The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1878-02-02
The RETURNING BOARD.
CONSERVATION Among LOUISE
ana's Pets.


Whitaker ordered their bonds to
be forfeited and capiases were issu-
ed, Oscar Hunsaker being Wells
'bondsman for $4,000. Anderson's
bondsmen are Oscar Hunsaker and
Charles Hill, $500 each, James
Lewis for Kenner, and Paul Bois-
sonier for Casanave. The bonds
OF J. Madison Wells and T. G. An
derson, so far as Hunsaker's liabil-
ity is concerned, are worthless.
On the issuance of toe capiases
the Sheriff proceeded to commission
an Increased number of deputies.
Visits were made to the domiciles
, of the four, but no account of their
whereabouts was obtained. Indica-
tious finally pointed to the Custom
House as the place of abode, and
the increased vigilance at the en-
frances, together with other circum-
stances, convinced the Sheriff that
the quartstte had sought shelter
in what is called United States ter
ritory, to wit: the Custom House.
Sheriff Houston, with a posse of
five deputies, took position at the
Custom House, TO arrest the ''big
four" and produce them before
Judge Whitaker. ~
The attorneys for the great quar-
tette stated in open court Friday
that they had applied to the United
States Circuit Court for writ of
certiorari, transferring the records
to the United States Circuit Court.
1t might have been the intention of
these gentlemen to apply for the
writ, but up to l o'clock Saturday
evening no such application had
been fled in the Office of the Clerk
OF the United States Court.
A watch was kept mp by the
sheriff and his deputies all night,
but no sign Of the appearance of
the accused manifested itself.
1t was rumored that Wells, An
derson & Co. were in the private
Office of the Collector of customs,
as when the Sheriff attempted to
enter he was refused admittance.
Later in the day Anderson, Case
nave and Kenner were secured and
furnished quarters in the Parish
Prison, but Wells was nowhere to
be found.
! Throughout all of Sunday the
exciting events of Saturday in con-
nection with the Returning Board
were the principal topics OF CONVEX
sation on the streets and in the
hotels. Considerable difference OF
opinion was expressed about the
disappearance of j. Madison Wells.
Some of the knowing ones were
confident that he was ia hiding
within the city limits; others,
equally confident, were satisfied
that be had made good his escape,
and was now safely and speedily
making his way to Washington.
Suggestions OF all kinds were not
wanting. He has gope to his PLAN
tation, remarked one party, while
others had heard confdentially
that Bay st. Louis had been map
ped out by j. Madison as an excel
lent resort Tor the great political
refugee.
Be he where he may. the time is
not long distant between freedom
and capture. Every precantion
has been taken by Sheriff Houston
to ferret out the national forper.
Early Sunday morning a thorough
search was made by a large num-
of deputy sheriffs for Wells within
the corporate limits. All his known
resorts were visited, houses of his
friends investigated and no nook
and corner of the Custom House
left unnoticed and unexamined.
Later in the day, the sheriff was
| ,lntllrrd of NJ ba had apx ..lua