The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-01
Sherman and East Fsliciana.

An IMPORTANT WITNEss.-James i.
Anderson, one Of the Supervisors Of Reg
istraticn in East Felieiana Parish, Louisia-
na, will be an important witness before the
Potter Investigation Committee. An alb
stract Of his testimony is given in part
below, and it is considered to be quite
damaging to Secretary Sherman. Ander-
sons character viii be impeached, but his
testimony does not rest upon his own word
alone, it win be eorroborated by documen-
tary evidence.
It IS said that Secretary Sherman intends to
plead before the Potter investigating commit
tee, in the matter of the votes of East Fell
ciana parish, that, If any letter such as is
claimed to have been written by him is pro-
duced, it is forgery. It viii be remembered
that, In Sherman's Visiting Statesmen report,
the intimidation and "bulldozing'' in this
parish were dwelt upon most strongly, and a
mass Of testimony addnced to justify the &C
ton Of the Returning Board in reference to it.
Mr.. Potter expects to prove that, instead of
there having been intimidation in East Fell
ciana, the Republicans RETAINED from voting
By instructions from their leaders, and that
Sherman was privy to the instructions, and
accessory before the fact to the spurious allie
cations of intimidation. 1t Is also expected
to be proved that the returns from East Fell
ciana were tempered with by Anderson and
Weber, the supervisors Of the parish cleo
ton, several days after they were formally
made, that Sherman instigated this fraudulent
interference with the record of the election,
and that, in order to encourage Anderson and
Weber in the forgery, he gave them writ
ten promise to provide for them after the 4th
of March. This is the letter which Andersen
will swear he received and which Sherman
will swear is forgery.
East Feliciana has 3,131 registered voters,
of whom over 1000 are colored. In the Pres
idential election, ] ,736 votes were cast for the
Tilden ticket, none for the Republican. Here
was proof of intimidation, Mr.. Sherman al
legged in his Visiting Statesmen report, and
the Returning Board threw the vote out. But,
under the election law in Louisiana, the Re-
turning Board had no authority to exclude the
returns from any precinct, unless certain com
plants against the precinct, formally verified
and attested, were attached to the returns
themselves, by wax or some adhesive sub
stance. Now Anderson states, and there is
other proof OF the fact, that no such protests
or complaints were originally and legally at
taehed to the returns from East Feliciana at
all. 1t was after Anderson and Webber had
s'seen' Sherman and had been promised his
protection, and received the letter from him,
as is alleged, that they went back, opened the
returns, forged the protests, attached them
and sealed all up again. This viii be proved,
it is believed, beyond all cavil.
As TO the fact Of Sherman's letter, there is
this evidence Anderson viii swear that he
received it and gaveitto Weber, who was soon
after murdered or disappeared. Anderson,
who is a known rascal, and offered TO sell out
to the Democrats, did receive an office, but
could not keep it. Webber's wife came to
Washington, so the story runs, and applied at
the Treasury for an Office. She was repulsed.
She came back a second time, armed, it is
reputed, with letter to her dead husband
from Mr.. Sherman promising him protection
and Mr.. Hayes good will after the 4th of
March. This time she got the office, but ap-
parently surrendered the letter, for at this
point it disappeared, and in a short time after
wards Mrs. Webber was dropped from the
Treasury rolls. 1t is said, however, that
Photographic copies of the letter are still in
existence and will be produced. Ifthis should
be the fact it will be q hard thing for Mr..
Sherman to prove that the original letter was
a forgery