The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-06-07
Chapter One Of the investigation.

meet John Sherman as an accomplice and
Rutherford B. Hayes as accessory after the
fact, ia presented to day in the testimony of
James Z. Anderson before the Potter com.
mittee The readers of this journal need not
be told who and what the witncss'is and has
been. Ii is sufficient to re ;all the fact that
but for the assistance given by him and his
associate Weber, in the form OF protests
against the canvas sing of the returns from the
east aud west Felicinna parishes in Louisiana,
the vote of that State would not have been
returned for the Republican ticket. The story
told on Saturday has been discounted by press
reports, forcshadowing its tenor, but we ven
turc to say that few Democrats, if any, not in
possession OF all the iacts and fewer Repub-
| licans who were not cOgnizint Of the whole
ciime were prepared for such crushing rev.
| olation of rascaliiy. The first tablcau shows
Kellogg and Others sitting in New Orleans
before the election, deliberately planning to
throw out the vote of these parishes for no
other reason than the Democrats were sure to
carry them In pursuance Of this conspiracy
they contrive TO get Anderson to leave his
parish in the midst of registration, and en-
dcavor to prevent his return, even whcu he
avows his readiness to do so and the alleged
bull dozers guarantee his safety. The cleo
ton takes place and the returns are forward
ed without protest, because in the East Fell
icana case, at least, which is the ona under
consideration there is M cause or pretext for
complaint. In the face of this fact And ,rson
is bGsought by Marshal pitkin, Hugh j.
Campbell, the author of the returning board
law and Others to make fraulrl ut protest
or any sort of protest that NAV be used as an
excuse for disfranchising the pa sh He
yields so far as tn sigaa mild protest in which
there are blank lines, with the understanding
that he is to fill the blanks at leisure, but
soon discovers that. somebody has by f,rg ,ry
saved him the trouble in the insertion of
protest of the most sweeping character. The
same kind turn is done for Weber, and, these
two worthless are about to expose the fraud
when the visiting statesmen appear on the
scene Mr. Sherman intimates a desire to
see them. They meet him at restaurant in
company with Stoughtop, of clerical error
fame, who dscreetly turns hi, head the othe r
way. Mr. Hayes personal representative
and prospective Cabinet Minister is informed
that the protest is forged and that they pro.
pose to denounce it, whereupon he begs them
to stand firm THAT is to let the forgery 60
unchallenged), and promises that they will be
upheld by the administration. Not satisfied
with the terms of this agreement they ask
for an assurance in writing and get it. This
assurance is that neither Mr.. Hayes nor the
gentlemen representing him in this important
business will forget the obligations under
which you have placed u.s." together with a
guarantee that they shall be provided for as
soon after the 4th of March as practicable,
and in such manner as will enable them to
leave Louisiana should they deem it neces-
sary.
The person most Immediately concerned in
the truth of this story, which is rich in its
details, is John Sherman, member of the
present administration. IF it is not true, it
would seem to be an easy matter for him to
disprove it, or failing that, he might at least
deny it. Called to the stand at the request of
his friends he does neither the one nor tie
other At first h says 4 beliere l never
wrote such a letter again, Il have no rec ,l :
lection of writing such letter > again, u
it was written it must have been on a certain
day, and again, L have no recollection of it
Mr.. Sherman has never before shown such
faulty memory usually he is very emphat-
ic in denouncing anything that concerns his
fair fame. He was much more positive in
February last when he wrote these words in
a letter, the original Of which is before us at
this moment
You are mistaken in one thing, and that is
that ever wrote letter to Anderson or ever
did anything in Louisiana which could ever
be construed into wrong. | believe the ele-
ment in Louisiana that is endeavorng to stir
up these prosecutions now acknowledge that
they cannot assail me except by forgery or
perjury. They sought to do this through
Anderson and u Mrs. jerks, but this utterly
failed, and ! have letters from each of them
that no such letter was received or ever was
written.
1t is possible to refresh Mr.. Shermans
memory in either Of two ways-by the pro-
duction Of the original letter, which is said to
be in existence, or by the production of the
letters from Anderson aud Mrs. jerks above
referred to. in which they declare that it was
not written BY all means let his memory
be retle'hei Meanwhile it is interesting to
note whether the alleged and pretty well pro =
ven contract was carried out by Mr.. Hayes
and his advisers A part of Mr.. Anderson S
testimony touches this branch of the subject.
From this it appears that Weber having de :
parted this life, Anderson came on to Wash
ington to claim his share of the price of ST.
lence about the forgery and of the spoils of
the subsequent fraud Of rejecting the returns.
Here Stanley Matthews appears, fitting about
"a 90 between, and through his kind offices
ayes and Anderson are brought face to
face. Well knowing the grounds upon which
he asks to be provided for, the President en- :
tertains his proposition, and although rem nd :
ed in so many words by his considerate visit
or that it is delicate piece of business, h e
promises TO consider the matter and then
turns the troublesome customer over 10 an
other confidential Ohioan, who holds the re-
sponsibe position of appointment clerk. This
tunctionary gives Anderson Blue Book and
with large hearted liberality tells him to pick
out his place. That he did not get the place
seems to have been simply because the ad-
ministration and the candidate differed as to
what sort Of place he ought to have. The
fact is he was given Consulship, whi ch
he declined. aud that his brother was tucke d
away in custom house. How such chain
Of circumstantial evidence is to be broken, and
the administration is to be acquitted of the
grave charges thus formulated, is the problem
that the progress Of the investigation must
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