The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-07-02
To-Dav's Dispatches.
THE POTTER INVESTIGATION
Weber's Brother Swears he
Saw and Read the Orig
inaI Sherman Letter.
Knows Sherman's handwriting---the
Letter was in Sherman's hand
Heard Sherman verbally give
his Brother same assurances.
Other Important Evidence--the matter
getting lively and interesting.

WASHINGTON. July 2.-Tbe Potter
committee to-day recalled Thomas q. An
derson who testified that he did not see
any one sign the certificate OF the electoral
vote while in the governors office at New
Orleans; that Mrs. jerks, pleading the
poverty of her mother, asked to appoint
her brother A. r. Murdoch to place in
the custom house. Witness promised to
do something for him this month, but has
not yet; Murdock has had letter from
Senator Kellogg for some tune requesting
witness to do something for him,
A long examination of the Witnesses re
garding the operations of the returning
board elected nothing new. In reply to
General Hunton the witness said the re-
turning board as body never attempted
| to fll the vacancy with democrat. He
Ihad spoken to Mr.. Smith at present re
porter on the New Orleans Democrat, about
accepting an appointment on the board
but he refused. Never knew of the board
having asked Smith; never heard it stated
by any member of the board the presence
of democrat was undesirable. Witness
| in reply to Mr.Cox, said he had heard thai
d. Weber was killed because he had signed
1 his protest: never heard he was killed, as
Judge Cambel had testified, because be
was supposed to have the Sherman letter
/ on his person.
i Thomas H. jerks testified he had never
made an affidavit similar to the one sub
United before the Louisiana sub committee
yesterday, and in the handwriting of Jas
L. Anderson; never saw Notary Seymour
in New Orleans before whom the affidavit
anpears to have been made
Jas, +. Anderson, asking permission t
, explain, stated that the 1lth of May ht
met jerks in the street, and as he An
derson, was going to leave for the nortt
, at 2 p. H.. jerks requested him to use
his influence toward securing him a posi-
ton in Washington, and after some con
iversation jerks went with witness to hi
office iu the custom house and dictated tn,
affidavit IN question, and he, Anderson
: copied it and then they went to Notary
Seymour's Office, and jerks swore to the
! document The purpose of making tht
4 affidavit was to aid Anderson in securing
Jenk' a position. Anderson was to shov
the affidavit to Matthews and endeavor t.
secure him an appointment on the strength
of it.
3 Emile L Weber, brother OF DAME
| W CDGls Hdo S"OI u bColtiuS w ACdN
A statement OF his connection with the re
, publican party, Cox objected; the state
: mcnts read being part Of the testimony
{ ard Weber retired for the present.
H. Conquest Clarke, former privat
secretary of Gov. Kellogg, related his rec
objections of signing of the electoral cert
6cates and promptly and emphaticall
e denied any knowledge of who appende
u the supposed forged signatures.
Secret session followed.
When the doors were reCpe1ed EWiI
l. Weber was recalled and was given per
mission to read his statement, provide
!, he would swear to the facts contained
The statement VS. read and set forth
- had no pers 1nal know ledge that Democrat!
:, Intimidation had existed in the parishes {
- East and West FeliciaDa His brothe
>. Daniel Weber and JAS E. Anderson ha
q informed him the two parishes had gon
h fairly democratic. Great Influence wa
=. brought to bear upon his brother to MAX
E, his protest, and be had been approache
+ very frequently TO use his influence wit
is his brother to effect the signing of pr,
,e test, He saw Anderson sign bis prutt =
IN and saw blanks therein after Audersu
ID had left. Judge Campbell attached tt
i jurat 20 the paper; it was not sworn to
as Anderson; it was a notorious fact In tt
ty custom house that Kellogg, Packard, au
t others were pressing Anderson and Neb,
to make their respective protests. job
Sherman was spokesman for the visitt
, statesmen and he, Weber, knew Sherma
had given his brother assurances whil
q. caused him to allow his protest to staL
o after 1t had been made. Weber had
t. conversation with Sherman explained
him his brother thought his parish hs
= gone democratic aud he was disposed
take back his protest, whereupon Sherm;
assured him his brother would be care
tor, and requested he send his brother
him.
Had made search for the letter aud HI
found it in shoe box and destroyed
A for, hwith. Mrs. jerks had been in
"a way connected with the authorship b
- brother 90 the day he received it show,
him the Sherman letter af assurance al
said he had received it direct from She
n. man, Weber was familiar with the nan
e writing of Sherman and was satisfied q
at letter was written by that gentleman
.atl 1877; the Sherman letter was a subje
til of great modification to Il
he Weber family, and his sister-iD-law, MI
se Daniel Weber. had endeavored tp find
among the papers of her husband wbi
: were packed away in two trunks and lar
shoe box late in the summer of 1877.