The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-01-29
THE RETURNING BOARD.
Packing a Jury to Convict
Them.
Disclosures Damaging to the Ad-
ministratiOn Threatened,

New YORK, Jan. pa special from New
Orleans last night says the excitement in the
Returning Board cases has somewhat abated
At an interview with Anderson, Kenner and
Cassanave, in the parish prison, Anderson
stated that that the reason they hid in the Gus
tom house was to gain time, that on the present
jury in the Superior Criminal Court there ia
not single colored man. The jury was drawn
to convict them and their only object was to
gain time.
He intimated pretty bitterly that the effect
OF their treatment by the administration might
lead to something unexpected, but he refused
to say what. In conversation with prison off,
Gals, however, the trio have expressed them
selves to the effect that if they are deserted by
those they placed in power, they will make dis
closures exceeding unpleasant. The two COL
ored men are exceedingly down-hearted. They
say there is no hope for them with a packed
Jury and every one arrayed against them. An
derson. though dispirited at times, grows fierce
and bitter
1t is said that intimations have been received
from certain leading Democrats that if the Re.
turning Board would show Hayes election to
be fraud their prosecution will cease 1t is
certain that the members of the Returning
Board are in their last straits, and are rapidly
becoming desperate. Leading Republicans say
they can see no way in which Hayes could help
the board, except by an open violation of the
law, which be dare not do, and therefore the
chances for the exposure are now near at
hand.
A Washington despatch says: Attorney
General Devens says that by the last accounts
received by him everything in New Orleans
was quiet and no probability exists of any
trouble. The directions he gave were that the
process OF the courts should be recognized and
obeyed, SO far as relates to the action of the
Federal authorities. In other words he did
not think that the United States custom house
or any other government building, should be
used as an asylum or place of refuge against
the service of a criminal process issued by prop
er authority of the courts. 1t is matter in
which, as now presented, the United States
government cannot interfere, as the difficulty
is purely a local matter. His action in the
premises, as indicated by his reply to the tele-
gram received by him about the situation, was
taken promptly, he says, without any consulta-
tion with the President, and it is doubtful if
the President knew anything about it Attor-
ney General Devens is decided about the pro-
priety of recognizing the authority of the state
courts In matters of proper jurisdiction and
process OF law IN cases coming under them.
The Attorney General does not look for anv
further trouble from the arrests just made in
New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 2S.-Three of the ac-
cused members of the Returning Board-An-
dersop, Cassanave and Kenner-were brought
to the bar OF the Superior Criminal Court to-
day; The counsel for T. Q. Anderson filed a
motion for change of venue, alleging that he
could not have fair trial in this parish, pre-
JUDGE against him having increased in the last
few. days. After the argument Judge Whit
aker stated that jury had been drawn in
most impartial manner, and was of a conscien-
nous honest aud unimpeachabe character
The Attorney General renewed his motion for
a severance in the trial and said the state wish
ed to try the case versus Wells first, but as he
had not come forth he would call up the case of
Thos, Q. Anderson. The Court granted the
motion for severance and the case of State VS..
Thomas =: Anderson was then considered fix
ed for trial. Witnesses were called and the
mpannelling of Jury was proceeded with.