Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-05-27
The Louisiana Fraud.

with James T.. Anderson -
"What was the date Of your 6rst transaction
with Sherman?'
"We the protest to the vote of East Fell
Diana was dated November 10; that Of West
Feliciana November H. | believe Sherm an
reached New Orleans about the 10th Of the
mouth. Things were then 10 very critical 20
sition. Dan Weber, who was supervisor OF cleo
tions 10 West Feliciana, bad signed his protest
but had not. He Yves right n what he did
and 30 was |. From what | heard at the time
| felt sure that Dan was acting 10 the line OF
duty by putting his name to the protest, be
cause 10 one part of the parish, down in the
river regiop, there was a small body OF disord-
ery roushs, who interiered with the negroes
from pure cusselncss. There was not much
politics about it, Dan was not very finn,
however, 10 tie faith. lie had his doubts
whether the protest should be made to cover so
much, and | had made up my mind that
| did not propose to testify officially to ntlmi
dation when there vas 70 sign of it on The day
Of election. The thing had all been set up be-
forehead, but | had DO right to swear that any
voters wero i1terfcred with unless [ knew Of
actual cases OF violence on election dsy. There
we're none. Tho election was as peaceful! as
any 10 the country. So | refused to sign. 1t
was very few days after this, as the datca
show, when Sherman arrived 10 New Orleans.
Dan Weber ard were both weak, and it vas
vital that our parishes should be thrown out
told you months ago Of the way ny signature
was obtaiocd to blank sheet of paper and
how that was aitcrEard filed 10 without my
knowledge with o most sweeping protest, Is,
companied by forged jurat. That was a
fraud | had made up my mind 10 denouuco
it. Just then the visiting statesmen came on
the field. Wcbber aud | both needed back
bone There is 60 use 10 telling q great long
story now; but We were written 10 by Secretary
Sherman. We wanted written guarantees that
we should be cared for il We allowed this crook.
cdness to 20 uDrct uked, so that the returning
board and the republican party could take ad.
vantage Of The wrong" m
did the Secretary write to each OF you?
mo; the letter was written to us Jointly. 1t
did not como through the mail; it was directed
to d. A. Webber and James h. Anderson. -
The stories about there being two Letters ere
false. TWAS transmitted to u5 through third
party"
GLOW did the letter read ?'
"Wcll it was one of those shlewd things
which nobody but a shreWd politician would de
wise. lie simply said we should be literally
cs ed for If We stood firm"
Don't you know that when MIR. Sherman is
placed on the stand be cen laugh at that letter
and say the only object Of it was 10 let you
know that the leaders Of the republican party
would stand by you if ytu performed your
duty?'
Yes l realize the force Of that, but it hap
pens that the vital point 10 this matter concerns
the fact, whether MIR. Sherman know when be
wrote that latter that Weber had his doubts
about what his duty meant, and that l was on
the point of denouncipg the forgery OF which
had been made the victim.
"ADd you think you can prove that he YES
fully aware of all these facts and meant his let
ter to be guarantee that you should be pro
vided for if you consented to shut your eyes
and hold your tongue (
That is exactly what We expect to do?-
Suppose that Lawrence testi6es that he lUiorm
ed Sherman Of the way things stood 10 the
Feliciapa parishes, and suppose that PIikln
testi6es that Sherman understood the situation
exactly, and suppose Whitney tesli6cs mere
tnv than be did BE- fore the Morrison committee
that one day at the St. Charles Hotel dis.
PLAYED an envelope which contained the Sher
man letter, and said, Il have got enough here
to bust the whole thing thea whcrc will
Sherman be"
"Whate7ar became Of that lettcr?'
Il cave it to Dan Weber, and doDl't know
exactly what he did with it. You remember
he was murdered at st. FrancisviIle very short
~ atterward. There always has been peculiar
mystery hanging about Webber's murder. l
have heard that the democrats claim to possess
Photographic coDy of that letter. but l can
state whether it is true or not. You also re-
member when we called on Mrs. Jcuks last
winter that she intimatcd that the or gna let
ter was safe and sound 10 place where II could
be easily reached. That may be true; but the
great importance Ct the investigation 80 Tar Is
Sherman is concerned will consist Ia proving
not that such letter was written Ard not that
it contained such and such words, but that he
know when he addressed it to US that VIC were
being brbed to submit to iorgerles.
"Do you think Pitkin vii! testify p
II know he will"
Aud you have no doubts that you eau make
the whole matter 50 clear that the country will
understand it ?'
II believe VIC can make Sherman come ;]own
from his high horse.
when do you expect 10 be summoned :?
"IIsve not the least idea. ain ready any
time. never took dollar from any member
of tie republican or democratic party. | am
under DO obligation, aud propose to tell tho
whole truth. no matter who is hurt
Later in the day the correspondent ran across
Judge Sloanakcr, the individual who was taken
in aud housed for awhile in Louisiana during
the carpet bag government aud has tor many
n onths been hanging around the White Horse
10 search cf bone.
Got EN- this time, sure" remarked the
worthy Judge. DO you see that little smooii,
faced iel!ow thcro talking with Judge Marks ?
That is Harry Pyle. lie is the young
gentleman who gave thiags life down
iu louisiana while the count was 90.
ing 90, by clrrying the crooked cnvcl-
opes between the postofice aud the returning
board. When the returns came in sealed pack
ages the postoaice officials would hand them
over to some delegated agent Of the board. lie
would then steal away and manipulate by
spouging down the mucilage CD the envelopes
till they would open easily, and then follow up
by gently inserting the protests manufactured
on the spot from the poll lists already forward
IL. | IL lab ,rty