The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-16
MR.. ]. MAD. WELLS LETTER.

We do not deem 1t necessary TO review at
length or vehemently denulnee the very
weak and disngenuous letter Of j. Madison
Wells TO the New York Herald printed In the
DEMOCRAT yesterday morning. II cannot,
however, be passed over entirely. II is de-
signed and calculated to mislead the public,
and its false statements must therefore be
corrected. 1t Is true, as Mr.. Wells states,
that the members Of the Returning Board
we're not indicted by the Grand Jury,
and that the proceedings against
them are based on criminal Information
presented by the District Attorney. But the
following tissue of special pleading and false
hood based on these two facts, extracted
from Mr. Wells letter, is the best specimen
we have lately seen Of what man, reckless
of the truth, with an inventive mind and bad
case, can do in the way Of misrepresentation.
Mr. Wells says:
The records of The court do not show that
the Grand Jury found or presented O bill 81
indictment against the returning board. ~ IL
appears that on the 18th Of June, 1877, the dis
trict attorney presented an information
against the members of the Returning Board,
charging them with 'utterlng and publishing
MS true, q certain altered false paper and
eounterfeted public record, the returns OF the
parish of Vernon, of an election held for pres
idential electors, knowing the same, 70 be
false, altered, forged and counterfeited. NOW;
the Grand jury then . p Lee existence was mot
then, why was it the Grand Jury did
not find and present bill Of
Indictment In SO important case why ga
the district attorney file presentment In this
Is well understood here that the grand jury
refused to find bill of Indictment In this
case. and that upon their refusal to do SO,
that the district attorney filed the inforina,,
ton. It is 2 fact beyond denial that the Grand
Jury was in session when this information
was filed June 18th, and continued In session
until the last Of the month. and that they did
not present a bill of Indictment against the
Returning Board. Consequently, it is fair to
conclude that they did not find evidence suifi-
cient to justify it,
Now mark how plain tale will set this ven
cradle sinner down. The period for which
the Grand Jury was regularly organized ex-
pired on the first Of June with O large
amount Of work unfinished, part OF
which was the investigation Of the charges
against the members Of the Returning Board.
Under the circumstances, the court con-
cluded to hold the Grand Jury together
to aid the law officers in investi-
eating the cases remaining on hand.
As Some doubts were entertained
Of the validity Of indictments presented by
the Grand Jury thus held, in all cases where
the Investigations showed cause for prosecu-
ton, the jury directed the District Attorney
to file or present an information. This was
done in the case of the Returning Board. The
Grand Jury, notwithstanding Mr.. Wells con
clusion, found full and ample evidence to
Justify the indictments, and on that evil
dence the Grand Jury instructed
the District Attorney to file the
information against Wells, Anderson and
their negro associates. There is no flaw or
defect in the proceedings, and we are well sat
istied that there Is no deficiency in the testi-
mony which will be produced on the trial to
convict these men Of the crime of forgery
Whether this business has been polite or
not, is now a question OF no moment
The prosecutions cannot be stopped, and
the convictions are pretty nearly as certain
as death. Mr.. Wells will better occupy his
time In efforts to find evidence that will
show his innocence than in q futile and dis
Ingenious attempt TO convince public opinion
that he is not being regularly prosecuted for
the Infamous crime of forgery.