The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-08-16
POTTER'S PUMP.
now HT WORKED YEsTERDAY-LEET's
TESTIMONY CONTINUED.
The Republicans Beaten, But Bound to
''aaet En''-Vtsit1ng Statesmen-An-
dersOn'B PrOtest-The Sher-
imam Letter,

man Letter.
NEW YORK, Aug. 15.-The Potter investi-
eating committee met in the Postoffice build
ing this morning. The first witness was John
A. Leet, Of the New Orleans Times, who con-
tdnued his testimony.
"When Anderson called on me after coming
from East Feliciana, he had carried out the
programme as well understood between Kel-
lOgg, Anderson and ysef. This programme
was to keep the colored Republicans from
voting: It was thought best to exclude the
colored Republican voters, that the Return
ing Board could throw out the whole Demo-
cratic; vote of the parish, il necessary. The
Republican party was demoralized there and
would have been beaten
Anderson went back and the election was
held. Anderson told me he did not mean to
make any protest until he found out where
the land lay. Kellogg urged me to get An
derson to make protest. Kellogg said it
was highly important to get O. protest of
arrived there and bought him up. [ advised
Anderson not to make q protest. Anderson
and | agreed that the Republican party was
defeated, and were sorry for Hayes, but were
glad Packard was beaten.
We agreed, however, that, even though
beaten the Republicans would get in. In an
Interview with Kellogg, he said that no mat
ter what Anderson would do, he would count
the State for Hayes. He urged Anderson not
to sell out to the Democrats, and we agreed
TO kellogg's plan to count in Hayes.
In 1871 witness had a difficulty with E. L.
Weber and knocked him down. [ had con-
yersation with Weber in the ST. Charles Hotel
He asked me if he and Anderson had not
ruined themselves by counting in the Repub-
llcans. He said he was sorry for it. did not
meet the visiting statesmen. I told Anderson
that all the prominent politicians on both
sides were frauds OF the worst kind.
knew very we'll that Sherman and the vis-
ltlng statesmen had come down to steal the
State: thought that, through Anderson, [
would get hold on them myself knew
they We're after Anderson's protest There
were glorious prospects for Anderson; and
knew ne could get anything he demanded for
his protest. It was to cause the vote OF East
Feliciana for Tilden to be thrown out
think that, even without Andersons protest
they would have thrown out the vote Kel-
lOgg wanted me to manufacture afidavits.
but | refused. I thought that by working
A Anderson dt, would get enough of evidence out
OF him to expose the whole thing and make a
and my fortune.
When Anderson told me he had signed a
protest and got no money for it, told him
he was the greatest fool I ever met Ander-
son son said: Don't mind me; have fixed it so
that hayes cannot be counted in and be left !
put. L told him If he held off with the pro-
Test he could get documents from the visit
ing statesmen that would make them his |
lives.
Kellogg and others got scared and wanted
TO introduce me to the visiting statesmen. I |
told him would not go to gee such a lot of
DID frauds. He tcld me was fool.
l was afraid that it [ met them they might
get something out of me. Anderson said he
md Weber had an interview with Sherman
md that Sherman had promised them any,
hing told Anderson he was an unmitt-
gated lunatic to believe in anything but a
written contract. He said he was promised
zet get FASAl t. o'0ce' told him he never would
Another day he pulled out letter, and said
t was from John Sherman, and was a letter
giving him the Naval Office. He showed me
lohn Sherman's name at the foot of the letter,
'ut refused to let me see the remainer. Had
/ talk with Darrall and Kellogg about that
etter. They both knew of it's existence
Kellogg and I considered the count Of votes
inished before it was begun. I spoke to Dar-
all about. Sherman's letter, and he said it
gave no grip to Anderson on the statesmen.
They had hold on him. however, in his pro-
est. Anderson and knew this and kept our
mouths shut. | knew it would be uphill
york to expose the frauds. Bulldozers were
numerous, and would shoot white men or
cts were perfect godsends to the Republican
'arty. The bulldOZers were the fiercest DEM
Gratis until they got office.
We knew very well in the campaign Of 1876
hat the State was lost, and could not have
cen eeId sayed ao e even if we had troops, and we
iven Grant away at the Cincinnati conven-
ion, and gone over to Blaine. Warmoth ad-
nltted that the State would be lost by $4,000
otes, but thought that Hayes would be
lected without Louisiana, but If Louisiana
vas necessary, there was a last resort in the ;
returning Board
Warmoth told me confidentially that the
carpet-baggers are better class Of
zen than those who denounce them, and
Mark my words" said he, s'these visiting
tGfpETnPD who q down haro GRO lot rII |
'auds, and have come down here to steal the
tate and they will steal it, too;" and fully a
Oxen other public men in Louisiana expressed
themselves similarly in regard to the visiting
JateSmen.
A number Of questions followed, resulting '
little or no information, when Gen. Butler {
'ok up the oss-examination, but adduced I
cry little. Mr.. Leet handed Mr.. Potter two {
nportant, letters from James E. Anderson,
ated Clinton, La, September 20 and IL, 1876 a
e said he could not find any more letters
ON Anderson, although he had received
ute a number from him. He also produced
'Verai letters from Darrall, Gov. Kellogg {
10 others, which were not read.
A copy Of the New, Orleans Times was pro-
uced, containing q letter written by Leet, in /
hlch occurred this sentence: II would
sther swallow a Republican hawk than a
emocratic buzZard.' Leet said he had been
)lng That for seven years, and desired
lange.
ht cueu tntefeu OH personal eXplanaGlOn I
which he attacked the New York news Z
spers: He said that, having been reporter .
mself, he understood how difficult it was to T
port witness uerbatim in a crowded and
'isy apartment, and, therefore, did not COM
am of small Inaccuracies, but he protested
,ainst his private character being assailed
? idlers who twisted the testimony to suit :
cir own purposes. One paper had called !
M broken-down schoolmaster and carpet ;
,gger These were lies. y
During this diatribe of Leet's, Gen. Butler
1ned back in his chair and laughed at the
porters, and said to Leet, 1--WE been there
yself: go ahead" \
Leet continuing, said: Il want it dis a
lctly understood that when I went to Lou
ana was one of the very few men who
snt there determined not to be carpet
gger. Joined the movement of the Re- -.
bllcan party there because believed it to - i,
movement of reform. I tried
purify the party from within, and am a -
arr-foo + |