New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-07


an alleged letter to Anderson. The Mime
sofa Democrats have adopted a platform in
which the investigation is applauded.
The Presidents speech at st. Paul is
spoken we'll of even by his enemies, and will
be used for campaign purposes. Butler dele
gates have been elected in Lowell.
Mr.. TILDEN'S WITNESSES.
LEFT RECOVERING HIS REASON sLOwLY-MEN BE-
ING COACHED TO TESTIFY AGAINST MIR. SHEER
MAN.
FROM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE.l
WASHINGTON Sept. Ga gentleman who has just
returned from New-YOrk visited at the asylum,
while in that city, Mr. Leet, the witness who be-
came insane during his examination by the Potter
Committee. He found Mr.. Leet gradually recover
ing his The latter still insists that he
very badly treated by somebody, and that the only
condition on which he consented to become a wit
ness was the promise that he should be allowed to
tell his story in his own way and should not be
cross-examined by General Butler.
There is no longer any doubt that the Potter Com
mittee has document which purpOrts to be the
original Of the letter which James f.. Anderson says
that Secretary Sherman wrote to him and Don A.
Webber in November 1876 and it is equally GER
tain that the Secretary expects to prove the paper
TO be forgery and to pursue the authors of it with
the greatest vigor. Those agents Of Mr.. Tilden
who, independently of the committee. have been
working up the which they have hoped to
make against the Secretary of the Treasury, and
have carefully coached the witnesses whom they
have arranged for Mr.. Potter to examine, are now
busy in getting together corroboTatIve testimony TO
sustain the theory that the Sherman letter to be
produced is genuine document.
Among other things, it is reported here ex-
col MT al leag two of
Registration from Louisiana were in NewYork
during the last session of the committee in that
city, prepared TO swear in substance, that they had
conversations with Senator Sherman in New
Orleans in November, 1876, in which they received
assurances almost identical with those contained in
the so-callcd Sherman letter, and that the
Senator told them that he had put these
assurances in writing for two of the super
visions. These two witnesses went to New
York, it Is asserted, expecting that they
would be allowed 20 read the written statements
they had prepared. as +. L. Weber did. and would
not be subjected to crOss-examnation. When they
discovered that they would certainly fall into the
hands of Mr.. HiscOck, they concluded that they
would not run the risk. This is the story that is
told among the knowing ones here, and is generally
believed.
1t is proper to add that Mr. Potter is not believed
Of witnesses, and no one supposes that he would
countenance it for a moment.
The coming meeting of the committee will, 1t Is
believed, be very interesting one.
A reporter Of The EreRiHg Star has been making
nquir es to-day with regard to the rumor about the
training Of q witness. Calling first upon Judge
shellabarger the reporter asked; rs It true that
there is evidence of plot TO produce before the
committee a forged letter purporting to be the
herman-AndersOn agreementP
Yes replied Mr.. Shellabarger, 1--WE have In
formation from various that there is plan
for introducing from an alleged mistress Of L. A.
Webber an alleged letter from sherman to Weber
and Anderson, said to have been recently obtained
from the woman. The pretence Is that the docu-
ment +. l.. Weber found in a shoe-box and de-
stroyed was q mere copy. and that this woman will
supply the committee, and has supplied James L.
Anderson & Co., with this letter. II these stories
are true this is but another resort TO forgery, which
has already so characterized this persecution of
Secretary Sherman"
The reporter next visited Representative Black
burn of Kentucky, who is "A member of the Potter
Committee, and asked 4" Is there any truth in the
statement that your committee is going 10 put in
evidence forgery Of the reputed sherman-Ander-
sou-Wehber letter." 60,
There IS not an atom OF truth III IT,, was the
Has the committee possession OF or access 70 the
original of the supposed letter." asked the re-
porter.
Mir blackburn replied | do not wish to say any
thing whatever on that subject. / do not like TO
talk much about the committee, anyway"
The Post the Washington organ OF the Democracy,
asserts in an editorial this morning that the COM
mitee IL at last in position TO prove that he did
write H." -.
Judge Shellabargcr SAID in conversation this
evening that the letter is really matter of very
httle concern 10 Secretary Sherman or TO himself,
but lac admitted that the eYasye reply OF Mr. Black,
burn aud the significant assertion of The Post tend
20 confirm the reports that have reached him re-
garding plot TO produce forgery. He does not
believe that the committee Is party TO any such
folly but thinks the whole scheme is gotten up by
persons who wish to sell their testimony for money
OF places.