The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1878-01-29
LOUISIANA
THE RETURNING BOARD.


| Court room was crowded to day when three
| accused members of the Returning Board,
| Anderson, CaS>enave and kenner, were
| brought to its bar. Counsel for Anderson
| filed a motion for change of venue, alleging
| he could not Lave d fair trial in this Parish
I--prejudce against him having increased in
the last few days. After argument, Judge
| Whitaker stated the jury had been drawn
in most impartial manner, and was COM
pose OF conscientious, honest men, of uh-
| impeachab'e 'e character; what could accused
demand more? The Court had said Friday,
it would not be trif1ed with, and considering
the motion for change of venue an attempt
at delay, denies the same. The defense
took bill of exceptions. The Attorney
General renewed his motion for severance
in the trial of the accused, and said the State
had wished to try the case of the State vs..
Wells first, but as he had not come forth, he
would move TO call up the case of Thorn as
c. Anderson. Judge Cullom of counsel for
the defense, opposed the motion for sever
ance, as it would only be detrimental to the
accused, deprivicg them of tbeir combined
peremptory challenges. The Court grant
ed the motion for severance and the case of
the State vs.. Thomas &. Anderson was then
considered fixed for trial, witnesses were
called, and mpanneling of jury proceeded
with.
GEN. ANDERSON INTERVIEWED.
publishes the following interview Gen. An
derson being asked if he was willing to give
his reasons for his course during the last
two days, especially with reference to his
resistance to the execution of the State writs
in the Custom House, said: | have no objec-
ton. My information in regard to the
character of the panel was such as to con-
vince me that it was organized to convict
without reference to testimony in my be-
half, or the absence of testimony against me-
[ believe that if had appeared on Friday
last, | would have been tried and convicted
before Saturday night; not because | am
guilty of the act charged in the fraud. or
any evidence duplicating me in it could
have been found, but because it was so de-
termined. and | believe, arranged in ad-
vance. Look, for instance, at this list of
names OF persons composing the panel.
Here Gen. Anderson produced printed
list containing forty-six names.l l have
can find on it the name of only one
person, Mr. Becker, with whom / have any
personal acquaintance, but / am told. and |
| believe it to be true, that not only does this
| list not embrace a single colored man,
| but there is not one Republican on it from
| beginning to end. Does any fair minded
and impartial man believe that therefore, a
| Jury Just made up could have any assurance
| of am impartial trial? 1t is said that Re-
| publcans would be sure TO acquit me. On
the same principle Democrats would be sure
| TO convict. In South Carolina, where polit-
ical feeling is as strong as in this State, both
| Republicans and Democrats were placed on
iuries in the trials of Cardozo and Smalls
aud yet no difficulty was found in obtain
| ING convictions. | am willing to submit to
| the impartial judgment of any fair-mlrded
man that has studied the decision Of repre-
sentatives of panel, is an outrage of every
| principle of Justice and that it gives me a
1 riSrIf tn "a x
pressly to convict. Under these circum-
stances my right of challenge would be oi
no avail. | have twelve challenges and
when these are exhausted the character OF
the panel would remain Just what it was
before | wish to say here that am n
tirely ignorant of the Vernon parish mat
ter. The record will show that l wa:
not present when the Vernon return;
were opened in the presence of visiting
statesmen. The certified report of both par
ties show this. Returns appear to have
been passed over to clerks for tabulatlor
without remark, and when they were pre-
sented to me for signature L signed them
as did those of every other parish, as
matter of course. | had no idea and had M
reason to suspect any alteration had beer
made in them. [ was surprised when tn
matter was called to my attention befor
the Congressional Committee and testihe
then that | knew nothing about 1t.
had no interest i'm Vernon parish or OF an
local candidates in that part of the State
The vote for electors for Governor was no
at all effected by the alleged alteration. Fo
reasons which / have given, | was derter
mined not to be tried before packed iur
if | could help it. My counsel will US
every legal effort to avert 1t. suppos
, they will ask for change of venue.
MISCELLANEOUS.
e Hon. John w. Foster United States Mir
/ lister to Mexico, arrived to-day by IL
q steamship City of Mexico. Mr.. Foster lei
j for Washing an this evening via Mobil
q He expects to return to Mexico in aDo'
: two weeks.
n The Collectors Office, to-day, was
Il charge of Chief Clerk Tomlinson. 1t