American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-06-15
THE POTTER INyESTIGA.
TON.
TESTIMONY OF EN- SUPERVISOR AMBER

Der of newspaper men and others were pres
We're appointed a subcommittee to go to
| Florida secretary sherman was represented
| sci. The examination OF james r. Anderson,
| formerly supervisor of Registration of East
telician; Parish, La occupied the entire
was that the election in that parish
was properly conducted and that he for
| tary of State ut New Orleans, unaccompanied
! by any protest. y few days subsequently, he
view with Marshal Pitkin, who expressed sur
prise that lie had sent in his returns unaccom-
| panied by any protest. and alluded to aeon
| versation held with Anderson previous to the
election, in which the latter said he had been
| this Anderson replied that he did not know
/ whether thc intimidation from the
| wiring 10 make Il statement ana swear to
what actually occurred. Such statement
was thereupon prepared and sworn to- 1t
| was to the effect that he( Anderson) had heard
| of several cases of intimidation, but that he
| knew of none of his own personal knowledge.
/ This document, upon being submitted to
Judge Hugh j. Campbell and other
| Republicans, pronounced worth
less, and Judge Campbell there
| upon the statements made in the first paper,
| but containing several blanks one of which
| was in reference to the numbers of voters who
| had been intimidatcd. This paper Anderson
| signed, but did not swear to, the understand
| ing being that he should subsequently fill in
/ the blanks after due consideration of the
| facts i'll the case The paper closed with the
| the protest ut tn" time of making up the re
turns for fear of his life, this being explained
| by witness to the committee as meaning that
| if the people of East Ecliciana knew that he
was going to cheat them out OF the
cr than Hannah. This protest made
and signed on the 10th of November, and
Pitkin informing him, when he asked to
it, that it had gone into other hands. An
derson swears that he then aud there pro
tested to Pitlin and others against
the parish being thrown out on
| "A forged protest, as he suspected was in
pervisor of West Felicana Parish, had va
rious consultations about this time as to the
matter of protest, and the result was the
drawing up and signing of the following Pc
culiar document:
NEW ORLEANS. Nov. II, 1s76.-The under
Registration for the Parish of East Fcliciana,
and ID. 4. Weber, Supervisor tor the Parish
of West Feliciana, Louisiana, have respect
lively refused TO sign any protest against
the counting of the vote of our parishes cast
rs3 sid f 3n the r eaS
that the election held on that day was the
messed by either, and the large gain made by
the Democrats being secured Dy Legitimate
the disquiet and hatred with which large
proportion of the colOred people regard the
present State Government. But the Electo-
raj vote OF Louisiana being necessary TO Sc
cure the election OF Hayes and Wheeler, and
in order to secure such vote it being neces
| and enough Democratic votes in West FeIici-
ana parish to make the parish Republican,
we have for this reason, and for no other,
consented to protest against the counting
OF the vote as cast, and we have
done this at the instigation and request of $.
B. Packard. candidate on the Republican
ticket tor Governor; j. G. Il. P1t<in, L. 5:
the state, and Ghas. +. Nash, Member of CON
sress from the Sixth District. and others.
Sfgnedl ID. \. WEBER.
JAMES Z. ANDERSON.
This was signed in our presence Nov. Is,
1876.
Gsi2nedl GEORGE DICKS,
A. j. WILDER.
sworn before me this 18th day of Novem-
Der, 1876 by the within mentioned Jas f. An
WIN. Ii. SEYMOUR, Notary Public.
The following. bearing date week later
than the foregoing, is also presented.
NEW ORLEANS, Nov. u, Is76.-By arrange
ment entered into this day between James f.
Anderson, Supervisor of Registration for the
parish OF East + enclana La, anu chifles l..
Nash, Member of Congress from the sixth
Congressional District of Louisiana, it is
agreed that said Anderson shall suppress
evidence showing that the sitld parlSh OF
East Feliciana was fairly carried by the Dem
ocratic party at the election held in Novcin-
Der, 1876, thereby clecting the entire Demo
cratic state ticket and Congressman; i'll CON
sideration of which the said Nash agrees to
secure TO the said Anderson the position OF
Naval Oflicer at the port of New Orleans La.
