Daily Kennebec journal., 1878-06-06
The Potter Investigation
THE RETURNS OF LOUISIANA RE-
CEIVED.
General Butler Offers a Resolution.
THE EXAMINATION OF ANDERSON
CONTINUED.

WAsHINGToN, June 5. The Potter investieat-
ing committee met at half. past eleven this fore
noon, the chairman having received from the sec
retsry Of the senate the returns Of the electoral
college of Louisiana.
After read ny the returns, sever members
pressed themselves wanting TO be in the house
at twelve O'Clock, % they could vote on the Wood
tailh bill, and the committee took recess until
l.30.
The committee re-assembled and General But
Ter offered the following
Whereas James f. Anderson swears that be-
tween May 18th and June lst, 1871, Hon. Stanley
Matthews told him; have just to-day had a let
tel from the President IN IT gard to your case, and
have written bim such a letter as will secure your
appointment to some position; that on or about
the "a, the President ,ald TO witness lac had let
ter from Matthews, requesting him to give him
place, iht reiore
Resolved, That the President be requested to
furnish the con mttee all the original letters
above mentioned, which he has received II any,
or certified copies thereof with copies of any such
letter SUI posed TO be WIN ten by hun as he may
prefer, Ia order to secure an inu llgent crosscN-
animation Of witness on the subject matter there
of.
rhe icso ution was adopted
The witness WAS shown u document purporting
to be the original agreement signed by hm-elf
and W ebbcr which he Yesterday testified was III
possession Of Hon. Stanley Matthews. and he de-
clared that the document was not the original. but
was fan counterfeit of II.
Mr.. Rec AT this point smiled and the witness
said, preserve your smile. until after the lnvesti
cation i over and p, rhaps you will smile on the
other side OF your face.
The chairman demanded order.
Mr.. Reed asked the witness II he could explain
why he so positive that tti. document Was not
the original.
In rel wing, the witncss said:
81 remember distinctly the sheet of paper upon
which | wrote the agreement had two su all red
ats m If. tapp al
the middle OF the age and erased these stains,
leaving marks OF the earser, and finding such
marks UPON this page, know II is not The origi-
nal"
with a su.ge, tion from the chairman, he had call
ed on Mi. Matthew'S and requested the production
of the Anderson Webber contract. and Mr.. Mat
thews in com pliance with that request, had hand
ed hlm this paper.
The witness still persisted in declaring it was
not the paper he had mailed to Matthews.
The witness was questioned miuutely cross
examination as to The circumstances attending
the signatures.
In eference to one of the witoesscs variation,
Nj. Reed said;
You ; ated distinctly that the first set Of sigma
lures were executed AT Symon's Office.
Wtness-1hen am willing to correct it.
MI. Reed-Now | want to know whether that
is the truth or whether you said that with the
tentlon Of decelvIng this committee.
Witness-Aow me to say tn at have inter-
est in decevlng this committee.
Slr. Reed-Of that perhaps we want some bet
ter assurance.
Wtness-It is at matter of Indifference to me
whether you wan better assurance or not.
Q-Dd you Webber sign the first one
wherever 1t was signed
Al say do not recollect anything as to the
first signatures, whether we sigued them in the
custom house, or where. My mpiesiOn is that
we signed both of them in Mr.. Symonss office
Q-Do YOU say that Is not our haud wridng on
this paper;
Al say to the best of my kn ow ledge and be-
liei is Is not my handwriting.
Q-Can you make it no stronger.
Al eau make 1t stronger by saying that |
think 1t an excellent counterfeit of my handwrit-
ing.
Q-Do you know whether il is your handwrit-
ing not
Al know that it i not.