The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-14
POTTER'S NET.
AND WHAT WAS CAUGHT IN III YEF5-
TERDAY-GEN. SMITHS EN-
ANIMATION.
Anderson Appointed on the strength 0f
Matthews recommendation
conveniently Lost, or Never Filed.

uation committee met at noon and resumed
tire examination Of Gen. Y. G. H. Smith, who
stated that he had searched among his papers
and found no copy of any letters sent by him
To Senator Matthews. He said that he had
gone to the Executive Mansion this morning
and ascertained from the records that the
Conn letter had been referred to the treasury
Department, March 10, 1877.
MIR. Butler--A letter from Senator,
brought by person recommended IN that let.
Ter for appointment, Is usually filed, is 1t notS
Answer-That depends entirely upon how
it Is addressed; II to the appointment clerk or
Secretary Of the Treasury, 1t Is filed.
Odd you see the President about Ander-
son after you had received the second letter?
Answer-No; / never saw the President
about Anderson but once
Question-Did you hear about AnderSons
appointment as Consul to Funchal
A.-No; 1t would have made no difference Ii
had.
answering my questions.
The witness3It will give me great pleasure
Q.IHave you the telegram from. Senator
Matthews, mentioned by you yesterday?
Ayes; l found two copies.
Mr.. Butler-Here is O telegram dated June
II, which reads: Letter RECEIVED; no answer
needed" signed Stanley Matthews. When
AIN my personal files this morning;
Q--Now, then, you wrote letter, did you
derson. and YOU told him you did not know
anything that the letter contained
A.--That is my recollection.
Q.--And that was before you wrote the let
ter of the twenty second
A.--No; l think it was after,
Q.-What makes you think so2
Al think 1t was in consequence Of my in
timation to him as to the contents of MIR.
Matthews letter Of the twenty-second.
Gen. Butler read from the record the letter
OF Anderson to Matthews of June 10, wherein
Anderson complains of the position Of inspec-
tor of customs being offered to him, and then
referred to Matthews letter OF the twenty
second, wherein the latter says that he met
Anderson on the cars, and that Anderson ex-
pressed himself as satisfied:
The witness-That entirely confirms what
will find letter from Anderson of the date Of
the twenty-eighth wherein he says that Gen.
Smith had shown him Senator Matthews let
ter.
Question--Is this the only letter you showed
Anderson
Answer-T did not say / showed any.
Q.--Is this the only letter you communi-
Gated the text OF?
A.-Yes, sir.
Gen. Smith was questioned at some length
as to the time when he transmitted to Senator
Matthews Anderson'S letter, and stated that
he thought it was on June 20. He said that
Anderson was dissatisfied with the offer Of q
clefkship in the Treasury Department, but
He did not learn from either the President
nor from Anderson that the latter had been
to the President before he went there with
witness.
Gen. Smith then handed Mr.. Butler two
letters from Anderson to himself.
Question-Had you any personal or friendly
relations with Anderson when you received
these letters?
Answer-Well; nothing, more than that I
had obliged him In several ways.
Odd you oblige him officially or In q
matter of personal friendship?
Al did not analyze my motives at the
time, and cannot tell.
Gen. Butler then read the following letter:
WASHINGTON, July II, 1877
To Gen. Y. @. H. Smith, appointment clerk, etc.
Dear Sri withdraw my application for q
position in your department, and ask instead
for the appointment of my brother, John nj.
Anderson, as inspector of customs In Balti
more. will be satisfied with that.
Yours truly JAMES e. ANDERSON.
Question-Did you consider that personal
letter?
Gen. Butler then read the following:
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, April 80, 1878.
Mn Dear GeneraLHas Senator Matthews
said anything to you, or made any arrange
ment with you, about the appointment Of O
custom house in this city? Please answer at
your earliest convenience and oblge
Yours truly, JAMES E. ANDERSON.
To Gen. Y.C Fl. Smith. appointment clerk, etc
Q,-Then it appears that the Conn letter was
the only letter regarding Anderson on file in
the department?
A.-Yes.
Cen Butler called witness attention to
ADdersons testimony, to the effect that Sena-
tor Mathews had told Anderson in Cincin-
natl that he had written such letter to the
President as would insure Anderson's ap-
IyoI hnry +hu%I
ON file.
Gen. Smith said it was not.
Q.-Do you consider it very fortunate that
that letter Is lost?
A.-No; do not.
Gen. Butler then asked Gen. Smith upon |
whose recommendation he suggested Ander-
sons brother for an appointment in the Bal |
timore custom house, to which witness re- |
piled that he did iton the strength of the let |
ter sent him by Senator Matthews.
Qe-Now, Mr.. Smith, were you in con-
ference last night with a counsel as to |
your appearance here?
This question gave rise to an animated dis
cussion Gov. Cox again rebuking Gen. Butler
claiming the right to choose his own course.
Mr.. MacMahon also sustained Gen. Butler
and said 1t was customary to ask witnesses
whether they had been in consultation with
counsel or any one else.
Mr.. Mcmahon then asked witness whether
he consulted with Secretary Sherman as to
whether the Anderson Matthews correspond
ence was official or not.
The witness knew Sherman was in the act
of addressing letter to this committee, in
reply to request for any correspondence in
the appointment office relative to the An
derson business, but Sherman didn't show it
TO him.
81 suppose he desired to know whether the
was official to satisfy his
mind before replying to the committee. When
witness called on Sherman he told the Secre-
tary ne had received a communication from
the present appointment clerk requesting to
see those letters, and that thought it best to
0ring them with me rather than send them to
The appointment clerk. Did not mention the
particular letter he wanted. Sherman said
hat he wished to examine himself whether
ihese letters were official or not. Witness re-
olied to him, that was matter witness had
iecided for himself, but Sherman could see
he letter, and he read them ALL"
In dealing with Anderson witness did not
let upon the Conn letter at all The
etter was filed March 10 and witness was not
made appointment clerk until May l. Never
ooked over the files of the Office for the Conn