Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-25

ATLANTIC, N j., July 24-The Potte
committee this morning called Represetativ
Kelley, the examination being conducted D
Representative Hiscock.
Representative Kelley
testified that he visited New Orleans in No
vember, 1876. President Grant, while il
Philadelphia, participating in the closing Ger
emonies of the exposition, sent for witness
He found the President surrounded by dis
tinguished gentlemen; among them Genera
Robert Patterson. President Grant proposed
that he should visit New Orleans, to witnes
the action of the returning board. At frs
he declined, but the President said a numbe
of prominent gentlemen of the Democratic
party had gone there, and therefore he want
ed him to go. He was merely to go to New
Orleans as a looker-on, and to see that moth
ing improper should occur Previous to go
ing he bad no conversation with anyone bu
President Grant. General Patterson CONQUERED
in the suggestion that he ought to go. HI
left Philadelphia on the fifteenth of Novem
Der, entirely alone, but on the route found
himself in company with Secretary Sherman
and one arriving at New Orleans he found
number of visiting gentlemen, Republican il
politics.
Kelley, in the course of his testimony, said
ne never heard of any suggestion to manip.
uiate the parishes for any purpose, nor did ht
ever hear that athdavits were signed with the
names of fictitious persons; he did not know
of Sherman having conversation with Web
er and Anderson; he had no consciousness o.
having ever seen Weber.
Cortland T. Parker,
of New Jersey, testified: He visited New
o leans solely at the request of President
Grant; he did not, while In Louisiana, heal
derson as to East Fellciana, or that it was
interlined, or that Anderson wished to with
draw It,.
The witness stated that the Republican WIS.,
iting statesmen found there distinguished
gentlemen, Democrats, and committe of the
latter addressed a communication to the
former proposing that the two bodies of Wis
itors organize and participate in the business
of the returning board, The Republican
committee replied: "We are here as private
citizens with no official power. and we can
not, therefore, supercede or modify any law
of the State, nor have we any right to control
or influence any of the officers as to the man
ner in which they shall perform their minis
terial or Judicial duties. Senator Sherman
concurred very decidedly in the views ex-
pressed by the Republican committee; the
visitors of the opposite side mingled freely
at times. In answer to question if the Re-
publican committee discussed any question
involving interference with the official duties
of the returning board, witness said that he
had never heard such a conversation IN pri-
vate or at the meetings; If any one had at
tempted such thing, it would have been
treacherous to his associates as well as vio-
lation of duty
The action of the returning board was not
communicated to witness in any way. DE
was, however, of opinion, and frequently
said so, that frauds had been perpetrated on
both sides, but that if Just returns were made
they would give the electoral vote to Hayes.
His attention was called to Weber's testimo-
ny, in which it was stated that the returning
board was influenced by the visiting states
men to reopen the returns. Witness said
ttis was unquestionably false, in whole or in
part; nothing was done of which any such
assertion could have been made; witness
never heard any such rumors. The general
character OF the evidence showed lntlmida-
ton, and some of 1t was most abhorrent. He
heard the stories of Elizabeth Pinkston Rosa
Richmond, and another old negro. Witness
fully believed all their statements that there
was violence of a most desperate character.
II Eliza Pinkston's story is not true, then the
story mas lost brilliant ornament.
Kelley was cross examined by Mr.. Potter,
but nothing of interest was elected. Witness
confirmed generally the testimony of Kelley.
Representative Hale
testified that he went to New Orleans solely
at the request of President Grant, and not at
the instance of Governor Hayes or any per-
son for him; all the Republican visitors main
tanned the position that they should be care.
full to abstain from any attempted influence
en- the returning board, and so far as he knew
this principle was strictly carried out. Wit
ness and Senator Sherman were together ev'
cry day; he had not seen the letter purport'
ing to have been written to Weber and An
dersun, dated November 10, 1876, and the al
legged reply o. Senator Sherman; If such let
tiers were written he thought, from his init
macy with Senator Sherman, that he would
have heard of the fact; he characterized al
false the testimony of Weber about the visit
ing Republicans influencing the action of the
returning board. In reply to a question b,
General Butler, Representative Hale said:
thought if Hayes was elected President Pack
ard was elected governor; l thought bOtl
were elected.
Representative Danford
was rCcllled and testified: There was nj
discrepancy or difference between the vote
cast for Hayes and those cast for Packard
except in Natchitoches, where Packard haC
two or three hundred more votes than Hayes
Ex-COngressman J. Hale sypher,
of New Orleans, was examined
by Chairman Potter, and testified tina
and that at the time the Republican visitor
were in New Orleans he met d. A. Weber a
the customhouse, who asked: Can | tax
the promise of the gentlemen who are her
to provide for me if l am driven out of IN
parish?" Witness said in reply, Whom d
YOU mean?" Weber mentioned Mathew
and Sherman especially; witness then SAT-
''these gentlemen stand very closely to tn
incoming President, personally and poiti
cally, and | think you can trust them.
| Weber remarked that he had been deceive,
| a good many times, and as he, therefore, die
| not feel like takIrg any man verbal promis
he would demand a promise IN writing; wit
| ness said that was the only way; next day h
again met Weber, who exhibited a ette
| which witness read and then returned; Webe
| made no special remark, but appeared to b
| pleased With the letter, which purported I
| be signed by John Sherman; he had seel
| Sherman's handwriting; he would not ties
| tify that tue letter was in Sberman's hand
| writing, but there was nothing to make hiu
| think it was not his handwriting; he pre-
| sumed it was his; he could not Civ
| its purport, but the published let
| ter, the original of which he hast
| " read, seemed to be substantial
| correct; this was between the fifteenth an
| twentieth of November; he thought the bod
/ of the letter aud the signature were In tn
| same handwriting; he had seen the otlcia
1 signature of Sherman, but could not nam
/ any particular document, nor would he swea
that the signature to the letter Weber ha
/ shown him was genuine; that question di
/ not enter his mind; the letter was written o
L note-paper: he first mentioned the fact OF th
1 existence of such letter to his brother, i
louisiana; he also mentioned the fact
1 Judge Shellabareer, two weeks ago.
] Witness was asked whether he did n;
1 know that another brother, ]. r. Sypher, her
4 present. wss tie legal adviser of James
i Anderson.
Witness said be knew THIS only from news
1 paper report. and further, in reply 10 anotht
4 question, said he had read that evidence Va
been introduced against the existence of sue
| letter, and thai sn1crson's testimony VIZ
4 accordingly attd.k-i. Witness said Webs