The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-06-20
eTsO, 600 from the Japanese indemnity fund.
Adjourned.
The Hsase Presidential Election InvesTiGa-

investigate alleged frauds Ia the Louisl-
ana and Florida presidential election opened
it. sessions la the basement of tho old Capitol,
shleh had been atied up Aa = court room.
Tho full committee was present, and Secretary
Sherman represented by MoaarH. Hholla-
bArgur and Wilson ~ counsel. The frst wit
nsss called Was james Z. Anderson, Jour
nhlsi, who had been supervisor of registration
ia the parish of East FelirinnA La, during
the election ia 1870. Witness stated that be
fore the election Governor Kellogg aud others
tried 10 drive him from his poet became.
knowing hos tho election would 40, be refused
to make up q case of Intimidation, that
after the election he had been anhod b. Sign q
protest, alleging the election had been car
RED uniAWfuiiy, bot that ho refused, that
Subsequently, ho did sign, but not swear 10,
protest that had been gArblod aud changed
90 sult the purpose for which u was In
tended, namely, ~ throw ont tho vote u tho
pnrish. Witness gave the particulars Of Al
interview which ho and Don A. Weber (super-
ws0f 81 registration Ia West feliolRnA pGFish)
had with Hon. John sherman la New Or
leans restaurant Al that interviea. witne@
naid, Mf. sherman made the following remark
- ueatlcm6n, | aRut to sec YOU, hs | under
stand there is some difficulty IN your respective
parishes This Il time when the assistance
0f every Republican and true patriot is needed
aud trust you Nlll stand 10y uS. MIR. Weber
remarked that IN eBdeaV0ring o. DO their duty
they Incurred the displeaaure ~ MsssFs Pack
ard and Kellogg, aud were compelled 20 leave
their respective parishes aud Ia the event Of
MT. PAckA1ds election AA governor, we aill get
nothing from the administration, wheruup0n
I they were assured by Mr.. sherman that thsy
would be cared for ~ Mr.. Hayes Wsuld o0n-
I troll the Federal patronage. All be desired
Of them Was thai they stand nrm and iet thu
record run along ne Il IL. After a lapse OF
| ! uFt time Messrs Weber aud Anderson CON
I Aa8ss .F.aN a. IA NaFH - NJ
informing ham that they were not satisfied sith
I their conversation with him regards being
I taken care Of, aud requesting that ho inform
/ them in writing hs 10 whom they should look
/ for the fulhllment Of his promises. hessFs
/ Hisoock Butler and Coz, Of the COMMITTEES.
objected 10 the reading Of what wAs claimed
( by the witness 10 be copy Of the nepay O.
their letter % Mr. sherman. taking the ground
that Mr. sherman should first see the docu-
| meut and, II no recognized Il As q copy Of
/ his reply then. aud not until then, should Il
I t# admitted ia eYidence. After discussion
/ il was De erInined by the committee 10 call
I Secretary sherman and allow him % testify
I concerning the letter. After recess Secretary
! sherman appeared before the committee. aud
/ the letter. which Was claimed by Mr.. Anderson
/ 10 bs a reply % his letter. was shown % the
I secretary, and hs said. Mr. Chairman. Lo-
I heTc from my recollection OF the views have
/ taken that never wrote such letter. II Il
wGs written. Il must have been when Tie re-
turning officers convened 10 count the returns,
I and do not believe ever wrote this letter
1 At the same time, there are things In this let
I Ter pOnld have written 10 these OF any olheT
/ men engaged in such occupation, but do not
/ believe ] wrote this lettef" A vote was then
taken, resulting In favor Of hAy ng the letter
{ read. The document VAS as follows:
"NEw OBLEASs, Nov. 20, 1876.
! 'MessrA d. A. WEHEK and JAMES =. ANDER-
( soS.-Gentlemen; Your note of even date has
Just been received. Neither Mr.. Hayes, myself,
I the gentlemen Who accompany me, nor the
country az large can ever forgot the obligations
under which you viii have placed us. Ehould
1 yoa stand arm ia the position you have taken.
! Prom 4 long and intimate acquaintance with
1 Governor HAYES, am justified In assuming
the responsibility for promises made, aud wall
guarantee that YOU viii be provided fer 81 soon
| after the 4th Of March Ak may be practicable,
aud Ia such manner viii enable yOu both D.
leave Louisiana, should You deem il Necessary.
