Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-02-02

was now ready TO answer lie said 4
that before Gov Wells wrote the
letter 10 him he had eoarcFsationI !
with the Coy. with rcgaid TO the
political situation and difficulties with
the returning board. The G " pro-
posed that the witness should go TO
Wsshington and explain the
situatien. He concluded he would
write general letter
10 the wilncss as confidential and he.
also wrote another letter to friend
in Washington. When the witness
arrived at.Wells, Office the next NOR
ming one letter was finished aud he /
was writing The other. The witness
brought away the letter with him,
The other, scaled, was
addressed to Senator West. but had
never been delivered. Wells said |
his life was in danger as he had al
very difficult job On his hands and did
not see how he could get through |
with IT, Wells stated that he would
ike to serve the party in making a
return in favor Of Hayes,
but would not take the risk uuttess
paid for it. The majority was very
heavy, too much for him to handle
and he did not know where to com
mencc to throw out. He said probably
he would have to throw out the vote
of New Orleans on the ground that the
witness thought he meant Of necessity.
| Wells asked him 10 60 to Washington
and see influential men and obtain
perfection for him AMI also to see
whether he could not get the none
required to satisfy him. Wells said he
4 ought to have q millioadollars. The
(. witnes. showed the president and
Secretary Cameron's, two letters ad
dressed to him by Wells. He told the
secretary tha. Wells wanted the
| money, but the secretary declined to
have anything to do with tho matter
The money Wells required was to
protect him. The programme was
that vacancy on the returning board
should be filed, and Wells should
resign on that account. Witness
didn't know there was any special
arrangement between him and Wells
abou, the details bu. the witness was
inquired TO submit plan which
would DC acceptable. The witness
having been interrogated relative toe
Telegram sent to Governor West un-
der the assumed nanr@o G. NJ Cal
yer said it was understood that the
Fgotiation failed.
!, w etis stated TO the witness that b,
wanted for himself and Gen. Ander
son at lcast 100000 apiece and ,
; smaller sum for the darkies or negroes
. of the returning board. When th.
witness returned 10 New Orleans h,
had conversation with Wells :bou
! the factum of negotiation. The wit
ness received dispatch from Colone
Picket saying the negotiation hat
failed. when Wells suggested -lhA
:. the witness cnieavor to make som
! arrangement.
III II the republicans at Washingto
e iailes TO bring money the witness VA
10 to use his own Judgment in the ne
!. gotiation to give returns as they wcr
i made in New Orleans and that b
r. should commence second negotiation
q at the word Hold = in telegram t
i Wells, which signifed that he was I,
4 hold the returns in such a situation
h as to make them available at will
n AT hrst the democratic witness mad
9 an effsotttt II, TINT d4trcctiuu, but di,
n not1succecd. The idea Of the witnes
. was, from what Wells said, that h
= would throw out votes to the best ad
" vantage in order to produce certain
o result, which would depend on cir
. cumstances. On cross examinatio,
:. Of thsswithess he testified that Sec
!. Cameron had refused to have an,
n thing to do with the Wells lproposi
4 tion.
e Field remarked that lie saw Well
o present, and the latter replied hi
5, only wauted to hear the truth and re
d, tired.
81 The witness said Wells did not sa,