The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-29
ANDERsoN's STATEMENT,

Criminal Court for the infamous crime 81
forgery, yesterday made, through the Ptfa~
v,tre. very characteristic statement. Ahdes'-
son evidently thinks everything has gene
wrong In this business. He Is sure the curry
has been stocked to convict bin, ana tlat the
newspapers have aroused SO great prejudice
against him that he cannot Gst TAR trial IN
New Orleans. Speaking Of the light OF the
rang int, the Custom House last Saturday,
he said. with reference tn the jury:
MY information IN regard to the character
of the panel was such as to convince me that 1t
was organized to convict without reference TO-
the testimony in my behalf, or the absence Of
testimony agair st me believe that II ] had
appeared on Friday last would have been
tried and convicted before Saturday night not no.
information, or any evidence implicating me
in It could have been found but because i was
80 svsess ana a at re list
Of names of persons composing the
panel Here Gen. Andersen produced Z
have searched TIL L list diligently. and eah
find on 1t the name Of only one person, Mr..
Becker, with whom have, any, personal %, ae-
be true that not only does this list not embrace
single colored man. but there is not one he
publican on it from beginning t9 end Does , any
jury thus maze up could have any assmr-
ance Of an impartial trial? It is said that Re
publicans would be sure to acquit me.
On the same principle Democrats would be
sure to convict me
Anderson's opinion of the jury. we fear. is
coored deeply by his apprehensions OF the
law. It has been many years since such
Jury as the present one was impaneled In the
city Heretofore the people have complained
that the juries were stocked in the interest
Of lawhreakera, and IL is q healthful sign
when that class complain that the jury has
been stocked in the interest OF society.
The personnel of the present panel is very
high; ii ia composed of men Of intelligence
and of business and social standing, who
have as little motive In or inclination to con
Wet an innocent man as they have to permit
guilty one 10 escape the penalty of his crime.
II Anderson is innocent as he claims to be.
he has nothing TO fear from the jury. If it be
proved that he Is guilty. we have no doubt he
will be convicted, because his jury Is likely to
be composed of good and true men who will
protect the sacredness of the laws and the
well-being of society.
The fact that there are no Republicans on
the panel Is matter Of no consequences. The
Jury commissioners filed the jury wheel with
the names only of good citizens, and If no Re-
publicans are found among them the reason
is not that the jury has been stocked. but
that there are few or no Republicans among
the classes from whom the jury was selected.
1t would be idle to deny that there Is mu3h
strong feeling against Anderson and Wells in
this community. But II that were sufficient
reason for q change of venue where Is the
habitable spot IN the American Union to which
the trial could be transferred The feeling
here. decided as 1t is is not 80 strong as TO
render it difficult for Anderson to obtain fair
trial The crime with which he Is charged
was perpetrated more than year ago and all
the excitement and much Of the bitterness
IL aroused have died out. For months
the press of the State has had lit
tie to say about the subject. The
DEMOCRAT which from the first com
mended the authorities for these prosecutions.
az the time Of trial approached ceased its de-
nunciations of the accused. simply because 1t
desired that when they were brought to the
bar of justice they should have an impartial
and unprecedented hearing The press and
officials Of the State have been exceedingly
iudicious and generously Just in this respect.
and we are quite ready to believe that these
men will get u more impartial hearing before
Judge Whitaker than they could get in almost
any court outside of Louisiana.
Whatever injury their cause has sustained
from recent events has been the result Of their
own acts. Their desperate effort to obtain a
transfer of their trial from the State to the
Federal courts did not conciiate public senti-
ment in the least: and their hasty and heed
less flight into the Custom House, when the
transfer was refused, has been very naturally
accepted by the country az almost confess
sion of guilt, while the insolent attempt of the
Federal officials in that building to protect
them from arrest has excited considerable in
dignation. For all these things the accused
have themselves to thank.
But we do not believe that this case has
been in the least preiudiced. The people are
calm and they desire only that justice be
done; the jury is one of the best ever drawn
In New Orleans: the prisoners have able and
energetic counsel, and are arraigned before an
honest and able Judge, with the right OF APP
peal to a Supreme Court, the high character
and scrupulous integrity of which have never
been surpassed anywhere. Justice, therefore
strict Justice. we think will be melted out in
these trials to the members of the Returning
Board.