The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-03
TELEGRA.P':H]-IC. Il:
lTelsgraphsd to the RockI.Iand Argus. !
Io-Dav's Dispatches.
The Potter Investigation.

WASHINGTON, July 3.-Before the
Potter Committee to-day Emilia 5, Weber
testified the conference held in New Or
leans during the count IN 1876, was under
stood to have.been led by Senator Sherman.
In conversation with Senator Sherman,
witness was assured if his brother should
stand by mis- protest he would be protected;
in compliance with the request OF Sher-
man witness went after his brother and
Anderson and informed them the visiting
statesmen were desirous OF seeing them;
in reply said tell them to go toh-l,
his brother however went to see Sherman
and they had long conversation regarding
the protest; two or three days after this
occurred bis brother showed
him Sherman letter of assurance and told
him Sherman gave it 10 him at the con
clusion of the conference relative to him
standing by his protest, and remarked, it
was the best he could do at that time
Odd your brother agree to stand by
his protest.
Ale hesitated about doing so but he
could not well avoid it, considering the
pressure brought to bear upon him.
By Springer.
Odd you have the Sherman letter 10
your hand?
A.-Yes sir. / did.
O.-What kind of. paper was it written
on?
Alt was written on double sheet note
paper.
Witness then showed the size Of the
paper which was about halt the size OF the
sheet Mrs. jerks said the letter was
written on. She claimed it was written on
single sheet of commercial paper.
Witness said it was arranged before the
election by Kellogg, Thos. G, Anderson, and
Packard, to secure afidavits of intimida-
ton in the parishes of East and West
Feliciana for the purpose of throwing out
those parishes. He was assured by KeI-
logg AID others if he would use his III
fuence with his brother toward having
him make protest he, witness would be
returned to the senate; he was defeated for
the state senate by about 1900 votes and was
returned by the returning board as
elected by about 600 majority.
In reply to Hunton, witness stated that
some Of the visiting statesmen had inter
views with Eliza Pinkston in the custom
house before she was brought before the
returning board He thought one of those
who interviewed her was Senator Sherman;
he was of the opinion the Eliza Piukston
outrage was put-up job,
By Springer-Q. Did you see the aft
davit Eliza Pritchard, formerly Eliza
Pinkston, published in the New York
papers?
A. Yes sir. and to the best of my
knowledge and belief it is true
Weber then related the circumstances
as told him by his sister-in-law concerning
the visits of jerks to DonaIdsvile, and
read the following letter, which was deliv-
cred TO Mrs. Danl Weber by Mrs. jerks:
New ORLEANS, May Goth, '78
| MADAME: In the investigation about tC
commence in Washington under the Potter
resolution 1t is deemed important 20 have
you there as u witness at once. Mrs
jerks will bear this to you.
Very respectfully. L. A. SHELDON.
10 Madame D. A. Weber, Donaldsvile
Mr.. jerks explained to Mrs
Weber that Sheldon desired bel
to go to Washington and testify
that she did not know OF the existence q
the Sherman letter: Mrs. Weber refused
unless called upon by the proper authori
ties, whereupon Mrs jerks threatened t
have her arrested and taken to Washing
ton AT this time Z brother of Mrs d. \
" eber came to Donaidsonvile, and seeins
Mrs jerks asked what that woman wa
doing there again and whether she wa
after the Sherman letter. Mrs. Webe
told her brother not to medic with he
affairs; that she had the Sherman lette
, and knew what to do with it. At thi
tiue +. s. Weber had Tot Informed h;
| sister-iu-'aw he had destroyed the docu
ment Mrs jerks had told Mrs Wcbe
; the letter was worth thousands OF dollars
and said she would pay her good pric
= for it, MIS- jerks never iH:imatet 7
e Mrs. Weher she had anything to do witt
e the authorship OF the Sherman letter
always spoke Of it as q letter written b
John Sherman, assuring Weber and An
dersou positions under the misunderstanding
The paper containing the affidavit wa
produced, but Jud ge Sheilabarger ohjecte
to the affidavit being but in evidence,
was laid over for the present.
Witness submitted in eyideuce lette
written 10 him by Judge Marks, interna
revenue collector at New Orleans, wherei
Marks requested witness to iBiurm hin
Marks. whether he had received tn
appointments he had made application fol
if not, Marks would look after
for him Marks also requested witness t
inform Mrs. Weber he thought he c, u
secure her appointment as pos,mistress /
DonaldsonviIle for which she had oDC
applied aud had been unsuccessful, Mark
being at that time opposed to her appoin
ment Marks, previous to writing tn
letter, had been to DonaldsonyilIe and n
quested Mrs Weber to make statemeI
&C. to the effect she had never known Of tt
Sherman letter Witness was under tt
impression the approaches made by Marl
!. were merely with view of influencing h
, testimony before the committee and |
at gave him no encouragement whateve
at Marks had stated to certain parties
h could control Mrs Weber's testimony b
le fore the committee. Witness was, aft
Sc some further and unimportant testimop
ordered to report TO the Louisiana su
committee the 10th inst, when his eros
examination will be begun by Gen. Cox.
The committee then adjourned IN
July 10th.