The New York herald., 1877-02-03

a.
O Did you not declare you would not servo as
member OF the Legislature il tho vote declared In
your iavory A. Tho reason Tor making such dcclars-
ton was because OF some inquiry relative to tho parish
OF Lafayette; inc rourns not having been sent In at
that timc be was candidate IN that parish, and had
said he knew he was not elected and therefore, would
not serve II he was returned as elected.
O. Had You any reason for thinking that the Board
would you II you were not elected? A. Because
heard II whispered about that would be returned;
! said would not take my scat.
2. IL Mr.. Robson, who offered you a bribe, still
your iriendY A. do not regard him my enemy;
do not think have seen him since.
Q. 10 you not think that man who would offer you
bribe was bad manY A. think Il was very I'm
proper In him.
Q: Blu, do you no. think It was worry dishoncst'
A. do.
O. Did you turn Dr. Robeson out OF your rooms
A. got rid OF HIM by promising TO meet him at tho
ST. Charles Hotel, but did not 90 there.
Q. Did you express your detestation of tho oner9
tod h.r did not approve 1t, and not to mention
IL to mo again.
The committee adjourned TIL tomorrow morning
REPORT OF THE MEADE SUBCOMMITTEE ON
THE ELECTION IN VERNON rAR1sH-rEsT1.
MoNY OF THE LOCAL oFrICERs--c cHARAcTER
OF INTIMIDATION ArF1DAvITs-How THE
CHANGES WERE MADE.
WASHINGTON d. c., Feb 9, 1877.
The report OF Represent cade's Subcommittee
on Louisiana Affairs, which submitted before tho
testimony was taken in Washington regarding Vernon
This sub mtee left New Orleans before any pub
lie in formation had been received any
ing been thrown out or changed In this parish BY the
Returning BOARD. Indeed the chairman OF this con
mittce received IRON Mr. Anderson one of the Return
ing Board, statement which he now retains, in the
handwriting OF SAID Anderson, showing among other
things that no changes whatever had been made by
tie Returning Board in the original returns received
from this parish OF Vernon. 1t be addcd that this
Wells, president OF said Board. TINS parish
IS remote from public thoroughiarcs, and
inaccessible of any IN the State. rumOr
to tho effect that certain changes had IN fact, been
made In the returns from this parish By the Returning
Board. induced your committee send Ior among
Others the Clerk Of tho District Court Of that parsh
the Supervisor OF Registration as we'll as the clerk Of
the Supervisor OF Registration. OF course the
mitec bong entirely in the dark rs to what steps had
really been taken by the Returning Board, had TO pro-
ceed IN more general way with the investigation
here and especially SO as tho people OF the parish
apparently had not the slightest suspicion oi any
ground Cf plant which might DO alleged against
them to justify the alteration or rejection OF votes at
any poll
Thomas Franklin, supervisor Of Registration, n
venerable gentleman. tesiiied that he made com.
piled statements In Duplicate one Of which he fur
shed the Returning Board and tho other the clerk of
the court and that he made protest whatever and
that no protests or remarks criticisms objections,
made by the commissioners Of the election ut tho
there and is we'll acquainted with the people OF
tho parish, and testified that throughout tho
registration and the election everything was
peaccable and that no intimidation or bribery
thought OF, and that Impossible oppress any
colorcd republicans, Tor the reason that there were
none in the parish; that only two republican votes
were cast in the parish Tor the electoral ticket and
that they were deposited ut poll No. while G47
cast for the democratic electoral ticket There were
about scventy-hve or eighty colored voters In tho
parish. who lived terms OF substantial equality
the whites and had always voted since their enran-
chisement tho democratic ticket The witness also
testified that the consolidated statement produced by
the clerk is the Duplicate and one Of the
sent by the Returning Board and that he
same before the deputy clerk of the parish
Jonn Franklin, cerk to Thomas Franklin Super
visor, had assisted the latter IN making up the CON.
piled statement last all; there only two repub-
can votes the electoral ticket that parish was
not aware that had ever occurred before that repub
lican votes had been cast there; the election
trcly pcaceable and quiet; that tho vote has always
been democratic, whites and blacks voting one way
Isaac O. Wnfrcg clerk to the District Court OF ver-
non parish, produced the returns OF tho Comnssion-
Of Election al polls in That parish Tor the ciec.
ton Of 1876 as well as duplicate copy Of tho conso-
dated statement OF the supervisors of Registration,
these papers all being produced and submitted Tor tho
investigation OF the various members Of the
tee These returns correspondcd with the testimony
OF franklin, showing, towit That no protest had
ever been made by either OF the Commissioners of
Election tho Supervisors of Registration. Witness
read from the consolidated statement nlca with him
by the Supervisors OF Registration tho statement OF
votes received.
The statement OF the supervisor was shown to bc
made In due iorm the signature OF the clerk aud seal
OF the parish attached Tho witness further testified
that the election throughout the parish peaccabo
and quiet that the republicans heretofore received
on tho electoral ticket and that no iniormaes ap.
peared on The returns Of tho Commissioners OF Elec-
:ion.
INTIMIDATION AFFIDAvITs.
Alter these witnesses from Vernon parish had 70.
turned to their homes the committee received through
alidavits purportng TO have been died with the Re.
turning Board some time about the 14th day OF No.
Thomas Brown and Samuel Carter, each with his
mark. and claiming that undue influence or intimi
dation had been prac'sed toward coorcd republicans
ut polls one, seven and len IN this parish
Each OF these atlantis disclaimed being registered
voter OF the parish sam Carter admits to have Docn
resident OF st. Augustine, IN the State OF Texas
The othor two claim they residents only OF the
parish Of Vernon, without specifying any particular
poll or ward
Your committee have since the receipt OF these am.
davits diligently ende iv0red TO obtain Information
specting the makers OF the same, but without avail,
and tho suspicion IS obtained that they have nctual
existence Tho afdavts referred TO purport TO have
been made before D. j. NJ. A. Jewet the United States
parcntly three days before the returns from Vernon
were received at New Orleans, having been made on
the 14th and the returns received on the 18th
PRETEyCEs.
Commissioner Jcwett, upon being examined by the
committee at New Orleans, testified that he had no
recollection whatever Of ever having heard of either
tho aiants and Wells OF the Returning Board, stated
also before said committee that he did not know the
iants, and furthermore did not know who presented
the aidavits to the Board II is such nimsy pre-.
tence this that the Returning Board absolutely ms.
errcd 10 votes cast for he democratic
to and IN favor of the republican candidates. making
difference altogether OF 35s votes n favor OF the
publican ticket, 10 wit
Poll Lilo democratic transferred to 116 republican
Poll 7--26 democratic transferred to 20 republican
Poll 1877 democratic transferred to 81 republican,
Taking altogether. the circumstances relating to this
parish, the conclusion Is irresistible that a fraud
which admits OF no excuse or paIliaton whatever was
perpctratcd by the Returning board
In the change II made.
That such change not necessary for the purpose
OF deciding the question OF Presidential electors isap.
parent but we nd that certain members of tho e.s.
iature and other local officers could only be declared
elected by the assistance OF this change trauspos
ton
EXPLANATION OF HIS CONDUCT
IN REFERENCE TO THE VERNON PARISH
RETURN.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 1877.
The Senate Committee OF which Senator Howo is
and who arc investigating the conduct of
tho late election IN Louisiana, examined, to-day Mr. j.
,. Lttcncld OF the clerks OF tho Louisiana Re.