The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-06-20

To the Associated Press,
Washington, D. G., June II The Potter Inves.
tigating Committee had short session to-day and
H. Conquest Clarke, late Private Secretary to
Governor Kellogg, was crosseXamined by Mr..
Mcmahon relative to the second set of Louisiana
Electoral certificates Witness said: 1.-THE two
lists of returns lay on the table in the Committee
room at New Orleans, according to his present
memory, until he gathered them mp for forward.
ing to the Secretary of State after the signatures
were complete. The only parties signing in the
pIesence of witness that he remembers were Gov
ernor Kellogg and Mr.. Brewster. He thought
there were one or two others who signed i'll his
presence, but could not be positive as to that Did
not know where Levisse or Joffrion were at the
time of the signing of the second set of Certif-
Gates and could not say positively whether or not
they signed personally, but was Of the opinion
that the signature appearing on the certificate is
that of Joffr.On, being familiar with the gentle.
mans signature.
@. Wasn't 1t we'll known fact among the pol
iticians In Louisiana that Judge Levlsse was not
In town at the time the papers in question were
signed? A. 1t was certainly not known to me.
Mr.. Mcmahon questioned the witness as to who
signed the names of Joffrion and Levisse, and
witness replied he knew absolutely nothing about
O. Did General Anderson take anysupervlsion
of the papers? A. don't know.
y. Wasn't the matter In your charge1 Now
come right down to the plain truth-it was in
vour private room when you were preparing the
Governors message. A. No, it was not in my pri-
vate room; had obtained the key to It, The
Senator Masseco, had the keys to It, but II was no
longer his room as he was out Of the Legislature,
not having been re elected.
@. And did you leave the papers there over
night when he had the keys to the rOom2 A..
Yes, sir
@. Did you leave, then, these purposelyP A..
oh, no that is 1 did not leave them there that
anything might happen to them. l did not re-
gard them as Important l regarded the first GER
tiicates as strictly complying with the law in
every respect.
@. Do you mean to say you set up your opinion
against the advice Of friends in Washington A.
did not set up any action as against friends in
Washington but my individual opinion inhuen-
ced my thoughts. II they had been the first set of
returns l think l should rather have taken q
much closer cogniZance OF them, or else not at
all.
O. You expressed no surprise 10 find Levissee's
and JoffrlOn's name In the paperH A. No, sir.
Q, Wasn't It known TO you politicians in town
and to you yourself that Judge Levissee was not
In town. A. 1t was not known 70 me.
Q. Wasn't Levissee the man about whom there
had been talk Of his getting 81 0007 A. Yes, sir.
Q. He was conspicuous character thereH A..
Yes, sir.
O. Wasn't It known to you and others of the
same party that neither Mr. Joffrion nor Lev
issoe we're In town at the time the papers were
signed1 It was certainly not known to me- and
don't know II to Anderson.
Q. You did not put the names on the paper
A. No, sir (emphaticaly).
Q. Didn't you know the State Of Louisiana
would settle the election for Hayes and Wheeler
A. Certainly; was quite certain that If genu-
Inc certificate could be made, the first was genu-
inc.
By the Chairman-Q. You mean valid certif.
cater A. Yes, that is my meaning.
Mr. Mcmahon, who was questioning witness,
objected somewhat to the Interpolation Of the
Chairman, and said he did not agree with him as
to the meaning Of the witness.
A. Let me give you the train Of thought run
ming in my mind, and you will see why meant
valid. The same law which says there shall be
two lists also says that to each Of these lists shall
be attached the certificate Of the Governor, and
that the same law provides that the Governor
shall prepare for this purpose three certified lists,
ana never could see how three certified lists
could be attached to six certificates, II six were
required.
W. Whoh yoA SolAo w 6Ch uP hlS'O hSW SOAdh-
Gates how happened you to place these lists on
these certificates outside Of those2 A. Because
understood that the President of the Senate de-
clined to receive them for that reason.
Q. So that General Anderson pointed out two
defects2 A. Yes.
O. Who requested you to write to Judge Marks?
A. 7 think Governor Kellogg.
@. By stenger-What is the full name of that
man that had the keys to that Committee-room
A. J. NJ. MassecO, l believe.
O. What position does Judge Marks hold now
A. Collector Of Internal Revenue in New Orleans.
sheilabarger here whispered a few words to
General Cox, aud the latter said:
O. will ask question that has been suggest
ed to me. Please describe, as near as you canthe
condition OF Understanding by business every
one that surrounded Governor kellogg and his
ofice-duriDg that time; the number OF people
crowding upon him, and the impoESibility Of bis
aifanding paknQnallY q mafien Qf detail A.