The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-22
THE HUSBAND OF MRS. jerks
oyr or JOHN sHERHiN's WITNESSES
,DNTKIDfCrING ANDERSON

,,dcrsnn's Prote-t-rhc sherman Letter
wrbcr'. SIaunturc-The Private business
mat Called Mrs. jerks 60 Washington city.
V,sruNGrON. June 2l.-Thos. II. jerks
-oe s,,nln0nod ny tho Potter Committee at the
Instance " John Shcrmau's counsel, Judge
sbellharler lie has been in the city one week.
and i'm elo-c and constant intercourse with the
orarnays of sherman His vito ia also
witness for john sherman. She was here last
spring and had two interviews with sherman
them These two witnesses arc relied upon to
hroak down Anderson. and prove the nom
existence. as we'll rs tho non-writing. OF the
Sherman letter Thos. II. jerks was examined
today. lie gave his testimony in chief in
answer to inquiries put 10y Mr.. Reed. the
Republican end Of the committee.
lie was a Deputy United States Marshal. he
sqid. FOR the Fciiciaua parishes before and
during the election of 1876, hut did not got ~
the pnrishos until two days before the election.
lie visited a number Of polls on the day of cleo
ton: was told by white men that negroes could
veto. and hy negroes that they did not dare to
vote. He saw no violence. There was none on
that day: it was all previous. Asked 10 give in
stances hc began with the old. stale stories Of
intimidation in 1875; the oft-told tale Of the
murder of John Gair and his sister. Tho wit
n,s. know absolutely nothing Of his own knowl-
edge-only 10y hearsay.
There was an interesting debate by Nor
ris0n Mcmahon. Reed. and Cox concerning the
relevancy OF this testimony; but it was admitted
suhi,,i 60 objection hereafter Morrison said
emuhaiicaliy that. speaking for himself. he
wanted the inquiry to bo us broad as tho truth
itself. he dill not think. however that there
vasany use in having retaied for the third or
fourth time the story OF Fcliciana intimidation.
rf,hcy uDt show that there was "A conspiracy
oDthp plrt u the Republicans to prevent any
election there; II they did not show that the
p,urning Board did not have jurisdiction. but
knowingly acted on false and forged protests
anlanMuvits; II they did not show conclusive
" that TINS was with the knowledge and APP
pro,a Il John sherman and other visiting
sate-mcn-thcn they would fail to make out
their ease. That was all there was Of IT, He
could not see what proof Of intimidation had to
d. with Shormuns defense. To provo there
we're loi murders in last Felieiana would not
relieve john sherman Of the guilt Of encourage
INK two men 20 allow forged protests to stand
andlrta Ir -idcntial Election turn on the Fell
clnas. the vote II which WAS rejected in this
WAY lbs the Roiuruing Board.
Tpt1 list J..llary when Mrs jerks paid her
VISIT Washington. jerks and Anderson acted
together in friendly way. Since then they
iayr not. Much that was told by Anderson re-
iaed g. incidents occurring IN Jcnkss's pres
uoe. To-day jerks contradictcd Anderson in
ie-e uur .rulurs. He affirmed the existence Of
serious .nt midutign. in the Fehrinna parishes.
