Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-02-15

- WASHINGTON, ID. G., Feb. 4.
To Gen. THOMAS G. ANDERSON New Orleans:
Tho undersigned feel 1t due TO you under
present circumstances TO assure you of our
Undertaking belief that In the matter wherein
you stand charged YOU are altogether guiltIess
Of any ofTense against the law; that'you are
falsely accused and maliciously prosecuted;
that the proceeding against you, though In
the form of law, Is without the substance of
Justice; that we hereby tender our earnest
sympathies and express our hope that the sense
OF justice and love OF peace OF the people Of
Louisiana will protect you and not permit the
best interests Of the whole country to he dis
turbed by revival OF sectional animosity.
In any event, we are confident that the Amer
lean people will redress any injustice Of which
you may be made the victim.
Signed, John Sherman, Stanley Matthews,
). a. Garfield, Eugene Hale, Harry White
Sherman denounces the arrest, trial
and conviction of Anderson as an out
rage. He says Anderson was not in
dicted; the proceeding against him, on
information, " is prohibited by the u. y.
Constitution, but is provided for by Lou
isiana law; the information was signed
and filed by an officer of the White
League and criminal; Judge Whita-
ker is public defaulter for over $780,
900; Anderson was arrested while in
discharge of his duties as Collector at the
Custom-House, which stands on ground
under jurisdiction of the United States,
hurried to prison, required to give ex-
cessive bail, forced to trial, convicted,
and held for sentence without benefit of
bail; the jury was picked to convict; he
believed the two colored jurors were
tricked into agreeing to the verdict; the
cause of the prosecution was that, in
pursuance of law, Anderson and his
associates eliminated from the election
returns results of violence and intim-
idation; there was no evidence to
convict him with the forgery or
alteration of the Vernon Parish
returns; they were printed as they
were precisely in the daily papers
and in both houses of Congress, and
the subsequent alteration by Littlefeld
was done either as a put-up job or in the
interest of the local candidates, having
no effect upon the general result; there
was no motive for such alteration by
Anderson; he (Sherman) hoped this
conviction would not be carried into
execution; if it was it would be q
mockery of justice, and would bring
into contempt all efforts at peace and
Cancellation, and seemed to him an act
of folly and madness.
New ORLEANS, Feb. IL.
The contempt case against Lane,
Tomlinson, Wurzburger and Steele
came on in the Superior Court to-day.
Counsel for Deputy-Collector Tomlin'
son stated that, as Collector Anderson
was in Jail, if the court held Tomlinsor
for contempt it would stop the whole
machinery of the Custom House, ant
suggested that the case should be held
in allegiance. Judge Whitaker granted
the request and Tomlinson was released
on parole. Lanes counsel stated tina
his action was entirely within the pur
view of his duties as U. S. Commits
sioner. The others acted under in
structions. Judge Whitaker will rem
der decision soon.
In addition to the exceptions already
on file the Attorney ey-General is ordered
to show on Wednesday why new tria
should not be granted Anderson on thu
ground that Prince, one of the jurors
is in fact minor under the age o
twenty-one; that Lincoln, juror, ,
few days before the day of the trial
openly stated that Anderson was guilty
that he had no doubt of the fact, ant
that said Anderson should be hanged
for it, or words to that effect.