Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-07-10
THE POTTER COMMITTEE.
A Secret Meeting To-day.


present Chairman Potter and Messrs. Hunton,
Springer and HiScOck. At IL o'clock Chair
man Potter announced that, as Gen. Butler
had not arrived, an executive session would be
held, and the committee thereafter took re
cess until O'Clock. 1t is the intention to call
Senator Kellogg as the next witness.
ESQ p. n,.-The committee hal no. raaSsenl-
bled at this hour.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM SECRETARY SHERMAN.
The following letter explains itself:
WASHINGTON, d. c., July 3, ISIS Ro9
CdrkS0n ". Potter, CbGir1ltda Iluestigutjftg
Committee, House Of RepreSentQtjs1S:-Sir: /
have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of
your Letter OF the lst Instant upon my return
10 the city after brief absence.
In respect to the evidence rendered by me to
prove frauds and intimidation at the election.
have to say that since the date of your letter
the question seems TO have been settled by the
committee in favor of taking such testimony,
as K. L.Weber, a witness called by the commit
tee, has been examined as to whether there
was violence or fraud at the election in East
Feliciana. In his prepared statement he was
not only allowed 10 testify to the eXteut OF vio-
lence in East and West Feliciana, but TO the
causes of that violence and its effect upon the
election, and the next day was examined by
members of the committee distinctly upon The
causes and grounds for throwing out the vote
of those parishes. Surely, when the committee
thus seeks TO prove that violence and intimi-
dation did not prevail III those parishes, | can
not be denie the right TO prove that murder,
intimidation did prevail III both those parishes,
and that III East FeIiciana these were sufficient
10 deter every republican voter from voting
though there had previously been a recognized
majority OF nearly one thousand republicans
Whether the testimony shall be taken anew
by your committee, or that taken by former
committees shall be received, will with ell
tire Difference await your decision. With the
view to Identity he testimony offered by me- [
have placed 1t IN the hands Of one of your com
mittee il the order in which it is referred to In
my written Otter. In view OF the fact that
your committee is now engaged in taking fur
ther testimony, intended to show thar the de.
cIaratiOnS set forth in the various protests are
not true, 1t seems to me that | should be al
lowed to prove by additional testimony that
these protests are true.
also call your attention to the nature and
claracter d The eXamluation of 4. il. Weber
on the Sd OF July, when no member of the mi
nOrity of the committee was present to object
orcrOSSeXanlIne, and when, by some miSun-
derst&ndlng. my counsel was denied the priyi-
lege OF cross examination unless he did SO
against what was claimed to be the order and
wish OF the majority OF the committee The
questions were not only in form leading, but
he WAS allowed TO testify to common rumor
and to his differences based upon common rI-
NOR land this not only against me, but against
several members OF the House of Representa-
uLeS ard other high officers Of the government.
also beg leave to correct a misapprehen-
sion into Which you have fallen in saying that
had given to the public communications de
signed for you. The only communication /
have given to the public is my formal offer of
testimony OF violence. and that | only gave
several weeks after it was sent you, and after
Mr. MorriSOn'S paper had been published. But
now respectfully ask thai my tender OF teSti-
m0ny and my memorandum TO Governor Cox
and TINS letter may be published in the Official
record
have also to state that am now prepared,
at the convenience of the committee, to sub.
NIT testimony here in Washington to repel
the charges against me. and have given to Mr.
Shellabarger a list of witnesses whom | ask
MAY be SubpUnaed Very respectfully,
JOHN SHERMAN.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE IN NEW ORLEANS
met yesterday, when George L. Smith col
Iecfor OF customs, in answer TO questions by
Mr. Stenger, gave the date of his appointment
and that Of his predecessor. He also submit
ted a list Of his regular employees, showing all
persons employed or discharged since Judge
Kings appointment: also books of the labor
erS employed III warehouses and other depart
mentS at 70 cents per hour There are about
1oIty persons so employed. The object of the
committee III calling for the list of customs
employees IS probably to get the name OF Smp-
sons friend who witnessed the bribery of a
member of the returning board.
Settlement OF the BatOun Question.
GORTsCHAKOFF AND BEACONsFIELD FRATER-
NIZE.
The Berlin peace congress at yesterdays sit
ting disposed of several additional frontier
questions OF minor character, and arrived at
a satisfactory settlement relative to Batoum.
The report is confirmed that the razing of the
fOrtlfcatlOnS OF the Batoum has not been
formally brOached in the congress. 1t is stated
that special understanding will be entered
into on this subject. The question as to the
fortlhcatl0nS on the land side will not be dis
cussed, SO that in that respect Russia will be
circles that this settlement of the Batoum
question was arranged at private interview
between Lord Beaconsfeld and Prince
Gortschakof yesterday morning. The settle
ment leaves the Lazi territory under Turkish
control 1t is also declared that at the same
interview Lord Beaconsfeld fully and frankly
defended the Anglo Turkish convention
Prince GOrtschakotf replied that Russia saw
nothing Objectionable in the convention, as
she entertained no project for raggrandizement
no difference between Englands occupation
OF Cyprus and her occupation of Malta He
would always be pleased with everything
tending to strengthen England road to India,
because calculated to promote the prosperity
OF the whole world. GortSchakotf and BeaconS-
field then shook hands as pledge of the new
relations between the two powers
ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE BALTIMORE Coal
OIL HORROR.-Edgar Norman, the infant child
who was burned Sunday by coal Oil. at 275 east
Norman lost her life, and the father, Joseph
Norman, was so seriously burned, died yeSter-
day morning at II O'Clock. The baby, which
was only twenty months old, was burned, it
will be remembered, about the feet. The inju.
riess were not considered serious at the time,
but 1t was subsequently attacked with spaSns,
man, is thought to be improving Il Gazette
10th.
HEAVY STORM IN DELAWARE.-A heavy
storm OF thunder, lightning and rain visited
Mlddletown, Del, and vicinity, on Monday
night, and the streets and fields were in few
moments covered with water. Mr.. Gears the
telegraph operator, ,at Middletown was thrown
from his table by lightning shock and con-
Siderably stunned. Tie lightning also struck
the barn of James DOdSOn, near Queen Annes
Episcopal church, and the barn and contents,
valued at 5000, destroyed. In many places
the corn was broken down, and now lies fiat
in the field.
A TRAMP BROWNS HIMSELF.-At Easton
Pa, Monday afternoon, tramp name un-
known, committed suicide by jumping into
the canal. Before committing the act he told
some furnace men he was going to he'll, and
the nearest way to get there was by water. He
refused to give his name. He was about 80
years old, and hailed from New York, and was
dressed in a dark brown suit.
THE CASE OF GEN F1Tz JOHN PORTER
The rehearing of the case of Gen. Fitz John
Porter, who was dismissed the service for
disObedience of orders at the second battle of
Bull Run, was continued at West Point, n. Y,
yesterday. Gen. Warren concluded his testi-
mony for the defense, and Gen. Longstreet, of
the confederate army, took the stand. He
substantiated the representations of Gen.
Porter and stated that If Cen Porter had Of