H. affirmed the validity Of the lurat affixed to
AM. r-NA- protest. Anderson said II was
forged. jerks says he saw Anderson make
oaa 60 H. Jcnks denies that the sherman let
Ter 0r Mo'rr- Andcr-Qn agreement has ever
bon alluded 10 hy Anderson in the numerous
conversations they have had
" Lhou'S cross-eNamination fJenks devol-
tutI -'rl Nu- Inconsistencies in the outline put
forward 8 Nh" witness. tut led 10 no Hat con-
tad ii'u. The memory OF the witness devel-
4
H. fixed absolutely the date when he first heard
q the sherman letter. Jan. 6. ISIS; but his
b, wifi WAS In office. his conversations with
v:anll.s search in d. \. Webers house for
Q paper vaguely described by Anderson
heeorlin. 70 Jenksl as. the document d
luI hgr statements TO him on her re-
s r1 "Vi Hgt Vlsn oI a a. & iasl
Of the visit TO Donaldsonvillc. nor Of that e
Washington. and his attempt TO conceal the
lie many serious tluniers made hv him In pre-
sentng his story before tho committee. after
Presenting, II IN many Interviews with shell
hbargcr Mr., sherman counsel jerks 10 some
what below the average Louisiana witness iu III,
raiter OF brains. He has been indicted. and has
hdt othereXporences in the Grand Jury roq,a
but they do not appear To have given him tina
ready familiarity with criminal law and meth
Cl- n examination in criminal trials usual,
Characteristic OF we'll trained Louisiana Re
Publican. and. indeed. quick necessity Of tn,
Gado. jerks ia not bad look ing man. He Ia,
color. q big nose with round turn. q somewhat
shiny forehead. and round head. He uses his
eyebrows in talking. his eyes less. They ar,
generally ilNrd on somg other Object than IN,
mar Doe stalking TO He was little ncryou,
today, hat not over NUN. and, on The whole
mad. good impress ion on the Republican cor
respondents. q bad impression on the Demo
N.rcorrcspondcnts. and an extremely doubt
m illresslQn On the independent cores
Cular Mr. Rced's hands the witness followed
AMBER D.. after the election, from East Felici
" flnN..u
Anderson make oath To- his protest He relate,
tluiry part 'ulars 10 show the fear both wer,
under hut utherwise the matter OF the lurat was
~ Nice important contradiction. In regard L
lie protest. he went into some particulars
NAl.A may prove emuarrAs sing in the future
rem hored II in detail. us printed-Quite
tM ira man whose memory j. not good, az
1rv'i n9t ten minutes later under Mcmahon
During the examination Chief Reed called Nc
hHhnA attention t. Il law. for the benefit of the
pr present. aud McMnhon neatly demolls het
Hlu- n j ID wanted to show that II. a.
ylas slit Anderson was paid by a Democrat
| pat was contrary q law. Mcmahon retorteC
uat h" ~ gned. and the Republican Treas
| uf' eh i g~od the warrant Tor Andcrson's pay
mont. I.ls WAS not eXa 'ty regular. but il ma
rally injured Reeds temper and Jcnks's tcs
lmoly. Tine 20. ss examination was not CON
| petei to-day. The nr.t fast NcMah"n drew
uW lur" ~ III" witness F, character; he had beer
q Hiil lal dciulIter The next rore on his ties
CALLED 20 him hrcS hours nft~r he reaeGe,
NAsAil-t I. Aad jerks at his Office that after
N''ut -tN iINl il" ~ ~ day. ana lu5 hal a."
vi u nyHr7a'ions with him, mono OF which
I.Ah- c0Nli remember.
Cr.,- Nflnrl hy Mr.. Mcmahon. the witness
,NIAr! itut Doc hni been tax collector IT Eas
Hl 800 lsil-1p, and that there had beei
u' N'. 'ut l~ Nrnnunts-a deficit Of sli.uOD
~ WN. rHt 49, .t-j. but true bill was foun,
s'au-' Die deputy. l.. b. jerks who pcade,
~ s'H' i''N' Unlutlous. aud who WIS the Re-
'.H.NN idnte FOR Parish Judge Of Yves
r'Hi1 lu 1876. Tho witness first lcarne,
,"'. Bee FL = urn -uhpu'ndei on the Re
100 sNi" ,rom Mr.. Shcllabargor OF
t.,'rll.n he reached Washington
"Li ~ ri % Shr.ahaIger that he was IL
she. arg rraliei on him then he wen
'"Nt'lfh d office and had a conversation
w:l itN ra couple ~ hours. His wife wa
"'in iN.ge pat II the time. She wen
Nh. sH" Gov. i .logg, and on hor return
o. vtL"t ai Nuollabargrr's Office. He calleC
. Nf 0u'Nlhurger ut his ON Ire three times IL
"."Nl met llw malt dozen times talked ovel
Ma'"lH matters generally, but not particu
- IN All remember how soon after con
',.l"i mo Pltkn about the sherman lctte
~ N"r .ai.' 10 Washington. He told her a
tH ~ tlW conversation. Didn't think sh,
stN any lAns in regard to II, one way or the
tM9I pHht remember Pltku's saying tina
M'Wr was sad to be in the possession o
-, ih'i nui would not swear that he die
MY 3d. Before Mrs. jerks went TO Wash
I-"L' 81 Went O. 500 Mrs Weber about tina
t-N'I hhl thnn sho wrote 10 her
nj ue about IL. at the solicitation
Ia, 'a7 J., Ahdrrsun Thought this wac
~ l"F NO could not Do positive Iii,
en- o.. inad" any remark To- him, pro OF