National Republican., 1877-02-06
SENATE COMMITTEE ON ELECTIONS,


The sub committee Of the Senate Committee
on Privileges and Elections met yesterday morn
ing at 10 O'Clock; Senator Howo presiding. Mr
]. y. Littlefcld did not put in an appearance
Senator Mcdonald offered the following order
for tho consideration Of the committee;
Ordered, That the Secretary Of State for tho
State Of Louisiana be required, by proper process
to produce to the sub committee, for its informa-
tion and inspection, the original returns made by
the supervisors Of registration OF several parishes
to the returning officers OF said Stuto OF the cleo
tion held on tho Ith Of November, 1870, and the
statements by the said returning officers In reject
ing any Of tho polls In said parishes In the can
vass and returns made by them. Said parishes
arc embraced In exhibit "B," and are as follows:
East Baton Rouge, Franklin, Do Soto, Caldwell,
Bossier, Moorhouse, Ouachita, Rchland, Natchi
!oches, West Feiiciana, Webster, Vernon, Data.
Lafayette, claiborne, Iberia, Livingston, East
Fellcana and Grant.
session and adopted Il. J. T. I.ittleheld, whoss
examination was TO be continued, did not put In
SS csmnE 70 Be- Il wit
ders. Mr.. Christy, Assistant Scrgcant-at.Arms
q The Senate, havng been sent in quest q LIT.
ridor Of the House waiting on tho House Dom.
mittee on Powers and Privileges, and had In.
were waiting for him. Littieheid replied that
he could not leave the House committee. Subse-
9usntly Ohristy wa, was again sent Tor Littleaeid,
bad seaIched the Capitol building and could not
find him. Tho subcommittee, after consultation,
committee Without leave while under subpoena to
tho Senate, and then took recess till o'clock
p. m.
After Recess.
The committee resumed Its session at 0 o'clock.
Mr.. Littleheld, being present, was examined by
MT; Wadleigh. saw several Of the Democratic
Visitors at New Orleans pr AN during the counting Of
Governor Pslmcr and Judge Trumbuil. Saw
them at various places, which tho witness named,
among others at q ball.
DEMOCRATIC BALL.
The witness was asked where the ball was hold
ut which he met those gentlemen, and declined to
snswer, and appealed to tho chairman to protect
him.
1t was decided that the witness must answer,
and he stated the ball was given by colored
wSmsn named Pate. Paterson; The women present
planned that he appealed to the committee TO
protect him, because he did not desire by his tes-
tiemeh. f''' Wv '' ''A'' ''''' s'"'
When witness got to the ball hc saw them
hut don't know itoi his own knowledge. This was
III. was before Governor &eil: ssteG witasa; sa;
to forge the Vernon return. Witness has no
knowledge that Trumbull and Palmer met Spear.
ing at Mrs, Martins house, where Spearlng
Mrs. Martin had told him that Spearing and
Trumbuli and Palmer, or either Of them, had
toS SSSt buying , an sSOa
ties had been 10 her house with Spearing, and
had talked about buying an electoral vote.
Spearing said neither of those gentlemen ever
were at Mrs. Martins with him. Witness
NEVER KEPT aAMBLISa HOUSE
He kept a billiard.room and q pool-game. but
these games are not necessarily gambling games,
though persons often bet upon pool; Kept that
place about two months during the latter part Of
lsss. lss. witness never @ gsmbied much in hls life.
AFTER he held disposition as hay Inspector. Spear
| ing was also a hay inspector. Both were after
came on to New York they Stayed at the Grand
Central and St Dennis hotels; were there two or
three days: Talked with no one about this
that spearihg and Murphy were in New York to
get witness, testimony before Congress. Knows
| Of no terms being made OF any sort. Spearing's
t%eiy Without money coDsdetatoa %Ss ahe af
the Returning Board when the visiting committees
were there and saw the returns opened. Witness
knew generally that all returns opened In the
| presenee OF both Democratic and Republican
committees: Witness never thought that the
votes to Ire returns where there were no Repub.
Ssp votes cast unit, sS got to Alter
throwing out Democratic votes after he saw what
no thought to the legal powers Of the Returning
Board. When witness went on the board Il was
and ali Of Us that he had selected the cierT and
while he knew the board would not object, no had
to submit his aetio. 70 the board for their ap-
his serving on the board, and that Abell had
laughed away tho objection. Witness
| BEGUN THE PoRaERY
on Sunday night, and worked as long as the
witness at small desk in the corner of the room
Eaton, Davis and Mccormick we're there, and
Abel was Just inside the inner door, All the
clerks could have have seen witness At work erasing
knew what witness was doing and by who: Q
Instructions II was being done. About three or
iStimstsd to witness the H destruction Of "ts The
altered return; The statements Of votes Of the
Sompni:sonsIs had then been destroyed; They
had not at that time heard that the visiting
delegations had taken the full statements o.
Davis saw witness making the erssures as @ Ia the he
Vernon return. and brought witness . piece Of
rubber to assist a. In making the alterations The
ished on Monday: Witness knows Of no par.
ticular reason why ho was selected by dov.
Abeil knew the eOmmissioners' returns wore
destroyed, As . he saw them burning; and
what paper 1t was he saw burning; Judge Davis
assisted witness TO mako the copy OF the forged
return; Wells wanted record of that return in
construction with Davis in the presence Of wit
ness; Davis and witness then went to work that
| night and mado the copy before they LEFT the
| office; when witness went on tho board, nor Mt
| any other time, did witness ever hear that the
board had given orders that under no circum.
stances were any alterations 10 be made In any Of
the original returns.
WITNESS REFUSES 100000.
| Witness had 800 when he LEFT Now Orleans; had
| nothing else; has received forty dollars since;
Notwithstanding this witness refused to have any.
thing TO do with any pro position to take kl0J,l 0O
from the National Republican Committee TO sup.
press what he knew.
ness 10 go on the Returning Board as clerk.
By Mr.. Mcdonald: Saw Stephenson, accom-.
panied by two or three others OF the Republican
visitors, at the ball where Palmer and T'rumbuil
were In New Orleans. Nothing was said Mt that
ball about tho work OF making out the returns.
Heard the name Of MIR. Kelley, of Philadelphia,
mentioned as one Of tho Republican visitors at
he ball. Witness thinks Spearing used to live
In Illinois, and inlers he was acquainted with
Trumbull and Palmer. Witness was told by
SpearinR or some one that the ball at Patterson
was given In honor Of some prominent Republican
visitor who was about to leave town. Witness
and Trumbull at any place while In New Or.
leans except at their rooms, at the st. Charles
hotel.
Witness did not see the original Vernon return
opened. Saw q statement Of votes from each oil
the ten polls Of Vernon parish alter they were
opened. Davis and witness used eight Of the
original ten.p0ll returns In making up the fabri
Gated returns. Witness kept q billiard saloon
two months, Was not gambling, but let the
tables to visitors at so much game, as at Other
billiard tables all over tho country. Returning
Ia n an aRI 1aIA and