The New York herald., 1878-08-17
4 Session that Was Amusing
in the Extreme.
LEETE, THE IRREPRESslBLE
he Favors the Committee with
His Autobiography.
EPIST STOLARY GEMS.
Democratic Subterfuges in the
Campaign Of '72.

oAAAPCASiA ~ IL.
The ssssion oi the Potter Investigating Committee
yesterday was brief and not enhvsned by the pres
ence OF General Butler Tho entire session oc-
cuped BY the irrcpressbe Lests who took the oppor
tuny OF supplying the reporters present with ample
material for complete obituary sketch All this was
little better than broad farce, and the uproarious
laughter OF the audience showed that they appreciated
II 40 such and thoroughly enjoyed tho iua.
PERSONAL ExPLANATIoN.
Nj. Leete had t.personal expianation' TO mako ut
the opening OF the proceedings. He complained OF
having been alluded to IN morning paper ~ "a
Louisiana liar pretended tell the truth" The
witness then propoundsd this weighty question, Who
is whiielaw Reid p" which raised shout of laughter
Nobody Offering any reply the witness answered his
question by saying. "He's tho father Of carpet
bssgcrs" (LaughteE)
Ar. Potter-Mr. Stsngcr very properly objects 70
ths as NO tssti nony This IL your trouble with
gentleman with which the committee have nothing
10 do The committee nna articles In the papers ALSO
but they don't reply tS thcp.
The witness, In loud, ringing voice. read from
q little notebook foug, verbose Autobiography,
which, very oddly, opened with an alusion to his
''modes,y,' AZ, ,foiIows:--Being modes. enough 10
nave stood Kellogg s.shadow and clean enough
70 have pussed through John shermans hell without
being seorchsd. am denounced as u liar because
don't couioss thas I'm thist" (Lsughtcr)
EyrEc1 OF A SWEET GIRLS song
This remarkable and unique "explanation" en-
Sraced detailed and painsSaEing account OF when
and where be had u cough, when it left him ana when
Il returned; Of how his hair came huudiuls
alter the war; poetca sketch oi his marriage and
romantic description Of his BRIDE "a Creole lady"
The statement related how he was born
drawn into tho Uuion army at the premature age OF
fourteen by the song Of 'tsweet Northern grip who
warbled "When This Cruel War is Der" (Laughter.)
With melancholy pathos Leste added "Beforc the war
was over she was anosher's" The Audience were 10
porfccs convulsions OF hilaritY while tho 'Itatemen
was read, but Lses's serious countenanco
relaxed even into the faintest smile.
The witness was launching into an elaborate
explanation Of how hs q 'rsiormsr," " came 70 join
the Kellogg wing Of the party, when Mr.. Potter driy
said:-"Mr Leete. I wisn you would be gooa cnougn
TO answer my question now whether you nave any
letters from Govesnor Keilosg bearing snis M
wtness-l am not through yet. loud iaoghtcr.)
a DEsCxSpASr oLivgR CROMWELL.
sncu wnciner u man Was q GOOD family or not, aud
went ON 10 point out Tho genealogical history Of his
eInoi, kinsman ei Oliver Urom wsL VINO his great
unces and great-aunts wore, how his female cousins
xsr M poets a.s waSws
oration and exubsrau1 wealth Of dctai he chAcEged
AMID loud laughter, that olue.blooded fraud 10 pro.
duce better parent Than hts, hts father having
been = cirouit court judge OF Aiss0uri and '.wsI
known aemocralic poitt'ciAn OF that state"
avaianshs OF material fer nrst rate obituary notice,
returned 70 hrs question Ies,ss exoianasion" hav.
ing now already occupied good hall hour.
LxrrKKs.
