Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-06-15
THE INVESTIGATION.
HAYES TITLE RESTS ON A FOR
gerry.
LEvIsEE's EVIDENCE.
A STARTLING STORY.

Judge A. B. Levisee, formerly ofLouis-
! lana, and now a practicing attorney III
this city, was next examined and testifi-
ed that he was an elector on the Hayes
ticket, and that S. NJ. Asher, of Shreve-.
port, told him he could make $4,000 ii
he would cast his vote for Tilden. q. NJ
johnson first called to see him and made
the appointment for an interview be-
tween him and Asher.
Levisee detailed the conversation be-
| tween himself and Asher, hom ho met
at Cassdy's g hotel, and by whom he was
| taken to a remote part Of the town.
There had been some question as to wit
ness eligibility as an elector, and Asher
asked him if he would accept $4,000 or
SAC, 900 for refusing to accept his certlh-
| cate as an elector.
Mr.. Levisee stated that after Asher had
| made his proposition he replied that that
was q small consideration for so big
| thing. A man does not often have q
| chance to make a President of the United
| States, and it was worth far moro than
| he offered. Witness stated that he led
| Asher to believe for 100000 he would
entertain tho proposition. and told him
| to tell the principals that Levisee was
not unwilling to listen to it, but they
| had not yet got up to his price. His OBJ
| iect was to learn who Asher's principals
were and where the money was coming
from, and everything else connected with
| the matter.
Levisee then related an interview with
| Asher, at which the latter asked him to
cast his vote for Tlden direct. Witness
answered that this was something entire
| ly different, and required consideration
i Hc said to Asher that it was hardly
worth while to go any further, until he
knew who the man was who had tho
money. Asher replied that his name was
Walter Pugh, and that he would so to
the hotel to see him. Witness met him
again III tho evening, and went with him 4
to Il coffee house. Asher then said that
there were two men at the corner Of Car
ondclet and Common streets; one of these
men (Pugh) would go away, and the 9TH
er was the party whom witness aud Ash
er u ere to scc
| They went to the place indicated, and
there saw the two men, ore of whom
left. The remaining one was Jake Her.
nandcz, a broker, with whom Lev;see
was acquainted, and to whom he intro
t.uced Asher. Hernandez invited them
to go to his office. They went along with
him, and when they got in front of Her
nandezs Office, witness excused himself,
nd went home, Afterwards Asher came
him and told him that Hernandez had
said that 100000 was the extent to
which they could go. Witness said it
was not worth while 10 talk any more
upon the subject, and that ended the
| matter.
My motive iii this was to find out tho
hackers Of Asher, and to ascertain who it
was that wanted to carry on the election
in such style. There had been some
rumors about New Orleans that sporting
men who had great deal of money bet
on the election had made up q pool.
Levisee was next asked con ncernirg tho
proceedings of the Electoral COLLEGE of
Louisiana. He described the formalities
of the meeting and the manner of casting
the ballots, stating that he cast his vote
for Hayes and Wheeler
| The clerk of tho committee thcn read
the returns of the college, which had
been sent to the President of the Senate,
and had been delivered to the committee
ON yesterday by the secretary of the sen-
ate.
After this, Mr.. Levisee, in roply to
questions by Mr. Mcmahon, stated that
he never intended to change his vote;
that he knew that Hayes and Wheeler
needed it, and that he intended to give
it to them. Ee further stated that he
, signed three sets Of returns, and did not
remember whether he signed his name on
the outside of the envelope.
The official returns above r"ferrcd to
were shown to Lcvisee, and he was
requested to state whether the. signature
on abe same, purporting to be his. was
genuine.
LEvIsEE's SIGNATURE FORGED.
/ He stated that it was not, and pointed
out the defects in it He said that hc
: signed the papers referred to by him Oh
: December 6, and that he signed none at
} ter that date. He left New Orleans for
Shreveport on December %, and he did
, not return until some time i'll January.
Mr. McMahon--'' These papers, the sig
!, nature OH which you have declared to Ge
!, a foi gerry, were mailed from New Orleans
: on December 90"
, Witncss-l am quito positive that
signed mono after l had signed tho first
on December &. The two out of three sets
submitted to the houses, aid by them to
the Electoral Commission, are torgeries.