Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-07-03
grarkI 3 ssningtOn.
SPECIAL TO TIE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
WASHINGTON, D. c.. July 3.

THE POTTER INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.
OoIy two members Of the committee, Messrs.
Hun,on and Springer, Were preseat at the morn
iop hour of The committee this morning, Tut
Mr.. Morrison came 10 at one o'clock. No re-
publican member was present, but MIR. Sbel!a'
barger, Mr.. Sherman counsel, acted 10 their
stead.
f L. Weber again took the witness chair,
and testified that Immediately after the election,
the visiting statesmen scot by Gen. Grant to
New Orleans, held caucu5es with the leadl0g
radicals of Louisiana that j. b. Anderson
protested against the use OF the protest he had
filed 10 the East Feliciana case ; that these
caucuses were aware Of Anderson 8 objections to
the use of the protest he bad made and OF his
attempt to get back his protest that Secretary
Sherman was considered the leader OF these
caucuses that Sherman had told witness that
bis brother was be5itatiEg about tue use OF
protest be bad made, and that if he, the wit.
ness, would use his Influence with his brother
to induce him to consent to let the protest stand,
be should be paid well for it. that Secretary
Sherman 10 his, the witness, presauce, told his
brother that if he would allow bis protest to
staot he ohould be we'll provided for he had
seen Sherman sitting at table 10 the restaurant
to which Anderson IN lis testimony bad refer
red, with Anderson Oh one side Of him and the
witness brother on the other side; that the fol.
lowing day, or the day after, bis brother showed
him the letter Secretary Sherman had written
to him and Anderson, promising enimnunlty
and Office for the parts they might take 10 the
fraud that he took the letter 10 bis own hands
aud read ii; that it was written on sheet OF
note paper that it filled two pages and rsa
over on the Sd page; that Smith, now the col.
lector of New Orleans. Was accused ct ma.
nipulatiug election returns; that the reason
the returning board threw out some republican
votes was that they thought it would not look
right to throw Out so many democratic votes
without throwing cut at the same time lew
votes On the other side it was we'll understood
before the day of election by the radicals that
the vote of East aud West Feliciana were to
be thrown out and that all the arrangements
for that purpose had been effected; that he, the
witness, Waq a candidate for the State Senate !;
that Kellogg, Gen. Anderson and Packard had
tod him they would sec that he was declared
elected if he would make his brother stand up
to his protest that he was fairly beaten by
| 200 votes, but that the returning board did
declare him elected by 700 majority; that there
was no ground for throwing those votes; he
believes that if there had been full vote
he would have been elected, hut the plan was
TO have no republican votes cast, so as to throw
out the returns Of the parish, and that
Packard told him that it did not matter
whether the republicans got single vote
in Fast or West Felioana, as he. Pack
ard was going 10 have the State anyhow,
aud that the State would be counted for Hayes;
that Kellogg had employed jerks to keep An
derson the registrar of East Feliciana away
from there 80 as to prevent registration and
so afford grounds Tor throwing uut tho vote Of
that parish, and exhibited letter from jerks
money had been given jerks to get Anderson
drunk and keep him away from the parish and
that they so far succeeded that he was kept
away for considerable time and somc four or
five hundred democratic votes failed to be reg.
istered 10 consequence; that the visiting states
men advised the stretching Of the election laws
to even greater extent than had been done in
1874; that Elizabeth Pnkston was interviewed
by Secretary Sherman and other visiting states
men before she was brought on sofa to appear
as witness; that the Pinkstou affair was put
up job, and that some of the visiting statesmen,
Mr.. Shermen among them, was aware of it alt
the time; he, the witness, knew it to be so, and
which she declared that she was induced to do
and say what she did by promise of $500,
only $50 of which had been paid her, was to
the best of his knowledge and belief true
that Mrs. jerks csmo to the house Of his
sister 10 Law for The Sherman letter, but
wac denied admission, because bis sister
10 law said she was not lady, and was
endeavoring to trade upon the letter her dead
husband had received, and which would bring
shame and Disgrace unon herself and her child
rec; that Mrs jerks told her she had let
ter from gentleman in New Orleans, asking
herto be witness; that she must, when witness,
deny any knowledge of the Sherman letter,
that her expenses to New Orleans and Wash.
iogton would be paid AID that if she did not
consent to 60 Sergeant ct arms would be sent
after her; that brother Of his lister in law,
coming up at the time, told her to say that she
had 90 letter SO as to keep Mrs. jerks away
from there; that bis sister 10 law replied l have
tho letter, but know what to do with il: be
read letter from Mrs. jerks to Mrs. Weber,
sskiDg her to look amoGg her husband raper5
for the letter, and telling her how valuable it
was, and that she should be paid for it, that
Mrs jerks had stated, in the presence Of wit
| uesses, tina: she knew the letter was written and
also It's contents
MT. OnelIauaISeF oLJ5clcu " 'lt lutiouuo
lion of the Pinkston confession 10 the evidence.
The witness continuing. said kellogg had
told him, the witOess, that the votes had been
counted aod added up and I'VE are beaten
after ALL because, though Packard and the
republican legislature arc elected, the republicans
did not vote for all the presidential electors ID
all the parishes. AID that only ELK republican
electors had majority. the remaining Two
beiog democrats" that the returning board were
induced to make recount aud count 10 sill the
republican electors by the visiting statesmen,
wno promised them the support of the govern
men, that the ground for doing 80 was
afidsvits procured from dead men, or those
who gigned them 10 blank, which blanks we're
filled up subsequently,; that money was used to
corrupt The legislature, but that feelings OF
dellcacy made him dislike to disclose the names
Of those implicated.
Mr.. ShelIabarser moved that no feeliors OF
dclicecY be allowed to hinder The prosecution OF
the case.
The witncss was informed that he W1uil be