly right in making these
changes. but made them under the impression
that the responsibility. both moral and legal,
would rest upon those ordering them to be
made. He said the most frequent changes made
were upon the consolidated returns OF supcryis-
ors Of registration. and that they principally
consisted in raising the vote OF the Hayes cleo
tors who ran behind their ticket up to tho high
est figure in the list. and reducing in like man.
nor the vote for the Tildcn electors down to the
lowest total of AL the candidates on that ticket.
He also testified 10 Ovprhearing "A conynrsn-
ton between Wells and Lttlcncld, in Secretary
AbclIs room IN the state House, on the first in
December, which he said related TO changes Of
certain parish returns and that short time
amer TINS conversation. Ilttlil"ld came into IN
adjoining room in which witness md nina
other clerks were occupied, and asked for an
eraser. Having obtained an eraser from Davis
ilulcllcld began cruising and making certain
changes in consolidated parish returns. Null
herrin could not specify lust what thcs changes
were. but said they were nude In the compiling
was not invited TO the sunday dinner given by
the Returning Board 10 It's clerks. and was not
thcreiore, able To testify upon the important ac-
ton 10y Wells and Littlencld that Immediately
followed that rcpast. He could not say posi-
lively that any member of the Returning Board
knew that Littleneld and other clerks we're
making changes constantly in the consolidated
returns, yet he believed that they were all aware
81 IT, Among the clerks whom he had seen in
u.i"ld. flannigan. Asbury, and Smith.
He also said that he and other clerks in the
compiling room had written out n great many
blank oaths about intimidation and violence in
various parishes. These aiiidavits were filled
cut with such names rs Smith, Brown, Jones'
&c, and signed With crosses by the clerks pre-
pairing them. They were then sent out to ofil-
Gals 10 be certified, and he supposes they were
He could not say how many afiidaviis were thus
prepared. but there were IA great many.
Inc ,hcpuhhcan members Of the committee
wer" alarmed at the damnng character Of Null
hcrrln : testimony against the Returning Board
ana they made strong EFFORT TO break him
down. Having anticipated the nature OF his
evidence. they placed spy upon his track early
thus morning and thus informed Themselves II
ms movements during IN" day. Mulh rrn is a
sharp young freshman. of rnther runyiVial hab-
it,. lie met two or three we'll dressed gentlemen
a. TIA" National Hotel this morning at . o'clock
Ih"N seemed to take n wurn though disiutrr-
cstrd interest in him. Before they parfnd Null
hcrrn saws h" took with them an ale n cider a
toldy. and q cocktail, At o'clock he m AN
h'rlriend under the sam" peculiar circum-
stances. and took a whisky todly with him At
so'rlock b" WAS called 10 testify. H. told his
story in peculiarly Irish manner. hat with "A
readiness mat showed he knew what he was
talking about
when Judge Lawrence and Mr. Bur,hard
cam" Y" cross Nnmin" MIN ~" ruiminufion NJ
ms liulc shadow M process WAS reached
judge lnWtrnr" announced 10 IA" commute"
ne M nti"u OF proving that the witness Was in
potrni tot.Stify. H.. then drew from ia. Wit
u -- hy l',Iu.. ,ii. -'iof- ul ia. facts Y- before
stated. Nui1rrrlu 'NuuWlHd-nt without hr-i-
rtpn TINT y" mad brou drinking q litls. hnt
-nHl DO" could stand n good deal more without
least ittoVicai.d In both his iir,.' and cross
.Nauinati"n there w"r" frequent amusing ,x-
hihit un~ of Irish vii and o~~ 'ntricity hut he
proved H,hr"lt shHrp enough la avoid "nthnglc-
mont 10y lAwrcnr"'s rather ingenious questions.
On IN" Cross" nomination n" srtd that he WIS
tmllnNrh ny ~" returning Bourd on the rec
omm"ndntion of konnrr. one Of IFS Members
and WIS dS'harrsed ihough not . dismissed
uir." GAYS h"iur" the hnntd closed It's work. He
said thrt Judge Dihhle. judge Ray. aud GOV,
Ia kurl were admitted t. tn. secret : .ssfons II
ne i"iurnng lilard and Ia IN" rooms az tho
'l' rN~. where thNy mad unlimited a-eDs- To the
returns from Am the purisli.s NJ tho state '~
=. bhi ~" Redirect examination hv David nullov
fi". :. ne said thAt liftlHlrld ur-uurnL innfnn-
rnnih 81 IN" mWor.ti"s for oa tors ms the re-
several thousand majority was shown Tor thn
Ih"n "l'siors lie added that thr-, details
M,i WrUbn ON Slils of @D"r AMI minded To-
m'iu'"f- "i IA" Returning Bonri a. Packard.
amt g. ono Genr," l.. smith, Witness rolni~l n
hfiri conversation that occurred between two
Womh"rs of ia" Returning Board whom the
vernon parish return Wis opened and found 10
candidates. on" of these no,ni4.rs enlil HIM h.
II