Very truly yours JoHS SHERMAN"
| Secretary sherman left the W tnesr stand and
/ the examination Of Anderson continued He
testified that he came 70 Washington and tried
10 obtain q suitable position through the aid of
Hon. STANLEY Matthews. Mr.. Matthews asked
witness ahRt position be wanted, aud he re-
plioia Nothing Ia particular; whereup0n
/ sfr. Matthews advised him % proceed 90 New
4 OrloAnE and. IL possible, secure the original
written promise Of Secretary sherman. guar
Anieelng that Weber and himself would be pro-
| vided for He succeeded In obtaining the COPY.
and forwarded u 10 Mr.. Matthews, bat be dld
not succeed ia getting \ satisfactory position.
| Witness WAS eross-cxAnatnei At great length By
I Nr Butler bat nothing ncW was elected
On the second day of the sitting of the COM
mi,icc, the cross-cxAu1inAtion OF the witness
Anderson vas confined by Mr.. Reed, % the
/ committee. The examination was largely de-
I voted 20 an end0avoT % convict the witness OF
| discrepancies between hlF testimony on the first
dAy and statements heretofore mAde by him
before the Senate investigating committee
| that visited Louisiana las. year The con-
tracts between Anderson and Nash Ccandi-
date for Congress from LoaisiAnAl and
| between Anderson and Weber were largely
| used fog the purpose of showing cOntrEdlc-
non and discrepancies and disregard Of moral
considerations on the part OF the witness.
/ Witness had stated in relation 10 the SAsh
| contract that Ai the time OF It's date he had no
evidence Of frAnd In his possession and had not
pretended that be had and vet the con,rEc;
/ rccites that be is 10 suppress evidence
| showing that East FoiiriAnA hAl been fairly
| carried BY the Democrats party, the oonsid-
/ grafton for such suppression being that Nash
Was 10 secure for HIM the position on naval
uflrUr. he was pressed on that pasnt IS 70
| sbethor his statement on the arsi day that be
had no such evidenced was correct or not, and
/ be asserted that u was, except that be had the
I sherman letter IN his pocket az the time az
that could be construed into such evidence)
and also except that be had knowledge that the
/ vote of the state Was 20 be thrown ont on q
/ forged protest lie admitted also that be did
| not expect 20 get the position of naval officer
/ Anderson further stated that he had pur-
poscly mislcd the ScnAte investigation com
/ mittoc that went % Louisiana last year. IN
! order 20 carry out as far A. possible his i'm
rliod agreement with Mr.. sherman. Coming
doun 20 hiE testimony ms 20 thr interview with
| Mr. sherman AZ MorcAn's restaurant IN New
| Orleans. Anderson Vas closely cross-exAmlnei
| and made 20 repeat in detail all the circum-
| stances Of the interview, but his answers 10
| AL the questions put 20 him ON that point did
no, show any notable variation or discrepancy.
| The tkird day Of the investigation vas de-
voted 20 the continuation OF AndrEons cross
elimination. The hrst thing done, however,
was the adoption of re- diiun presented BY
| Mr. Builcr. Of the committee, calling upon the
| President 60 furnish the committee with the
correspondence Anderson alleges had passed
between senator Matthews and the President
tn regard 20 obtaining position for Anderson.
Agreed 10 unanimously. Anderson Was shown
what purported 20 be an agreement between
/ himself and Weber. proposing % mutually
protes, against counting the vote OF East and
West FeliciAnA. in sp.te Of the, fact reciied Ia
the agreement that the vote was fair. This
document witness had previously testified he
bad given 10 Senator Matthews. aud now, on
examining it closely. he stated thai Il was not
the copy which be had mailed 20 Mr.. Matthews.
though the writing was ana excellent counter
felt. The Matthews copy of the Nash agreement
was also shown 30 wltness aud he said be thought
| Il was the document which he had given % Mr..
Matthews. but that sance the other had been
altered he would not ike 10 say positively.
! After examining Mr.. French. sergeant az arms
OF the Senate, IN reference 10 the electoral re-
- Na 81 Nlsn.
| mittee seemed 30 and some di6icnlty in trAnang
or getting hold Of, the committee went into
executive session and then adjourned
Upon reAssembling the next day Mr. Cox. Of
the committee, stated that he had received
from senator Matthews the correspondence
between that gentleman and Anderson and
they were put in evidence. This oorrespon-
donee was made mp Of letters written by An
derEon 10 Mr.. Matthews In regard 90 the for
mer's application for an official position After
the lCtters bad hcen read Mr.. Butler offered 3
resolution inviting senator Matthews 10 appear
before the committee and testify concerning
the correspondence that had passed betweeA
himself aud Anderson Adopted. Aaron II.
Levisee, one Of the presidential electors IN
LouisiAnA, was next examined, and gave the
history Of an alleged attempt 20 brtbe ham 10
cast his vote for Mr.. Tilden in 1876 Witness
testified that he bad been approached by the
agent Of some gambling speculators with an
offer OF 440. 600; that Ia order 10 draw the
parties out, but without ever intending 20 ac-
cept hribe, be led them 10 believe he would
accept the proposition IL the amount wAs in
creased that having learned the principal In
the attempt 10 bribe him was one Joseph Her
mandoz, and having gone ~ Ear ~ he In
tended, he dropped the whole matter After
long cross-examinAtion the attention Of witness
was next directed 10 the Louisiana presidential
electoral returns which were laid before the