The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-06-03
BY TELEGRAPH.
ASSOCIATED PRESS REPORT.
TO THE DAILY zNTELLIGRNcER
The Potter Investigation.
The Committee at Work---Andsr.
son Given Plenty Of Rope.
Some Points Of His Former Testi-
mony---What the Democrats
Thought Of Him Then.


mony---What the Democrats
Thought Of Him Then.
Anderson and Secretary Sher
man Before the Committee OF
saturday.
WAsHINaros, June 1.-Promply at i
o'clock this morning the great Presiden
tial Investigation began in a committee
room in the basement Of the Capitol
The room Is small, lighted only by on,
window, which looks out on PennsylvaniI
avenue, giving a fne view Westward tc
the Treasury. A hastily improyised bar
runs across the center Of the room, ont
side for reporters and the other for th,
committeeman, witnesses, official stenog.
raphers and shermau's counsel. The
room being small, aud the smaller end o.
1t being allotted to the press, the report
ers were subjected to great inconveni'
ence. But one was admitted from each
paper, yet this so crowded the room that
there was hardly space to stand up, much
less to take notes.
Anderson is a small man, about thirty,
a journalist by profession, with rather
good face and head. As he took his seal
and began to tell slowly his Louisiana ex.
perience, it became evident that he had 8
difficult task before him II he proposed to
make his story agree with his testimony
before the Senate Committee in Louisiana
But II soon became apparent that he
would not try 10 make his different
stories agree. He struck off on new
line, suppressing as much as possible
what was favorable to the Republicans
and telling everything against them.
What changed man from the Ander.
son as known to so many in New Orleans
in the fall OF 1875, who ran up and down
the streets filling the very air with blood
curdling stories about Democratic intim.
idation, bull-dozing and murder, and even
showing the bullet holes in his clothing
made by the Democrats in attempting TO
assassinate himl When he came TO the
point in his discourse involving Sherman
there was intense interest. The Demo-
cratic side OF the case was represented by
McMahon aud the Republican by Reed,
as Sherman's counsel was not allowed to
ask questions, except through commit
teeman. The Republicans, led by Reed
stoutly objected to the admission as testi-
mony OF the so.called Sherman letter, as
the origional could not be produced. By
vote il was admitted and read amid
breathless silence. As this was the docu.
ment which had most excited public at
tention, the general opinion was that it
was less black than had been painted.
Sherman was called by telegraph and
promptly appeared. Being he de.
MED having written the letter Of which
this purported 10 be copy, yet he admit.
ted that some Of the sentences were Ruch
as he would have used bad he been writ.
ing on that subject at that time.
The Democrats had the case we'll in
hand, having worked long and energet.
ically, and held many private interviews
with Anderson. McMahOn conducted
the examination with skill, adding 10 his
laurels as one OF the shrewdest lawyers
in the House. The Republicans knew
pretty we'll what wss coming, although
not prepared for the development Of let
ters from Stanley Matthews. These let.
ters, however, are not considered danger.
ous, and as for the conversations detailed
by Anderson as having taken place be.
tween him aud Matthews, II Ia understood
that Matthews will fatty contra.
dict some OF Anderson's assertions when
the proper time comes. Il is regarded
that the testimony establishes beyond
question that the main motive with An
derson and Webber was to play upon the
feelings Of Republican yisitors as much
as possible in expectation OF getting 4
large share OF official patronage. They
therefore made II appear that terrible
sacrifice OF conscience was required to
make the proper protests upon the re.
turns from their parishes with the ex.
Of being proportionally reward.
ed, The letter OF Anderson TO Weber
at the time shows this. Therefore, the
failing to get the reward, stamps
his testimony as lie and makes out q
new version. Having denied all along
that there was conspiracy among the
OF his parish not to vote, in
order to have the parish thrown out, he
now affirms that such was the fact. As
the vote Of that parish Is more than two
to one Republican, when fair election is
had, conspiracy not to vote would be
4 freak Of lunacy.
Tonight the Republicans are in good
spirits and claim that Anderson has done
his worst and they have nothing more to
fear from him. The contempt they ex.
press for the fellow passes the power Of
language 10 describe. They have set out
to work 10 overthrow every
item Of lis evidence. Much Of this can
be done by putting Anderson against An.
derson,
By no possibility can his evidence be-
fore the Senate Committee be made 10
agree with that delivered to-day. They
have his previous testimony on hand, and
will subject him 10 cross.examination
that will overthrow his own testimony
out OF his own mouth. The Dem.
ocrats profess to be satisfied with
his testimony to-day, although they
do not pretend that II can be
made to harmoniEs with his previous
sworn statements. They claim that his
testimony to-day ia the truth, and that his
testimony before the Senate Committee
was largely false. Upon that occasion
the Democrats sWore they would not be.
lieye him on oath, and this will all be
brought forward by The Republicans that
the country may know what manner Of
man the great Democratic witness Ia.
The evidence that he had been offered 4
sum Of money by the Democratic mana.
ger (Burke) 10 withhold his protest from
The returns caused sensation, "a 4 ma.
iority OF the Committee were not alter
ibis kind Of information.
Anderson is allowed all The rope he
wants. He talks without restraint, and
will probably hang himself. Democrats
are exulting over what they regard rs
rich find, yielding material which will
forever damn Sherman, Matthews, Noyes,
Harlan, 'Stoughton, and other prominent
Republicans on The commit.
leo are reserying their forces, allowing
the Democrats TO lead and manage the
40 Aa 10 get on the record