The Portland daily press., 1878-06-17
THE INVESTIGATION.
Gov. Kell0gg's Secretary or the
Stand.
Testimony Concerning the LOU
islam Certificates.
A Statement by Minister Noyes.

WASHINGTON, June 15.-Ths Potter COM
mittee met this forenoon.
Testimony of Gov. Kellogg's Secretary.
a. Conquest Clark, formerly private
secretary of Governor Kellogg, at present in
the service of the interval revenue department,
was examined by Chairman Potter relative to
the Louisiana certificates. He testified that
Anderson had stated that there was an error in
the certificates, in co nsequence of which Gov.
Kellogg requested witness to examine them.
He was present when Gov. Kellogg signed the
second set of certificates, and himself sealed
them up finally, and forwarded them. to
Washington by Charles Hill. He also sealed
the first set and handed them to the district
judge. 1t was two or three days after he
received the first set back from Anderson,
that he forwarded the second set. Kellogg
was the first signer to the second set of certi-
ficates. The witness was present when the
other signatures were added, and could not
say in what order they were written. He was
not present in the Electoral College. All the
signatures of the first set were signed in the
first and second set of certificates, now in the
possession of the committee, as prepared by
them. The bank seal on the envelope con-
tanning the certificates, he said, was the pro
perty of one of the clerks in the building, it
being that of an extinct bank, and was secured
on account of its being rare design and not
easily initiated. He recognized the documents
containing the authority of the messenger of
the first set of certificates, as having been pre-
pared by him self, and states that he had no
instructions to prepare the messengers au-
thority that charged with the delivery of
the second set of certificates.
Mr.. Potter here showed him the authority
which the bearer of the second 8 of certifi-
Gates presented, and the witness thought that
it was one which was prepared for the
messenger of the first set, Anderson.
Before concluding Clark's testimony, Mr.
Potter expressed desire to be absent from the
IL faN han r1nr
part in certain measures which were to be
disposed of in the House, and thought it best
that the other members OF the committee
should also be present, so the committee took
a recess until O'Clock, when Clark assumed
the stand.
Mr.. Clark was under the impression he saw
Brewster sign the second set of certificates,
and that they were signed in the COMMITTEES
room and not in che Governors office.
As Brewster testified yesterday he had read
a statement in Cincinnati paper to the effect
| that some of the signatures of Louisiana
electoral returns had been forged. He clipped
| the paragraph from the paper and enclosed it
| to Kellogg, inqairing what it meant, but never
received reply to it, never heard anything
while in New Orleans of the so-called Usher
man letter." The first intimaton he had of
the existence of such a document was from
| reading statement in reference to it 10 a
newspaper If the envelopes in which the
certificates enclosed were not genuine he did
1 IL
| sequence of objections made by Kellogg to the
handwriting in the first set of Certificates,
| witness had caused a number of extra copies
made by clerk in the Office writing a palmer
| hand thao the first to which Governor Kellogg
had objected, and he (wtness) therefore had a
number OF certificates in excess of those
required for the use of the Electoral College,
After further unimportant testimony witness
| was excused and ex-Representative Darrall
recalled, remaining on the stand but about five
M UbQn chairman
nounced he had requested Kellogg to appear
| before the committee but received verbal
message from him saying he could not comply
| at present. The committee then adjourned
| until Monday.
Statement of Minister Noyes.
| New YORK, June 16.-Hon. Edward Noyes
United States minister to France arrived this
morning by the streamer City of Richmond,
| and was driven to the Fifth Avenue Hotel.
| In conversation with a representative of the
| Associated Press touching the matter that
| brought him home Minister Moves said 81
| went to Florida for no purpose on earth excep
| to ascertain the vote of that state and to SET
whether or nor the popular vote was cast fo
| the Republican electors. stated to the two
| Republican members of the canvassing board
that all we wanted was an honest decision.
| never made any promises to McLin or any
other member of the board, nor did | suggest
| any possible reward, nor recognition in the case
Gov. Hayes should be finally declared elected
| anu 80 lar as McLln Is concerned never saw
him alone one moment in my life before tn,
| vote OF Florida had been cast. am now in.
| formed for the first time that even McLin doe
not say made him any promises Had
known that before leaving Paris should no
have demanded a subpoena, but remained il
| France to attend to my public duties. d.
| not care to be more specific as it would perhaps
be in bad taste considering I am SO soon t
give sworn statement to the committee :" Ii
further conversation Minister Noyes1said tina
while he did not care at this time to be inter
viewed he had nothing whatever to conceal
he also expressed the hope that every
politician in the North whether Democrat O
Republican would be subpe naed who visited
Florida on this business as that would be only
fair to all parties. 1t was Certainly due hin
since he had been so conspicuously named il
the preamble of Potters resolution. Ministe
Noyes will leave for Washington tomorrow
morning, and will visit Ohio before returning