New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1877-02-10

The Chicago BNlldOSeT and other Demo.
cratic papers are seeking to make political
capital out of the testimony of the man
Littlefeld, clerk of the Louisiana Return
ing Board, who, from his own confessions,
is so far untrustworthy and pegjured that
he would not be believed upon the stand in
any court. The history OF this champion
political scoundrel, as gathered from his
own testimony, the testimony Of the Re-
turning Board, and statements both from
Republican and Demoeratie sources, may
be told in 6 few words. Littlefeld lie q
Northern carpet Dagger, who went to New
Orleans and obtained the office of hay in
specter from Governor Kellogg, from which
he was subsequently removed for cause by
Lieutenant Governor Antoine during the
Governors absence from the State, thus
giving him at the outset q motive
for revenge. He next turns up as
clerk of the Returning Board, and in
that capacity is conveniently found and
coached by Ex-Governor Palmer, who
turns him over to Judge Murphy, of
Davenport. After Littleheld has alb
straeUed the genuine Vernon county re-
turns from the Office of the Secretary Of
State, substituting forged returns for them,
Judge Murphy takes HIM to Iowa, having g
copy of the forged returns in his possession.
He remains in Iowa for time, learning his
lesson, and at the proper time starts for
Washington, stopping en- route at Spring
field long enough to receive additional
coaching from Ex-Governor Palmer. He
next turns up in Washington, transfers the
| forged returns or the stolen original ones
| it is not vet quite clear which--tO David
Dudley Field, the protector o. Boss Tweed
/ in his villainies, and, after being coached
| by Field, appears on the stand and testihes
/ that he was directed to alter the returns
from Vernon county by transferring q
/ certain number of votes from the Demo
I -. ~. l.. - 4 L.
condition of the return was when
it was signed it is impossible to state, as
Littlefeld or some one else has stolen the
| original and substituted forged copy for
/ it, but the testimony sheds q flood Of light
| upon the affair neverth eless. IL shows that
| in the bulldozed Vernon parish there we're
| 700 Democratic votes to two Republican,
result almost ~ notOFiously corrupt Is that
i In East Feliciana. After receiving sufi-
cient proof Of the violence and intimida-
lions practiced in that parish, the Return.
i ing Board excluded three of the worst pre-
eincts, which aggregated l7S Democratic
and no Republican votes, and littlefeld
| was directed to make out the returns ia thiE
| manner, but instead Of doing this he de-
Quoted the l7S votes from the Democratic
side and added them to the Republican,
and then sold out his infamy 20 Murphy,
Palmer and Field. The proof that this in
fanny is ali his own Is clear from = variety
of reasons, among them the following:
!. The Returning Board knew nothing 81
the additional change, snd ordered nothing
Of the kind. 2. Iittleheld stole the origina
returna and substituted o copy In his owl
hAdwriting. 3. The change did not affee
any candidate 30 the extent of changing thu
result, and thus nothing was gained BY thu
Returning Board in doing what be allege
the board did. No one was elected BY it
and no one was defeated by it, but every
thing was left where Il Was before. Il
point Of tact, q Democratic Stata Senate
was elected by 1888 majority. Il did no
carry the State for Hayes nor for Packard
nor for any Republican member Of Con
| greee, nor afieot the result In any paEia
OF district The Democratic committee ma
assume for Ehair partisan purposes tina
the Returning Beard Is composed 9
knages. and hiee q thief biacl
mailer, and forger 10 prove It, bat the
have no right to eaaume that they axe sue
idiots - e alter naturna, knowing tn
they can not a1eet shy reenlt and know
ing that the fraud would show on 10 lle|
, Or e 10 order 1heis 1lelk 70 DO e. ~
ebie1fa 81 ne Aan I{fllehelo aEc anpaFel
enough 81 e 1etldrN ln tie frat fIac
30 @e1a'fF hiN1elH - He zrcon1 p'sc
60 Az0rI H1 114 Nn r-r41I NON
Nr e A NnN