Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-07-31
He Emphatically Denies Writing
the SO-Called Sherman Letter.
And Produces Letters Writer
by Him and the President
During the Electoral Count In Louis.
lana.
INVESTIGATION.

q NUMBER OF prominent gentlemen
the democratic party had gone ther
and therefore he wanted him to q,
He was merely to 60 to New Orlear
as q locker on and see that nothin
improper should occur. Previous /
going had no conversation with an
one but President Grant. Gen. Pa,
tersOn cOncurred in the suggestio
that he ought to 60. He LETT Phils
delphia on the 18th Of November er
tirely alone, but on the route foun
himself in company with Sec'y She1
man, and on arriving at New Orlear
found number of visiting gentle
men, republican in politics. Witnet
stated that the republican visitin
statesmen found there distinguishe
gentlemen, democrats. Some of tb
latter addressed communication /
the former proposing that the tw
bodies OF visitors organize and pa,
ticipate in the business of the return
ing board. The republican con
mittce replied, 1--WE are here q
private citizens with no official powe
We cannot therefore supercede O
modify the law Of the State, nor hav
we any right to control or influenc
any OF its officers as to the manner i
which they shall perform minister's
or judicial duties imposed upon ther
by its laws" Senator Sherman con
Cured very decidedly in the view
expressed by the republican commit
tee. Visitors Of the opposite sid
mingled freely at times.
In answer to a question whether tn
republican committee discussed an
question involving an interference
with the official duties of the return
ing board, witness said he neye
heard any such conversation in pri
vate or at the meetings. If any o
the delegation had attempted such
thing it would have been trcacherou
to his associates as well Is a violation
of duty
Kelly said he never heard Of An,
suggestion to manipulate parishe
for any purpose, nor did he know o
affidavits that were signed with th
names of fictitious persons; he di.
not know Of Sherman having an,
consultation with Weber or Ander
son.
Cortlandt Parker, of New jersey
testified that he visited New Orlean
solely at the request of Presidcn
Grant. He did not while in Louisi
ana hear doubts thrown out abou
the protests made by Anderson.
ATLANTIC Cry, N. j., July 25.-
Secretary Sherman resumed his tes
timony, this morning, before the Pot
ter committee. He related the &C
tiUu Uf thu Icpu biiv....s N a Il o N, o oerot,
who went to New Orleans. The re-
publicans stated that they came t.
New Orleans at the request of Presi
dent Grant and of political organiza
tions to witness the count, not to in
terfere with the official duties of thu
board. Secretary Sherman denied
emphatically that he was ever pri
vately or alone with any member o.
the returning board never mention
ed the duties of the returning board
or attended to the investigation OF
protest to any member of the boarC
while in New Orleans; did not re
member ever having met Anderson
/ va w OoSh VAoVRt Ill . C0bu0i way
Sherman said he never had an,
conversation with Anderson anc
Weber as the former said he never
could have made q speech about con
trolling patronage, nor did anybody
mention to him anything of the forg
ed protest; he never heard of such
thing, and when in New Orleans h,
was very cautious in his expressions
as also were his associates. Secreta
ry Sherman was shown letter alleg
ed to have been written him by Web
err and Anderson, dated Nov. 20, 1876
and said he never received such a let
ter, and never saw or heard of it un
til it was published when, the Sec
retary said, this matter came to nj
knowledge | sent to my home il
Ohio for my papeis to be forwarded
to me in order that might find tn,
original of this letter if it was there
Such letter could not have bee,
sent me without my knowing it; any
such letter would have excited my
resentment. The letter on its face i
insulting.
On what respect is the letter in
snlting?
Alt is suggestive of falsehoot
and exceedingly improper.
The Secretary said he never sug
gested employing these men for an,
service they might render; he EN-
phstically denied having written tn,
so-called Sherman letter, although
there were things therein which b,
would have written to anybody; b,
talked in New Orleans the same "a il
the Senate regarding intimidation
which had always excited his resent
ment. The Secretary handed in hi
stenOgrapher's account of his conver
sation with Anderson nj his office, i,
March last, a portion of which wa
read. Witness wrote General Have
from New Orleans, Nov. 23, 1876, q
follows:
MY DEAR SIR I'll have not writer
you sooner for the pl ogress OF ou
visitation will be known to yo,
through the papers sooner than from
my letters, and the telegraph otfic,
here is more public than q sheriff sale
We at the same time hear of privat,
kilograms before they are delivered
The action of the returning boar,
thus far has been open, fair and onl
confirms the general result know
before. We are now approaching tn
contested parishes. In five of them
viz: Baton Rouge, East and Ves
Feliciana, Morehouse and Ouachits
the evidence of intimidation
so well made ont on pape
that no man can doubt as I
the exclusion Of their vote. I
these parishes alone we ought to hav
a majority of 1000, but under tn
law the entire return must be exclu
ded in all election districts where in
timidation has affected or change
the result. This done, the result wi
Igive the Hayes electors majorities az
Igregating "a Ill, and Tilden's electoI
majorities sggregatiDg 22,633. Bu
in most every parish the official rt
turns vary somewhat from the stat
majorities, and thus far slightly r,
duce the republican majority. Th
vote of each disputed parish has thu
far been laid aside and among theI
are two parishes W here the most foo
ish blunder, or something wors
was made, in emitting frcm the r,
publican tickets the names of ell ele,
J tors but two senatorial and distri,
electors. The democrats claim th
will lose over $500, but our friend
whose information we have genera
ly found confirmed, say it will loso
: at most 1893.
The law seems conclusive that d
, fective ballots cannot be counted I,
any but those named on the tickt
though 1t Is conclusively shown th
the remaining electors were omit,
. by reason Of the mistaken idea tn
the district could only vote for OF
elector. The whole trouble grows o,
Of the fact that in these two parish
Q candidate for district Judge vi
Q not named ON the ticket printed
Q the state committee. They undertos
q to correct this by printing new ticke
(which were voted In those parishe