The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-08-01
THE POTTER COMMITTEE,
WHAT WAS DIVULGED BY THE
POTTER COMMITTEE ON
THURSDAY,


POTTER COMMITTEE ON
THURSDAY.
A
Gsu svpher also Saw the Genuine SHERMAN Let.
fer-Ex. Congressman MOrey Believes all the
Intimidation StOrles-The Nichols Gov
ernment Popular Among the People.
GEN. sYPHER POSITIVE THE SHERMAN LETTER
TWAS GENUINE
Atlantic City, N. j., July 26,-The Potter Com
,mittee met this morning, and there was larger
SSllnber than usual Of auditors,
General sypher, recalled, SAID he could now
saw he had seen Senator sherman's signature In
autograph at Butts, &c. Witness then told OF the
opposition of Packard In the Convention Whlch
nominated him for Governor, and the lukeWarm'
ness of many prominent Republicans during the
canvass, they holding undue influence had peen
exerted 10 secure his nomination. In conVersa'
tion with Republican speakers, witness learned
that At Feliciana, Monroe and Shreveport stones
were thrown at them, in addition to other mag
mites.
witness said to the best Of his recollection he
Thought when Weber showed him the Sherman
letter It was the handwriting Of John Sherman
and was therefore genuine. There was no reason
why the National ticket should run behind the
State ticket Many Republicans were opposed 70
the bsyonet policy, which had lost the Republic
ans several Northern States, and injured the ke'
publicans In Louisiana. We were divided on
on Wheeler. He with his compromise, sold us
out in 1872. We don't believe IN compromises IN
that country-giving everything TO our toes ana
getting nothing in return.
Mr. Potter asked whether the allegations OF
fraud and intimidation were not made aIter tne
election, and witness replied afirmauVely thaI
charpes OF intimidation were made by kepuDnc-
ans in parishes where their vote had fallen OH
Mr. Hitchcock asked whether the Democrats
sought 10 conciliate the colored people to vote
their ucketP Ayes, in various ways they ala
as YOU do In New York buy voters they were
yery affectionate to them Qaughter) Democrats
organized unihcation movements for the purpose
of giving negroes equslitles with the whites IN the
street cars and public schools outstrpping us and
beating us little.
HoREY HEETY ON INTIMIDATION.
Ex.Congressman Morey was the next witness,
and testified that Eliza Pnkston lived In Ouachita
parish, where the Democrats are in power Wit
ness, from personal inspection, was satisfied that
the woman had been manned. She was carried
into the room Of the Returning Board on sofa.
The impression prevailed that this exhibition
would have good effect, and his own impress
sIon was, 1t would be an excellent thing to do In
furlherance of the cause, The nomination OF
packard produced 80 much dissatisfaction that
leading Republicans discussed whether II was not
hest TO protest against 1t and support the National
ticket alone. couple of thousand murders had
been reported by the Congressional Commlttee III
1888 when the Republicans had control of about
tWo.thirds Of the parishes He did not know OF a
single conviction for political murder under the
Naturalization Of either Governors Warmth or
Kellogg. The same Is true OF the NICHOLS gov
ernment.
BROAD ADMISSION.
The witness said on the face OF the returns
Nichols and Tilden electors had majority; that
the Returning Board threw out enough votes to
elect Packard, and after this threw out 5l2 votes
to elect Hayes electors. The condition OF things
was discussed by prominent politicians, the visit
ing statesmen and the six Republican counsel. II
was discussed by party leaders on both Sides We
tried to make under the law a case for Packard,
and presented protests agsinst everything illegal
or irregular. made some figuring as 70 WnaI re-
suits would be produced II certain parish returns
were thrown out / think II probable the figures
were not mentioned to the visiting statesmen, but
naturally supposed the matter would be brought
to their attention. understood the result OF the
calculation was sent to Florida SO as to come to
the knowledge of Florida officials Later on In
the examination the witness said he had no doubt
the calculation concerning the ultimate result In
Louisiana was communicated to visiting politl-
clans, as they were as much interested in know.
ing what would be the result in Louisiana as Re-
publicans there were In knowing what would be
the result in florida.
The witness, In answer to question by Mr..
Butler, said that the result In the State showed
that both Packard and Hayes electors were elect
ed under the laws.
THE STATE GOVERNMENT.
The witness then testified at length regarding
the Packard government and the McVeagh Com
mission. He said among other things that after
Packard was inaugurated, he could not be re-
moved from office except by impeachment, and
no attempt was made to do this.
Q,-Do you say that the Commission wanted to
effect q compromise between the legal Legisla-
-ture and mob2 A.-The Commission at all
times disolaimed having any authority except Of
an advisatOry character In the matter OF etecting
a compromise between the Packard and Nichols
Legislatures
Q.-Did you say that such men as Gen. Hawley
and Mr. MCVeagh would advise a compromise
between mob and q Legislature2 The witness
answered in the affirmative and added that oW'
ing to his intimacy with Gen, HaWley, he had free
conversations with him, and discovered that he
desired to do what was fair, but was hampered by
his instructions. Packard was recognized In all
parts OF the state, ana was dDle 10 N dlnlhlu nlU-
self at the capital with his own otieers and with
out assistance OF the troops.
Fhe witness was then interrogated as 10 the
formation Of the Nichols Legislature, and related
the means by which the Packard Legislature was
destroyed, such members Of the latter as went to
the former receiving their per diem and mileage,
some of them being paid. There were rumOrs
that bribery had been used to break up the Pack
ard Legislature, and this was discussed by Re.
publiCans. It twas the general understanding and
felt by those who believed that Packard was
elected that the mission of the Commission par
ticularly, was to destroy the Packard govern
ment and 10 establish that OF Nichols; that the
troops were to be withdrawn as part OF the scheme
after the Packard government had been deprived
of their courts and court buildings, police and
State arms The White League was sworn in as
Nicholls militia. The Republicans were dispir-
tied and labored in every honorable way to have
the validity Of the Packard government exam
ined BY the Commission and to provide means
for the subsistence Of the Packard Legislature,
who were very poor They remained with 1t Ion.
ger than could reasonably be expected under the
circumstances, and as long, II not longer than
white men would do in any State In the Union in
similar circumstances, and in the face OF the
same degree Of temptation from the opposition
party.
Gen. Butler.-I wish you distinctly to under
stand It is not them blame. I blame the temp
ter, not the tempted Do you believe that If the
Packard government had had the recognition Of
the General Government and such moral sup
port as would enable 1t to retake from the mob
the Court House and State arms, 1t could have
maintained itself in louisiana Any own be-
lief is 1t would have been maintained. After the
Electoral Committee counted the vote Of Florida
for Hayes II was considered certain In New Or
leans as settled matter that the vote Of Louisi-
ana would also be counted for Hayes, and there
was not the least doubt but the Packard govern
ment would be maintained. This was the view
Of Democrats as well as Republican,
Further examination Of the witness will be re-
sumed to. morrow. ...
GARF1ELD ATTACKED WITH VERTIGO
General Garfield, while bathing in the surf this
morning, was attacked with vertigo. Represent
atives Springer and Hiscock, and Rainey, Ser