Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-04

WASHINGTON, July 3.-Before the Potter
committee to-day,
Emile L. Weber
testified that the conference held in New Or
leans during the count In 1878 was under
stood to have been led by Senator Sherman
witness was assured that if his brother
should stand by his protest, he would be pro-
tected; In compliance with request of Mr..
Sherman, witness went after his brother and
Anderson, and informed them that the visit
ing statesmen were DESTROYS of seeing them :
Anderson, in reply, said, 'tell them to 20 to
hell;" his brother, however, went to Mr..
Sherman, and they had long conversation
regarding the protest; two or three days after
this conversation occurred his brother showed
him Mr.. Sherman's letter of assurance, and
told him that Mr.. Sherman gave it to him at
the conclusion of the conference relative to
him standing by his protest, and remarked
that sit was the best he could do at that
time"
Ques.-Did your brother agree to stand by
his protest? Ans.-He hesitated about doing
SO, but could not we'll avoid it, considering
the pressure which was brought to bear upon
him.
Ques,-Did you have the Sherman letter in
your hands? Ans.-Yes, cir, did.
Ques.-What kind of paper was it written
on? Ans.-It was written on a double-sheet
note paper.
Witness then showed the size of the paper,
which was about half the size of the sheet
Mrs. jerks said the letter was written on;
she claimed that it was written on a single
sheet of commercial letter paper. Witness
said that it was arranged before the election
by Kellogg, Thomas c. Anderson and Pack
ard to secure afidavits of intimidation in the
parishes of East and West Feliciana for the
purpose of throwing out those parishes. He
was assured by Kellogg and others that if he
would use his influence with his brother to-
ward having him make d protest he wit
nessl would be returned to the senate; he
was defeated for the State senate by about
twelve hundred votes, and was returned by
the returning-board as elected by about
six hundred majority.
In reply to Mr.. Hunton, witness stated that
some of the visiting statesmen had. interviews
with Eliza Pinkston before she was brought
those who interviewed her was Senator Sher-
man; he was of the opinion that the Eliza
Plnkston outrage was put-up job.
BY Mr.. Springer-Did you see the affidavit
which Eliza Pritchard, formerly Eliza Pink
ston, published in the New York papers2
Ans.-Yes, sir; and to the best of my knowl-
edge and belief it is true.
Weber then related the circumstances as
told him by his sister -in-law concerning the
visits of jerks to Donaldsonville, ana read
the following letter, which was delivered to
Mrs. Dan Weber by Mrs. jerks:
NEW ORLEANS, May 30, 1878.
MADAM-In the investigation about to
commence in Washington under the Potter
resolution, it is deemed important to have
will bear this to you. Very respectfully,
To Madam D. A Weber, DonaidsonSiiIe.
Mrs. jerks explained to Mrs. Weber that
Sheldon wanted her to go to Washington and
testify; she did not know of the existence of
the Sherman letter; Mrs. Weber refused, I'M
less called upon by the proper authorities;
her arrested and taken to Washington; at
this time brother of u. A. Weber came to
Donaldsonville, and seeing Mrs. jerks, asked
what that woman was doing there again;
whether she was after the Sherman letter;
Mrs. Weber told her brother not to NEEDLE
with her affairs; that she had the Sherman
letter, and knew what to do with it; at this
ter-in-law that he had destroyed the docu-
ment; Mrs. jerks had told Mrs. Weber that
the letter was worth thousands of dollars,
and said she would pay her a good price for
it; Mrs. jerks never intimated to Mrs. Web
err that she had anything to do with the au-
thorshlp of the Sherman letter; always spoke
of it as the letter written by John Sherman,
der the administration.
The paper containing the affidavit was pro-
duced; but Judge Shellabarger objecting to
the affidavit being put In evidence it was laid
over for the present.
Witness submitted in evidence the letter
written him by Judge Marks, now internal
revenue collector at New Orleans, wherein
Marks requested witness to inform him
whether he had received the appointment he
had made application for, if not Marks would
look after it for him; Marks also requested
witness to inform Mrs. Weber that he thought
he could secure her the appointment as post
mistress at Donaldsonvllle, for which she
had once applied and been unsuccessful,
Marks being at that time opposed to her APP
pointment; Marks, previous to writing this
letter, hadibeen to Donaldsonville and re-
quested Mrs. Weber to make a statement to
the effect that she had never known of the
letter; during this visit Marks
told witness and his sister-in-law that they
were both to be summoned as witnesses be-
fore the investigating committee. Witness
stated that as he was under the impression
that the approaches made by Marks were
merely with a view of influencing his testi-
money before the committee he gave him
no encouragement whatever. Marks had
stated to cel tain parties that he could control
Mrs. Weber's testimony before the commit.
tee.
WAshlhGTOH, may 2I
My DEAR SIR-You will please forward to
me or to Mr.. Shellabarger, a list of the names
Of parties to be summoned before the COM
mittee as to the outrages committed in East
and West Fellciana, as to what each man
knows, and briefly what can be proven by
them. Tell Minnie-Mrs. D. A. Weber
what she asked me to attend to | feel conf
dent now that ! will succeed In. She is GER
tain to be witness. and so are you. Have
you received your appointment yet? If not,
let me know at once; write me fully. My
matter Is all right Yours in haste,
MAURICE MARKS.
The Witness-I replied to that letter from
on the day it was received, or
the day after, as follows;
am In receipt of your favor of the twenty
seventh instant. In reply thereto, | must
say that 1T will be extremely difficult to pro-
cure good and reliable Felicianians to testify
about the alleged outrages committed there.
What they have experienced for so doing be-
fore has been such a sad lesson to them that
/! DOUBT II very respectable number could be
INDUCED 70 venture on such afhdavits. ] will
see what Is to be done and write you again.
Madame Weber is not an applicant for office,
and Tor me to accept an appointment now,
might subject my future actions to undue
criticism and to the charge of being improp-
erly influenced. Hoping to hear from you
again, l remain truly yours,
Ell. WEBER
=, Witness continued: applied to Mr.. John
Sherman about two or three months ago for
a position In the customhouse at New Or
leans, and Mr. Hustled, who has been an en-