Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-07-25
TESTIMONY OF REPRESENTATIVE
HALE.

rounded by distinguished gentlemen among them
General Robert Pstter.on.
President Grant proposed he visit New Orleans
to witness the action of the schemng board AT
first he declined, but the President SAID prominent
democrats had gone aud therefore he waited him
to GO. Witness sad this was owing to the fact
that hi, conduct IN there was very independent
aud that he sometimes kicked in the traces.
The President wanted hun to witness the count
ing by the retaining board, nothing else. He was
merely to 90 to New Orleans as locker on and
to see nothing improper should occur. Previous
togong he hsd no conversation with anyone but
the President. General Paterson concuired 10
the suggestion he ought to 90.
He left Philadelphia the fifteenth Of November,
alone. but on the rOnte found himself in company
with sherman, and On arriving with Secretary
Sherman, in New Orleans, fouLd a number of Wis
ting republicans
Kelley detailed the proceedings at New Orleans
by himself and republican fiiend, but brought out
nothing new.
They did nothing TO aid the returning board -
to indicate 10 the returning board what should or
should not be done.
lie did not know of Sherman having any con-
versa'ion with Anderson or Weber.
CORTLAND Parker OF New Jersey, testified that
while IN Louisiana he head no doubt thrown on
ALdei sous protest as to Felicana, thai ADDER
son wished to Withdraw IT.
Kelley recalled sand that he tad not had two
minute, conv,r alton with any member of the re-
turning boarl.
lie bad no doubt that frauds were practccd on
both sides, but that If just returns we've made they
won Id give the electors vote TO Hayes.
Iliscock called the attention OF the witness to
the testimony of +. l.. Weber, 10 which he SAID
the visiting Statesmen went so lar rs TO advise the
rturning board to stretch the already arbitrary
powers they had, and that on the 27th of Novem
Der the returning board had finished the IL count
aud elected Packard and majority Of the legls-
lature ard six republican electors. This was
Communicated to the visiting statesmen, who in
1uenced the toaid to reopen and change the re-
, suit.
VII, lie aud in,part. There no basis for such
an assertion. He had never heard of any CONVEX
sation alleg ing that point had been reached
making recount necessary to give all eight Of
the presidential electors to the republicans.
He met James L. Anderson for the first time at
a hotel in Washington where they board and also
after he had teen summoned before this commit
tee.
lie had never heard that Anderson was unwill-
ing 10 stand by his prot 81 OF hesated 10 make an
ali ay it, did he ever hear That the returns OF
any of the parishes we're TO be manipulated for
any purpose, or that the afidayIs signed
with fictitious names.
In reply to the question: do you know of Sher
mat having had IA conversation with Weber aud
AndeI son ~ New Orleans, the witness replied
that be bad DO conscious of ever having seen
" cher. Whie the Wis thug delegation occupied IA
public parl0r at the hot, Anderson and Weber
may have come into II among others. Sherman
| spent very little time there. lie was either in
| StoughtoLs loom attending to his private bust
ness. sherman never came to the custom house
In the course of further examination the wit
| ness alluded to Eliza Inkston. He believed hei
state ncnt at the time it was made, and believed
| it today.
| lie also spoke of the affairs in Moorehouse par.
ish : so desI crate that the planters themselves
| organized to guard their coloIed laborers from
| the attacks of the regulators.
| Representative Hale testified that he is at pres
| ent IN, mber of the house of representatives and
| was also member In 1876. Is republican in
politics and went to New Orleans solely al the re.
quest OF President Grant aud not al the instance
| of Gov Hayes or any person tor him.
President g. ant requested him with other gem
lcnien to witness the count OF the vote In Louis
| lana. IL AID Secretary sherman were intimate
and they expressed their view to each other with
| freedom.
| All the republican visitor. maintained a posi-
| ton that they should be careful to abstain from
any attempted influence on the returning board
SO far as lie knew This pine pie was strictly car
| ried out.
| The witness had no recollection of hearing of
Jane. F.. Anderson while he was in Louisiana
| nor did he remember of having seen or heard OF
| Weber.
| He did not know of Senator sherman being in
secret consultation outside of his own ssoclates.
| Witness testified as to the part he took in the
| eX am nation OF returns from East Baton Rouge
| and like the witnts ses who preceded hun he char
acterized as false the testimony Of Weber abou
| the visiting republicans influencing the action OF
| the returning board.
| Butler-Fron. all that you saw while witnessing
| the action Of the returning board did you see
any thing 10 convince you that # Hay es was elect
| ed president Packard was not elected governor.
| A-No, Sit. | thought if HAYES was elected
president, Packard was elected governor.
| thought both were elected.
| Butler-That Is all | want 10 know
| Representative DantoIth was lecailed
| 10 answer to question by Butler, DAnforth re
Piled tat there discrepancy or difference be
tween the votes cast for Hayes aud those cast fol-
Packard, except in Nachtoches, where Packard
had two hundred or three hundred more vote
than Hayes
Elk congressman j. Hale Syphcrs of New Or
! leaus. where he has resided Tor fourteen years
| was examined by Chairman Potter, and testified
| 10 CONVEX ion be ween h IN eff aud ID. A
! Weber, who asked him If he could take the prom
ises OF the gentlemen who were there to provide
for bin ii he was driven ou' OF his parish. WIT
| ness said in reply these gentlemeu STOOD very
closely to the incoming President personally anC
politically and he thought they could be trusted
The ,Xt day he agalu met Weber, who exHlb
tied letter, which he eai aad then returned i
| TO him. Weber made DO special remark, but h'
| seemed 10 be pleased with the letter, which pur
ported to be signed by John Sherman. Witness
had seen ShermsR's handwriting. Would no
testify the letter was in Shermans writing, bu
there was nothing to mskh tim think it was no
his Handwriting. lie presumed it was his. ii,
could not give the puiport, but the published let
ter is the original of what he had hastily read L
seemed substantially correct.
| The chairman said Gov. Cox notified him som(
time ago that he could not remain In New Or
leans longer than this month. and accordingly tn
chsit man had applied 10 the other members OF thu
minority to take Gov. Coxs place. None OF TIT
gentlemen however felt at liberty to 20 to New
o leans now. At the time of this application
| was expected that the testimony IN regard TO in
tlmidation would be taken, which would occup,
some time. When, however, Mr.. sherman 5 coun
sci decided not to introduce that testimony, it wa
hoped most of the evidence in La. could be com
peted by the end of the mouth, but the breaking
out of the yellow fever there has been followed
by Coxs withdrawal, so that it will not be practi
cable to continue q committee there after to-da,
on which the minority were represented, auC
therefore, unless the committee thought other
wise, he should instruct the subcommittee a
New Orleans Is suspend the stnngs, but rs thu
Withdrawal of Cox would prevent the committed
from taking some OF the evidence which Genera
Butler had requested should be taken, he therefore
laid the matter before the committee.
General Butter said some OF the testimony wa
so important that he should ask that some OF th'
witnesses be summoned here.
II was then agreed that the subcommittee sus
pend its sttings.