[Signedl JAMES T.. ANDERSON,
C. f. NASH
The above agreement was signed in our
presence this 2Ist day OF November. 1876
lSignedl J. NJ. ToNIIANsoN,
Anderson then gave a detailed account of n
conversation alleged TO have taken place at
an interview in New Orleans between Sena-
tor sherman, Weber and himself, in reier-
ence to the protests upon which it was pro
ana parishes, Mr.. sherman advising them to
''stand firm and they would find no cause to
forget the men who stood by it in the hour OF
PERIL" Not satisfied with the result of this
interview, on the next day Anderson and
Weber addressed the following note TO Sen
ator sherman:
SIE-We have carefully considered the ar
gurnents advanced by you in our interview:
Your assurance that we shall be Ia ken care OF
is scarcely specific enough In case we pur-
sue the course suggested by I yom we would be
fore. state in writing who we shall look to for
the fulfIlment of these promises?
Respectfully, D. n. WEBER,
JAS. L. ANDERSON.
1t was here proposed to put in evidence a
copy of Mr.. sherman's reply to the above
note, the original OF which witness stated
was now or had recently been in the posses
sion of Mr.; stanley Matthews objection be
| ing made by Mr. Shcrman's counsel, Secretary
/ Sherman was sent for, and upon being shown
the paper, swore that he had no recollection
! of ever writing such IL letter, but that If he
/ had done so it must have been at the time
when the returning officers first convened
| to open the returns, which was on the Goth
| At that time the papers had not been opened
| and he knew very little about the transaction.
| The alleged copy of the letter is as follows.
NEW ORLEANS, Nov, 81, Is76.-Messrs. d a.
| WEBER and JAMES +. ANDERsoN:-GeHtiemeR
! Your note OF even date has Just been re-
/ cclNeu- Neither Aif hayes, sell, the gen
/ tlemen who accompany me, or the country
| at large can ever forget the obligations
/ der which you Will have placed us should you
stand firm in the position you have taken.
! From a long and intimate acquaintance with
GOV. HAYES L am justified in assuming the
! responsibility for promises made. and will
! guarantee you Will be provided for IA soon
! after the 4th of March as may be practicable
| and in such manner as Will enable you both
| to leave Louisiana SHOULD you deem it neces
! Sary. Very truly yours,
[signedl JOHN SHERMAN.
Among the documentary evidence present
/ ed We're several letters from Stanley Mat
| thewS to Secretary Evarts, Gen. Harlan and
others, urging the appointment to some Office
of james Il. Anderson; and also letters from
! Matthews to Anderson in reference to the
same matter; congratulations passing be-
/ tween Anderson and Weber, etc.
| Witness gave II long account of his inter
| views with the President, senator Matthews
| and others in reference to his claims for APP
| polntment to Office The position of Consul
| TO Funchal was rendered him, but not dcslr-
| ing to be banlShcd to this lar away place, he
! declined. He was then promised Il position in
/ the Treasury Departneu t, but W hen it came to
/ naming the position he found he to be put
/ on with Il Custom house Inspectorship,w worth
| only from s. to 81 per day Ii then became
| indignant, and in an interview with senator
! Matthews, witness intinlated that the Demo-
| Gratis We're anxious to get up an investigation
| into the Louisiana election. that he had con
| siderable documentary evidence that would
| be valuable to them in such an event, and
| gave him to understand that unless his
| claims were fully and speedily recognized he
| would not he unwilling to dispose OF the doe
umcntS i'll his possession. He then present
! eel as his ultiIuatum that DarFaI b. appoint
( ed Collector ;t New Orleans and that he AN
/ drTson) would he provided tor under DarraIl.
I TO this proposal senator Matthews agreed,
/ the understanding being that in case Dtrrali
! secured the appointment, Anderson was to
| surrender all the papers in hi. possession
I bearing upon thc matter, and also secure
I possession aud turn over the sherman letter,
hoe 4 T.t -.