Leete produced n numbsr oi letters which, he said,
intense gus,o and the kee1est relish Of every wora
Alter every sentence which he thought went TO show
ho paused with sst,siaction though he were in-
wardiy stnacxine his lips over tne fact These let
ters, lie explained, wore only few out Of
"barrsl tulip which had lost. Between
the letters tho witness sandwcnod In all sorts of
arcicaI comments, cownish side hIust and personal
reminisccnsws Of Louisiana rascalities. Whenever
Congressman Darrell or amy or his friends wanted
anything IRON Kellogg sbsy threatened him with the
blll which they had got lntr osuced 10 ordor new
election III Louisiana. Kellogg came near "cieaning
Darrell out," but tho witness him, aud, Leets
RenoiC arpropris,,Ds $500 600 for inc sufferers ny
tns Mssissippi overflow IN 1874, was partly intended
10 lake oAfS'' Of ths colorcd voicfs.
0sNrLY REPRIMASD.
Lecte now incurred u gentle reprimand from Chair
uiau Potter He had said that In the election OF 1874
came 10 New Orleans ON the neesr sub committee.
Mr. Pottcr-l bad not she pleasure OF seeing you.
witness (chcekhy)-ruaps when you ran Phelps
and Foster-as called 1.-TWO very soft specimens
Mr.. Potter reprimanded The sontimsni, and spoke
nighly OF the character AMI SERVICES vi those Two
gentlemen. Lceto looked TO the ground Tor some
inmates ana said nothing
He produced y number OF letters from Congressman
Sasn '3ust TO show what q Iunatic he was" from
seuat.r Vest and others Mr. Potter asked him
wnethsr he know shs Jenks family. He replied tnat
bs know all the male members Of the family put
always very careful nsvor 10 know the 'she"
lLaushtcE)
Nash ~ tue wines. bearing on the alleged attempt OF
DArra 10 sell out the republican party 10 the demo-
Srsa,sa Sa % sna used IN The III: s,sosion Of % isas 1i
By I.,rai eos. ,"aS; Ps,SSss Grant,
Will In lOr n ltut af fact tho re.
mainder of tho ticket tanned The names OF all tho
democratic electors and state and county candidates,
running ior Congress- Tnis considered a proof
that DArrsli had sold out The party.
rEw CHOICE LETTERS.
Out OF the nio ot letters prva by the witness
(niaby OF which were purely personal and the
tsAt,on) the following ars selected the
1--WE HAVE A PiLR OF nIsToRY.''
WiLLAgD's HorsL, wAsHIxcrox. Feb. 10, 1877.
NY DkAs rsesived your lett several days
tn. @ snS lime s. IS ~ss ss ssy sSs
pope se s.vs anu ,%s Us Il sss 0r .. .r sSSS
tue 4,h ot March lhs and has beeu the struggle
i@%sdis,siy .s,sSI.ssss +. denial the i@.. Dom,
n.S- .nsy 1 ~ H., ,S sSso% ~ SEQ .s% y 9, our
fssssfd viii be recognized. no doubt. by Hayes Il
sssas ;: is Dss sro Il.
sa S % e IL. ..'s va. S
spsas wonder could only occur in such wcnSer
n' wy Sass ses So~ vii
as @ IT, wsss me "hsass.r ySs cam SnS q tine.
you booxs let Whene ysu get into
another hold tight TaAe OF the babies
Lord has kindiy blessed you with your
we hope TO before long and will then talk of
tue In after. Yours very truly. W. 4. kkLLUGG.
r. r. You ught occasionally to write letters TO the
Nafss Hap,rs Weekly, Yofk Ttps OHIO Tribane
CHIC STATE Josynnt
"LEr rmE TAIL 90 WITH ruE ErDE.n
WiLLARDs liorEL lst April IT
Mr bRAR LgsK ~ received your letters Lewis be
mistaken for did Morton In his presence except
as introduced Morton aud Lewis There US not word
ssid beyond the compliments OF the Morton
said such thing In presence, and dont bciieyc he
ever said II 10 any II Nichols Legislature we're 10
ccs republican senator upon compromise whoever e
might be, depending Nichols certificate alone he
would not be sd1ted; democrat would stand the same
M lie san