The sun., 1878-06-04
THE LOUISIANA CONSPIRACY
James Il. Anderson'- Te.timony. Oral aud
Documentary.


which began six months before. During these
months this conspiracy changed both It's plans
and its leaders. lis first aim was to secure the
State for the Republican State ticket The con-
spirators were first the local Republican man
ayers. The conspiracy finally came to be q con-
spiracy against the rightful election of Presi-
dent. The conspiraiOrs in the latter stages were
various leading Republicans OF tho country
Two men. among others. were knowing TO this
conspiracy ut both stages. James H. Anderson
and David A. Weber. Supervisors OF Registra-
ton in the parishes Of East and West Follciann.
Their consent in the first instance. and their
silence in the second. were absolutely neccs-
sary to the success Of tho conspiracy by whose
efforts tho Returning Board of the State OBJ
tained the evidence upon which'it could legally
deal with the statements of votes cast. changing
the electoral voto from Tiden to Hayes, the
state Government in the executive and legis-
lntive branches from the Democratic candidates
to the Republican. and making similar trans
fer in The representation OF the State in the
lower branch Of the Torty-fith Congress.
OF these two men, Anderson and Weber.
one il dead. H. was killed shortly after the
Inauguration Of Hayes. Having shared In the
conspiracy. he did not share in its rewards nor
seek them. Anderson did. IIe had shared in
tho conspiracy for five months before Haycss
election. He shared In the struggle for the
spoils for five months after Haycs's inaugura-
tion. In July. 1877. the survivor of the two
men, duped by the procurers and promoters OF
his cons piracy. summarily ended his relations
with the last OF the conspiratOrs. who cndcav-
orcd to keep him silent with promises OF Office
Stanley Matthews. himself n United States
Senator by virtue OF his share in the successful
conspiracy. These relations were again re-
sumcd 10y Mr.. Matthew'S in February. 1878. On
Saturday last Anderson told HIS story before
Mr. Plttrr's committec-,he story Of the con-
| spiracy before the election. the conspiracy to
pcrvcrt its results. and tho conspiracy, by the
offer OF Office. to secure this perverslon against
| the dangers OF public inquiry.
Anderson : story went back before the election.
| It was the intention OF the chiefs Of the Rcpub-
lean organization In the State. by preventing
! the attendance Of the Supervisors Of Registra-
| iion in certain parishes. t. make impossible n
| legal election. and secure by their own wiliul
neglect the exclusion. to thcr own benefit. of
The votes Of these parishes. The plan failed. II
Nas in any case hopeless either to try to carry
uosn parishes for Hayes or to prove such riot
and disorder ns might make il legally possible
no; to count ihom at all.
IL was in September that Anderson wrote to
| Weber ol the attempt TO carry his parish for
Hayes; " | must return 1000 majority from
| the parish II YOU were to scrapo the district
| with nnc-tooh comb you could not find that
number OF Republicans" Three weeks passed.
The cont. st became hopeless. Ho determined 10
| resign. he 90 wrote tO Weber On oct II. lie
sent his rosignationto Gov. Kellogg II turned
over the registration books. lie started for
New Orleans. The parish could not be carried.
No election could be- held in his absence. The
last suited the consiraiors better than the first
lie was detained in Now Orleans.
4 delegation came from the parish to demand
Anderson return. and Kellogg said his absence
WAS voluntary making il compulsory
awhile by setting II spy To dog Anderson.
and ordering tho police TO arrest him If he
stirred. But. with the aid OF tho Deputy
United siatss Marshal Anderson piled l.. b.
J,nks the spy of the Governor with liquor.
and. lcarnln-; from this drunken agent Of
kcloggs achcmc 10 prevent an election. An
dcrson lot tho city and went homo. Ilc
reached hi' parish Ia timo to hold n legal
election. Weber was also back in his. In
both parishes the election was quiet and peace
nllo beyond precedent. IN both n legal poll
WAS opened and duly closed. In both CONSOLE
dntcl s.ltemcnis were made sworn TO. md
scaled. In neither had the Returning Board
power 20 chnngct the result. since no protest WIS
attached to either return. None had hocn made.
There was accordingly 300 ground upon which
thn Returning Board could net ia the direction
uf throwing out or changlu. the vote of either
parish
Anderson anl Weber returned 70 find the
PRESIDENCY hiuging upon the votes of thoir
parishes. From Nov ;. forward letters and
t.lcEruma immorins the Republican managers
90 leave nu act uudone 10 secure the vote of the
State ior llnycs. coupled with promises. moral
material. and pecunary. had poured in from
tine North. Yet the election in those parishes
had hcen quiet beyond precedent. Both Audor-
son mud Weber declined 10 certify otherwise
gnl here began the first step in the conspiracy
aNDr the election. posultory interviews had
prepared tine way. The conspiracy 10 prevent
an clootion had failed. The Conspiracy to per
went the election wa, rcsumel.
Hy dnt of long persistence ana much pros
sure. Anderson was induced 10 mako partial
statement ON Nov. 10 II was enough for the
conspirn;ors. They turned 1t into pro-
test. OF it Anderson wrote 10 Wohcr on
NOV. Il: There is h0 douLt bW mat they hrri
changed oV statement So as 20 matte ga u'uni-
ddt,on prot,s." 1t WAS so changed. The num-
her oi iHtmidated voters was changed changed
ten fold. The political complexion 81 the state
ment VAS changed. Ii had been non partisan
II was made partisan Ihe J'rai 'ras (or0e6
It is not strange that Anderson wrote in the
Same lotter To my dear Don that he did mo-
propose to 30 an this " damned dirty work ever
to snvr Has u.s." No wonder it WAS dangerous
This prot sst was forged if it was not perIured
il was pnriurcd ii it was not forged.
The two mon were now al leud with the lead
ers Of the conspiracy to which they had hecom
accessory. They had done enough in this clcc
ton To merit political death rs the political cod
Of Louisiana goes. Their opponents. Kellogg
Packard 4 Co.. wonll have the . ye'r TO add {,
p tins Imprisonment in the pcutentinry. inN"N
ing civil death. Ron were young. They pro