National Republican., 1877-02-01
THE LOUISIANA ELECTION.

hcsteruny-Itlueun
Friends Were Trying TO Buy Louisiana
Electoral Votes, and They Claim Wells Was
willing.
The Committee on the Powers, Privileges
and Duties of the House continued their In
vestigation yesterday.
Jno. T. Pickett testified that he resides in
washington city, and is lawyer by profession.
Gov Wells Of The Louisiana Returning nssr Bospa S
writing The iottsr tS ,sASs z, isllOys; ., ,,-.
INamc Of party to whom letter Is addressed cut
MY DEAR Sin. You Gaii iaIiy understand tho ,ltua.
tc%p Unns you advise with me relative thereto
Mr.. Field requested the witness to state how
the letter came into his possession.
Mr.. Pickett stated that on November % q gon.
tloman with whom he had been we'll acquainted
for many years came to his ONCE, and had q long
conversation with him regarding the state OF
affairs In Louisiana, growing out Of the late
thss be had Seon Spending wseE or ten sss dsss
At this point, Mr.. Lawrence objected to the
son, counsel for Wells, intorposing TO make some
remarks, the room was cleared for consultation.
mites lie dGSss Joseph H. SP'1ss agent
OF tho internal revenue service, and he was asked
whether he had any letter from J. Madison
that some dsyssso Col. John T. Pickett IN informed c
him that he tPickett) expected TO be summoned
close his tnfSddoH'sS name. IL his fMaddozsj
surprise he was sp6p@nned to appear before the
Se ap % ssSd
himself that IN answering he did not commit
breach Of confidence. He stated that he knew
| years. He Identified the letter above mentioned
| aswritten BY Wells In his presence.
trusted witness to protect him in regard to pro.
| vious conversation they had together, and ho de-
clined to say what the subject matter Of that con.
few days aiter the election, and had many con.
versatlons with Wells from that time forward.
as a member Of the Returning % Bosrds d A. That That
| is another question l must decline TO answer.
Witness stated that he held conversations with
| Wells both at the lattor's room In the custom.
house and his private lodgings. AMER the eau.
yass had begun witness had conversations two or
him the actions u the board On kat H
| day, and advised with him.
witness came here, as requested BY Wells
| 90, and reported to him. He had frequent con.
versatlons with Wells on tho general subject Of
ing to do. He had Conversations with Anderson
| also, but more Of a general character. He LEFT
New Orleans on January Q, and has seen Wells
has had conversations with Wells on the subject.
matter of their conversations in New Orleans,
but declined TO state the scope of their oonversa.
,.I6 IaG ~ fgllpTng letter. written by witness, wa
BARsuM's, November q, 1875.
DEAR COLONEL: Have Just arrived, and have
your dispatch. can't walt; 50 leave at tonight.
| J. II. Maddox, 1877 Bienvllle street, that
he can do it-was sent, and that he will see his
party In Baitimorc GCdsi do your patriotic
friends, but keen me from trouble. will hold
Witness explained that ~. Thomas" meant
| Colonel Pickett.
The following telegram was also read
John T. Pickett. YeO FHsfh ForE HS'sf: NOV H. 1910
Leave tonight. Telegraph me, as agreed upon,
| on the morning OF the 30th, but not before.
Also, the following:
All right, can got the money at hve, six,
seven, eight, nine or ten per cent; 10 Baltimore,
or ,, or pTos. II il will suit you, ~ VI y
New York Hotel, or Barnum's, Monday IL; evening
| Also, the following:
| c.. NJ. Calrert, I70 Custom House street, Ns,e
Hold. VIII telegraph you Monday evening.
| Jos. HANCOCK.
LOUISIANA FOR TILDES.
| Also the following letter:
"For one million Of dollars the vote Of Louisiana
can be secured to Tilden and Hendricks. The
manipulation must be done by mo, and, as far al
possible TO protect the members Of the Returning
necessary to elect two or three members Of the
agreed upon. Money to bc paid in installmcnts~ nj :
say one quarter when the NTH member is elected,
one quarter when one member resigns and an
when another resigns with another elected in hi
pla,eea and that one quarter to be paid when the
~, , NEW oRLEAss, December l., 1879.
g? tss% 4 and % @ .rs. S.s aSSaS sS:
| Telegraph party to trust person you wrote
| Jos. HANCOCK.
wAsMIscToN, Dec. ~
Col. p 2; zacharfs, Esy orleans:
| A double pnme, but II we'll informed you might
| trust person wrote about.
WASHINGTON, ID. o., Dec. !, 1870.
"Night message.n
Jossp6 Hdneock, IN Btsnufils st.
Telegraphed as desired. Damn my interest
Think Of the best interests Of forty millions o
people. JOHN I. PICKETT.
Tho witness declined TO furnish any explana
tion OF the contents or meaning Of these different
payers; p%&Ssn TIM n,n.r. ,., ,,,D ran, NJ r,.,,
said, snow, Mr.. Maddox, since ali this is known
arc you not willing to tell the whole storyr"
The witness. Nc, sir, not until further consld
q Did not Governor Wells negotiate with yor
for the vote Of Louisiana? A. That declins t
Q: Did he ask you to negotiate with any on,
elseH A. l decline to answer that also.
haTS Tsss dosns etfry's
U. Upon what ground? A. Because this matte
Ia connected with tho other matter regarding
which have declined to answer.
| BY Mr.. Lawrence: q. Are you acquainted will
the Secretary Of War; A. had two interview
O. When was the first interview A. On tn,
2sth, 25th or 10th Of December.
U. Who was present? A. Colonel ]. J. Stew
art, Of Baltimore, who introduced me to him.
O. When was.the next Interview A. Tn
q. How long did the irst interview last' A
About half an hour.
q. How long tho socond' A. Only a minut
or two.
The committee reconsidered their action in re
lation to the witness, Maddox, and decided :
grant him until this morning, 10 O'Clock, to an
swer. Adjourned.
It is understood that the committee, wnIl
In secret session, ELECTED from Col. Picket
that he went to New York and saw John Nor
rissey and told him that money could be use,
with the Returning Board of Louisiana TO In
nuence them to give the vote Of the State h
Tilden. Nor, ,issey replied that he had no com
: FUNCTIONS on the subject, because those mel
could be bought like sheep, and would no
mind giving 800 900 himself, but did no
think 1t necessary. He went to Hon. A.
Hewitt for the same purpose, but withou
reaching any result.
Pickett was asked whether he expected +
receive any fee for his interniediation In tn
| tta nd TAD . hat hal la ali