National Republican., 1878-07-03
POTTER'S PERFORMANCE.
alone would have becn enough 10 have spared his
life had NOT the brute. boon thirty for the blood Of
TOOntfnnnd from TIrl Pd0c.


life had not the brnc- boon Thirsty for the blood OF
innocent aud defenseless Republicans
had advised him TO stay away from tho parish
until our difficulties were finally adjusted, but he
iiy whom ho cherished and adorod Ills unfort.
will notice In his letter written 70 senator McMii.
Ian. Of Minnesota, three days before he was muir.
dercd, and published in tho same New Orleans
Republican send you. Our condition In the North
cannot be understood, or, am sure, tho American
people would not tolerate the state Of affairs which
coiored Republican. are murdered here in day.
light and always by parties unknown. We have
endured more than our share Of wrong and Outrage
and unless the general Government comes to our
rescue, we must either suffer the fate OF D. A. or
leave the State. This Is a threat made against us
mosaS sna F%. S Se
have also been obliged for sccuritys sake, TO move
to the same place. We have Abandoned all our
Packard Is Goycrnor-nnd have no doubt about
lt-he will In due time have the assnsslns Of my
brother airested and punished. II Nichols be.
rest and convict the murerers Is made, we will be-
yond any doubt suffer death. have written this
tails concerning d. As death. With bcs! wishes,
am, yours, Ell WEBER
Mr. Cox also read lorx extract from tie
New Orleans Republican. referred to In the let
ter, giving an account Of the assassination Of
d. A. Weber for political causes, for the correct
ness of which account the witness vouchod In
the letter.
Mr.. Cox then examined tho witness further.
He did not think II was for political reasons
entirely that his brother was murdered. He
did not believe the published statement except
from statements made to him. lie rock II for
granted that II was truo.
The witness hcstatcd very much In answer.
ing, and appeared TO be greatly confused.
lie testified that he know that his brother
had many personal enemies In the parish
(The newspaper extract stated that his brother
had no personal enemies.)
Mr. Cox-Then you vouched for something
untruef
witncss-Not exactly. Not in that light
did 1t inadvertently. Tho statements were
made for political effect.
Mr. Cox-was the letter written for politi.
cal effect2
Witness-Yes, sir.
Tho witness did not thiuk his brother would
swear to q lie.
A document was produced containing list
of defaulting taxpayers The witness thought
that this was the cause of his brothers death.
threat was made In tho paper published by
witness and his brother to publish the list.
The witness seriously objected to having the
committee make public the list, and, as it con.
tained no information which the committee
desired to put on record. the paper was re-
turned to the witness without being read.
Mr.. Cox, pursuing his examination in refer.
ence to the statement In the New Orleaus Re
psblican, the witness admitted that ho should
not have vouched for the statement, as 1t was
incorrect. The statements in his own letter
were exaggerated. His act was wrong. and he
had no excuse to offer for 1t. Witness knew
that Packard was fairly defeated. Tho witness
did not call the newspaper story false state
ment. He termed II an exaggerated state
ment. The Packard government, he said, was
government founded on fraud and false rc-
turns.
Mr.. Cox read tho letter printed above sen.
tence by sentence, and at the end of each sen.
tcnce the following colloquy ensued:
Mr.. Cox-Was that true Or false3
Witness-That was wrong.
Mr.. Cox-Was 1t false2
witness-It was falsel
Examined by Mr.. Potter, the witness testi.
fed that at the time no wrote the letter he
was working with tho Packard government
The letter was meant to have effect upon the
public mind. Witness had never been troubled
by any ono. A man named Harris employed
In the custom. house, wrote the statement con.
cerning his brothers DEATH which appeared in
the New Orleans Republican, aud the witness
carried 1t to the newspaper office. He had not
yet found out who shot at his brother, though
parties were suspected Of the murder. Thought
he had written another letter something simi
logg
II was not coloIed up so highly as the
former letter. HE may have written othe
political letters This political letter Whiting
seemed to be common In Louisiana at tba
time. II was true that II was a feeling Of tn,
hdherents of tho Packard government tina
they must stir up public feeling and get sym
patby for alleged existing outrages In order h
be supported by tho Federal Government
He did not know the politics Of his 81. Loui
cousin. Ho belonged to the signal.service o
the Government
Mr.. Cox stated that the letter was hsnde,
TO him by Mr.. Nathan Cole. member Of Con
Yress from st. Louis.
In answer ito Mr.. Cox the witness testiiet
that his brother had had difficulty and fist
fight with Colonel Robert II. Barron In thei
mothers store. lie did not remember m!
ithcr personal difficulty that his brother hat
bad. Never knew Of his mother or sister en-
tsring into any arrangement er, to write letter
might write false letters for political purposes
They had never concocted any stories togethe
so as to have them alike. Witness was not con
suited as to the composition Of any letter
which they wrote.
Mr.. Cox then produced a letter. Witnes
thought II looked like the handwriting of hi
brother-in-lsw, Mr.. Newsham. Another lette
was exhibited, and the witness identified |
positively as being in Mr.. Newshams hand
writing. Witness saw Secretary Sherman writ
In the custom house at New Orleans once o
twice. Witness had a prepared statement o.
this point also, but Mr.. Cox objected to receiy
hight
Witness was not positive that he had sce
Mr. Sherman write more than once.
Mr.. Cox asked the witness II he had wrltte
down how often he had seen Mr.. Sherma
write, in order to be ready to answer this ques
tion, but the witness evaded the question. II
stated that he had memoranda stating whe
he had seen Mr.. Sherman WRITE which memo
randa he prepared four or 1ve days ago whe
he was preparing to testify. lie anticipate
that the question about seeing Mr. Sherma
write would be asked. lie saw Mr.. Sherma
write on the 18th or 18th of November Mossrl
Sherman. Garfield Hale, Stoughtor. and other
We're sitting In the custom-h house preparin
oaths. Witness looked over their shoulders
He talked with Mr.. Sherman. Did not romom
Der who was sitting with Mr.. Sherman. Fac
man had a table by himself
Tho Republican witnesses were admitted I
the room one at time. Witness had very In
distinct memory as to the surroundings at tha
time. Somebody told: ::witness that Mr.. Shoi
man wanted to see him In relation to hi
brothers protest. He stood about four or fiv
feet from Mr.. Sherman. When he entered NJ
Sherman ceased writing aud talked to hin
Witness could not remember distinctly havin
seen him write at any other time lie ha
seen Mr. Sherman's autograph In Mr.. New