The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1878-02-01
PRISON GATES AJAR.
THE VISITING STATESMEN TO BE
INDICTED.
Trial OF Returning Board Anderson
How the Returns were Doe
lOred for Hayes.

New ORLEANS, January 31.-Attor.
uey.General Ogden and Assistant At.
torney- General Esgan for the State
John Ray, h. G. Costellamo and E
North for defense.
Mr.. Franklin, supervisor of registra.
traitor of Vernon parish, was recalled
He said all other alterations or consoli-
dated statements besides those relative TO
Presidential electors were at poll and
poll Q. All votes cast at poll 2 were for
the Constitutional amendments; none
against them. The returns produced in
Court showed SO votes against the
amendments. At poll 9, as to the
amendments, q similar change OF 81 votes
made, when the entire vote there
was for amendments.
Franklin testified that the return he
forwarded showed that Elan, for Con-
gress, and Nichols and the other Con-
servstive candidates for State Offices re-
ceived the entire vote cast at poll 2,
while the returns in the court shows 81
votes for the Republican candidates for
the same Offices at that poll. lie said
that the record had been changed in
polls 2 and 9, and in the total amount of
votes cast. The totals for electors have
been changed as follows: The Demo-
cratic electors received CAT votes, and
the Republican total was 2; also for
member of Congress, Elsm G49; and l
for Smith. These figures have been
changed.
By Mr.. Castellsmo-The information
| charges that 394 votes were deducted
from the Tilden electors. You have the
consolidated returns, will you please eI-
plain how this is? A. really cannot
say.
Cross-examined.by Mr.. Ray l CON-
piled with all theI requirements of the
law. appointed the commissioners OF
election. There were ten polling places
In that parish. There was list returned
to me of all the votes, the tally sheet and
the statement showing the number of
votes cast for each candidate. Being
asked whether he had observed the act
of 1876 in appointing the commissioners,
he asked the counsel to read the law TO
him. After it was read he answered,
yes. l did not comply with the law in
appointing the representatives from diff
ferent political parties, because there
were none. / am satisfied that there are
sixty or seventy registered colored voters
in this parish. l don't think there were
more; among that number could
not find ten. did not a..
point any Republicans or colored
Commissioner OF Election. There were
two Republican votes cast. 1t was the
second day after the election. made
out the consolidated returns. was
assisted by the two commissioners and
my assistants did the writing. signed
it after it was revised by me. do not
think compared 1t with the tatiy sheets
before signing. / did not mail it rom
the seat of Vernon parish, but thought it
safe to mail it from Alexandria. l en-
closed ststemen. with the re.
turn, which l mailed to the
Board of Returning Officers. Senator
Texads was present when it was
mailed. / forwarded it to the Returning
Board two consolidated returns; the other
was sent through Senator Texsdo by
hand, and they corresponded. A state.
ment accompanied this return, made By
me, OF ten votes cast at poll No. l. There
was no protest to the election Whatever.
l did not comply with the law in send
ing my tally sheets with the returns.
When l arrived at Alexandra | found
| had not understood the law. | then
copied of the tally sheet and sent 1t
with duplicate Of the returns by Mr..
Texsds. From my construction OF the
law l thought it advisable to send the
duplicate and statements by Texads and
not by mail, because / deemed it sstsfsc-
tory TO send them.
Rs-exsmined by Assistant Attorney
General Esgsn-Being shown 8 docu-
ment the witness said "This is the
statement sent by me along with the re.
turns"
Mr.. Esgsn offered the staten ent
in evidence and read some, it being re-
port from the witness to Michael Hahn
State Registrar of votes, showing that
illegal votes were cast and ten other
votes on the certificates OF 1872.
Hon. l.. TexsdA called by the State,
testified, the document being shown, this
looks like document l first saw st my
house a. the Parish Of Rspides; the
figures are not the same. l saw this
document sealed up and put in the post
office at Alexandria. The change is in
the figures 81 which were blanks, as slso
the figures 81 to the Hayes electors. |
see l78 for Peter Joseph when 1t should
be 2. As to the Democratic electors,
SO far as l remember, the Til
den electors were marked 647 votes.
The only alterations are at the
polls Nos. and g. A sealed package
was delivered to him by the mail carrier,
stating that it WAS copy Of the con-
solidated returns and tally sheels. l
brought them TO the city and handed
them TO Major T. A Burke, who sent
them to the Secretary of States Office.
Cross examined by Mr.. Costellsnos-
| live fo-ty-fve miles from the seat OF
Vernon Parish. The package wss de-
lvered 20 me early in the morning. Mr.
j. b. McGhee, Clerk OF Supervisor OF
the registration Of Vernon Parish, and
John Franklin, Jr, son Of the supervisor,
corroborsted the statements Of the latter,
regarding the alterations in the returns
from polls No. 2 and 9, and the total re-
| turns.
Secretary of Stste William A. Strong,
produced the isbulsted returns ST
Vernon Parish, and the State, signed
by the accused (Anderson,) which
contain ed the forged figures. Dr.. lsssc
l.. Crowerns, prominen. physician, and
Mr.. John Douglass, an engrsyer, as eT.
perts, explained the alterations and the
clumsy manner in which the same and
slso the erasures were done to The jury.
WASHINGTON, January S0-An un-
der current of excitement hSs been oc.
casioned BY sensational reports from
New Orleans, indicating that indictments
have been found against Messrs. Sher-
man, Matthews, Garfield and Stoughton,
IS accessories 10 the alleged frauds By the
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