Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-06-18
MRS. jerks
In Washington and Ready to Testify
Before the Committee.
Her Story of How She Came to Know
that the alleged Sherman Let
ter Existed.
sneciaI To the New York Heraldl

WASHINGTON June l3.-It was anticipat
ed that to-day would be an important one in
the Potter committee, from the fact that Mrs.
Agnes d. jerks, of New Orleans, who either
now Is or formerly was the custodian OF the
famous Sherman letter, had been summoned
to appear. Mrs. jerks has been in the city
for two or three days, and ready to testify
VIXEN called upon. She was therefore notl-
fed to be on hand to-day, but did not come
till late, which gave rise to the story that she
had been captured by the Mathews commit
tee Of the senate She was accompanied by
her husband, Captain Thomas l. jerks, and
remained in the witness room TILL the commit
tee adjourned without calling her. 1t was
late when the other testimony was over, and
it was deemed best to begin fresh IN the
morning, when the number of the committee
would be completed by the return of Chair
man Potter. Mrs. jerks received number
Of callers, but declined absolutely to talk on
the subject of the investigation, except to
the committee, either for publication or
in private conversation, and pronounced all
interviews purportlng to have been held with
her unfounded. She is a dark haired, bright
faced young woman, below the medium
hight, with pleasant manners and remarka-
bic self possession. Her conversation at once
showed that she was reliant and sagacious.
A lawyer, however, after listening to her for
d few moments, quietly said that she was
lone of those oversmart women who would
be sure to break down on a cross examina-
ton" Mrs. jerks was neatly attired III
short suit of gray bourette, and wherever she
went took her husbands arm as they saun-
tered through the capitol. Her first visit to
Washington was paid last winter, when she
visited Secretary Sherman, and, it is believed,
also saw Senator Conkling. 1t was published
at the time that she then threatened Mr.
Sherman that she would make his letter to
Anderson and Weber public, but she subse
H., 20 o,-1 - H.
denying that any such letter was in her pos
session. She also wrote to Secretary
Sherman at that time, ssor just be-
fore 1t, denying that the letter was in her
possession. These denials were probably
equivocal, because Mrs. jerks knew where
the letter was, it is believed, and knew that,
although 1t was not In her possession, she
was in a position to control it. Secretary
Sherman no doubt relies upon her letter to
him, but there Is reason to believe that Mrs.
jerks had informed no fewer than three cred
ible persons that she had seen the letter and
knew where it was, though it was true that
at that particular time it was not in her pos
session. The way in which Mrs. jerks came
to be so prominent In this great political con-
spiracy is interesting. 1t appears that when
Weber, who was the original custodian of
the letter, was killed, Anderson, his colleague
IN the agreement with Sherman, wrote to
Mr. jerks from New Orleans to secure the
letter, which he had heard was found on the
body of Weber when he was killed. Mr..
jerks was not at home when Anderson S let
ter came, but Mrs. jerks opened it, and at
once went to Donaldsville to secure
the Sherman letter, as requested. She
replied 10 Anderson that she had obtained
it, but declined to inclose it to him. Sub
sequently, in a personal interview, she de-
clined to give it up, though, it is said, she
admitted not only to Anderson, but to a New
Orleans lawyer now in Washington, and to
S. 2. Butler, a correspondent here, that she
had Eobtained the letter, that she had read
it, that it was important, and that it was I'M
der her control, though not just then in her
possession. Mrs. jerks called upon Judge
Shellabarger, Secretary Sherman's counsel,
last night and again to-day, and the Republi-
cans are declaring to night that she will swear
tomorrow that she has never seen any such
letter, that she has never written to Secretary
Sherman on any subject whatever, and that,
80 far as she is concerned, the whole story is
myth. If this should prove to be the case,
though it is hardly probable that it will, it is
understood that there are four or five wit
nesses who will swear to the precise dates
when Mrs. jerks admitted her knowledge of
the letter. Mr.. jerks will also be required to
tell what he knows about it, and between the
husband and the wife the existence of such a
letter, it is believed, will be clearly estab-
hshed. If Mrs. jerks does not make the same
statement now that she has repeatedly made
heretofore, she will come INTO collision with
queer mass of collateral testimony in possess
sion of the Democrats. Her husband is said
to be a Federal office-holder in New Orleans.
The proceedings of the committee were without
interest to-day so far as the evidence was
concerned. The voluble disappointment clerk
of the treasury testified further regarding the
efforts to get Anderson an Office, and declares
that he never had any conversation with Sec
rotary Sherman on the subject, and that
when he went to the President at Anderson's
request, the President, by his manner, showed
his aversion to doing anything for Anderson.
Finally it came out that the latter withdrew
his claims In favor of brother, who was APP
pointed an inspector in the Baltimore custom
house. This completed the whole story of
the reward which the administration gave
Anderson for his political services In Louisi-
ana. On being asked by General Butler I'M
der what rule of civil-serVice reform Ander-
sons brother was appointed, the witness an
swered that all the appointments he made
were political. General Butler handled the
witness very roughly, accusing him of being
an unwilling and untruthful one but he did
not create this impression upon the rest of
the committee. The suspicious fact was de-
veloped, however, that very strong letter
from Stanley Marhews indorsing Anderson
was missing from the files OF the appoint
ment clerk, but he protested that he could
not explain it.