The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-10-31
COLLAPSE.
The Potter Investigation Miserable and
Criminal Conspiracy.
Telegram to Chicago Tribune.

Criminal Conspiracy.
Washington Telegram to Chicago Tribune1
The Republicans are at last in posses
sion Of the principal facts connected
with the working up of the forged doc
uments and perjured testimony upon
which the Potter resolutions were based
Anderson, the notorious witness, has at
last prepared a written statement, and
furnished corroborating evidence to sus-
tain it, showing how the agents of Til
den, from New York and this city, went
to work to manufacture a basis upon
which to set up the Potter investiga-
ton. For a long time the Republicans
who were approached have declined to
have anything to do with the matter, as
they did not believe Anderson could
make any statement which would COM
mand the least confidence. But finally
they were induced to look into his
statement and examine his proofs, and
the result has been that a complete ex-
posure awaits most of those who were
active as Tilden's agents in working up
the Potter investigation. The story
will disgust good many Demo
Gratis in the House, who were DELHI
erately deceived in regard to the
real character Of the documents which
were exhibited to them as proof that a
case against Secretary Sherman and the
President could be made out at once if
the Democrats would pass the resolu-
ton of inquiry. It can now be proved
that Sherman letter was forged, and
brought here by Weber, brother of the
murdered Supervisor. It was photo
graphed here and then copies were to
be used, so as to avoid being technically
guilty Of circulating forgery, since
these were only photographs. After
these were taken, experts exam
ined them, and compared them
with Secretary Sherman's hand
writing, and agreed that it would never
do to try to pass the letter as a genuine
one. It was next decided to introduce
testimony to the effect that Dan Weber's
wife had destroyed the original, but that
a copy which Anderson had made here,
and which he had afterwards produced
was a true copy. Either because
Mrs. Weber could not be prevailed
upon to swear to this story, Or because
some other link in the manufactured story
could not be supplied, this line Of per-
jury was dropped and it was finally
agreed that Tom Weber should swear
to the story that he found the Sherman
letter in box with his de-
ceased brothers papers, and de-
stroyed it without even mentioning
his discovery to any member Of the
family. Proof of the forging of the
Weber-Anderson agreement is also avail
able, and, in short, the whole diabolical
plot by which the Potter investigation
was worked up and forced upon the
Democrats of the House is now known
to the Republicans, and will doubtless
be established to the full satisfaction of
the country as soon as the Senate COM
mittee charged with the inquiry into
the charges against Senator Matthews
meets. 1t is understood that Anderson
will then appear and free himself from
the load of falsehood that he took upon
himself in the Potter committee. The
payments of money to Anderson for
preparing testimony, and the persons
who paid it, are known. The part
taken by Col. Pelton, Tilden's nephew,
in working up the case and forcing
it through the House, are also now
known. The persons who took part in
manufacturing oral testimony for sew
eral witnesses before the committee are
also known, and some of these will
probably soon be proceeded against
criminally for subornation of perjury.
Some of the Democrats involved in
these transactions have known for some
weeks that the danger of the Repub-
licans obtaining clew to their crooked
transactions was very great, and their
efforts to avert this trouble have been
untiring. The evidence Of their attempt
to prevent exposure will be about as in
teresting, and at the same time as con-
vincing of guilt, as any of the rest.