Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-24
POTTER.
The Two Committees in Session, One at
New Orleans and the Other at At
lantic City - Several Wit
nesses Examined Be-
fore Both Bodies.
How An Important Witness was Spirited
Away from the Congressional Com
mittee by a Man Afterward
Made DsOrkeeper Of
the United States
Senate.

New ORLEANS, July 23-The Potter sub
| committee examined Ex-Governor r. C.
Wlckliffe, Colonel S. J. Powell and Captain
w. w. Leake, of West Fellciana parish, who
testified regarding their efforts to induce col
| ored men to vote the Democratic ticket at the
last election. Each assisted in organizing
colored Democratic clubs and addressing the
meetings of colored people. The most DO
tent argument used was in relation to the
public schools, which had been badly man
aged by the Republicans, the funds being in
many cases missapplied. The last election
was peaceable and quiet. ID. A. Weber told
Colonel Powell on November 18th that he had
DOT hled any protest, and did not intend to do
So
T. X Russ,
of New Orleans: Drew affidavits in the GUS
tomhouse In 1876; witnesses were questioned
as TO the occurrences In the parish, and their
statements taken down; as far as | knew no
Influences were brought to bear to induce
the witnesses to testify; the atfidavits drawn
10y me contained only the statements by the
witnesses themselves.
To Mr.. Blackburn-If a witness had
made statements hurtful to the Republicans
and to the advantage OF the Democrats,
would probably have concluded not to take
his testimony.
To Governor Cox-No such case occurred
To Mr.. Blackburn-Saw Sherman and the
other visiting statesmen in the customhouse
when the atfidavlts were being prepared, but
never saw them IN the room where the work
was going on.
John A. Stevenson.
agent of the Mississippi Valley transportation
company, testified regarding the rascally
transaction of K. L. Russ, when Russ was
dIscharging clerk on the levee In 1866.
james b. Marble
testified fhgf ta kal kba
OF the aftdavits in he customhouse; being
shown number Of the afidavits he found
one In witnesses handwriting, that of Thos.
) .eward; did not remember the circum
stances of this particular paper; witness de-
tailed the manner of taking down the testi-
mony of witnesses; put down the statement
as made by them and tried to make the
strongest points for the Republicans; was
working in their interest; there were about
forty persons engaged in making and copy
ing athdavits; don't know who tae copies
were for
A letter was read from Thomas S. Kelly,
colored, who will be remembered as door
keeper of Governor Kelogg's private office,
dated Lake Providence, Louisiana, addressed
to the Potter subcommittee, in which he
states that the names OF Joffrion and L8visee
IA the second set of electoral certificates were
forged, and offering, if summoned before tee
committee, to point out the party who COM
mitted the forgery.
Captain James Kelly
testified: Left New Orleans on June 18th
for Lake Providence, at the instance of the
chairman of the Democratic State Contra,
committee, to secure the attendance of
Thomas L. Kelly before the congressional
committee; witness found Kelly, who prom
Used to, return with him to New Orleans;
while waiting for boat to come down three
coats passed up; on one of these boats a col
ored man and woman arrived on a boat from
New Orleans; they went with Kelly to his
quarters, and during the night this man and
Kelly took the next boat and went up the
river; | subsequently learned the colored
man who took Kelly away was named Ken
uedv. and that he is assistant doorkeeper of
the United States senate.
r. u. Miner,
aid to the chief of police. testified regarding
the efforts to trace Kennedy and Kelly, that
the dispatches and letters sent and received
by Chief-of-Police Boylan were read from de-
tectjves In Cincinnati. showing the arrival
there of Kennedy and Kelly.
Governor Cox made statement of his eff
forts to secure the attendance as witnesses of
Mrs. ID. A. Weber and ]. Gondran, Weber's
the committee, was afterward sent to Dom
jacksonville with subpenas. Mrs. Weber re-
piled that her children had scarlet fever, and
Dunbar he could not leave his business. that
more, that if he came he would have to tell
the truth, and if he told all he knew he could
not afterward live here.