The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-06-25
POTTER'S INQUIRY.
BUTLER GIVES MRS. JENKs A CLEAR
FEEtD.
Hut Goes for a Newspaper Correspondent
10 whom Hayes COnfided His
6Rnrafa

WASHINGTON, June N.--The Potter COM
mittee met at II o'clock this morning. Mr..
Potter, who had returned from New York,
whittier he had gone on q visit to his family
prior to leaving for Louisiana, presided.
Shortly after Mrs. jerks walked In with
slowly measured step, and bowling In semi
theatrical manner TO the members OF the
committee took her chair.
Mr.. Springer was the first who took hand
In eliciting some information from her, and In
reply to his question stated that no one else
than she intended to tell anything about, and
knew nothing about the so-calied Sherman
letter. Some one else might have known
about 1t: she is the only one now that knows.
She dictated it to some one, but refuses to tell
who to. The language of the letter Is her
original production, and the person who wrote
it acted as her aInanuensiS extraordinary. A
good many persons were present in the room
at the time, but she refuses to name any one
person her memory is defective and she does
not remember who was there; did not know
the name at the time OF any one present in
the room they were all strangers to her; has
given TO oblivion the name OF the person to
whom she dictated the letter.
Q.-Don't you know you wrote the letter
yOurself2
A~-Why do you want to know2
Own you say you did not write it2
Al will not.
Witness said the letter was written on
medium size letter paper; might have been
written partially on two pages Of the sheet;
as'nearly as she can recollect, 1t was written
on QU6 DARST bfl6 BUV6lOE16 uB1u WIS q Dltlln
white envelope, larger than usual letter size,
and yet not as large aS the official size; she
refuses to tell whose handwriting it was In ;
1t has passed into the land of shadows; it Is
not cOnneatabie; she does not remember speak
ing to any one In the room; the envelope was
addressed to d. A. Weber and Jas. Il. An
derson.
Mir. Springer requested Mrs jerks to write
npon sheet of paper a copy of the so-called
Sherman letter. She at first declared her
willingness to do 80, but subsequently de-
elined, saying she could see no necessity
for 1t.
letter addressed to Sherman, her first impulse
was to deliver it, but she unconSciOuSIy
opened 1t and read 1t. She was at the time
absorbed in contemplating mentally the
affairs of the nation, and unconseiously bit off
the end Of the envelope and took out the letter
to see II 1t was necessary to deliver it, but
when she discovered its contents disgust over
came her, and she would not permit such a
letter to go to Mr.. Sherman. She did not tell
Mr. Sherman nor any OF his friends of it.
Itwas philanthropic act on her part. 1t
was not necessary that he should know any
thing Of it, 1t served its purpose to pour oil
upon the troubled waters. She subsequently
visited Gov, Kellogg's office, and met Mr.
Sherman and Gen. Sheridan there. All that
was said OF any inpol tance on that occasion
was concerning the weather.
Has not q memoranda with her: they are
too voluminous to bring up In one car. Be
sides Messrs. Sherman and Sheridan, Mr.
Stoughton, Gen Garfield and others were In
Gov. Kellogg's office. Does not think any
thing was said about the count.
Her relations with Anderson and Weber on
November 20, 1876, were very friendly.
Qs--What interest, then, could you havehad
to deceive two friends Of yours to render
service to man who was comparative
stranger to you?
A-Simp1y to maintain the honor of the
party.
The witness stated she had been told by
Weber that he and Anderson had been assured
OF protection by some one but Shermans
name was not mentioned in the matter. She
acted as the self-appointed agent OF the Re-
publican party.
Mr.. Springer-Well, I do not understand
such thing as self-appOinted agent.
Mrs. JenkS-TheTe are good many things
you do not understand in Louisiana politics,
1t seems Laughter
Gen Butler next asked her II she had any
more Of Anderson's letters to her. to which
she replied affirmatively, and then asked, ''by
the way, how did you get that letter from
Mrs. Weber, This caused considerable
laughter, which was increased by Gen. But
ler's impertuTbable air, and the blowing Of a
cigar smoke In the direction of the witness.
Mrs jerks declared her readiness to pro-
duce the letters tomorrow, and insisted upon
knowing where Gen. Butler had obtained the
letter from Mrs. Weber.
Mr.. Butter lsmiling)EOh I will explain that
to you tomorrow; but will you not let us
have Mr.. Andersons letters?
Mrs. Jenks-Oh, they are not couched In
such language as to particularly edify you.
MIR. Butler-Well, 1t is not your fault that
Anderson does not write good letters,
Mrs. Jenks-He uses such words as damn
Mr. Butler-Well, / don't mind that. Will
you let us have these letters now2
Answef-I have not got them.
Mr.. Butler-Why didn't you tell me that
some time ago?
Al thought you might have guessed that
Mr.. Butler-T have no further questions to
The witness was questioned by Mr.. McMa-
hon regarding her correspondence with Kel-
logg, who said he desired "to preserve it in
the archives of this committee, which she re- |
ferTed to the other day as an august body"
Mrs. Jenks-1 think this august bUdy needs |
something to preserve it,
MIR. McMah0n-I should very much like to |
get that correspondence.
Mrs. Jenks-Yes, for thereby hangs a tale. |
Mr.. McMahou-Precsely and / want to |
get hold OF that tale. ILaughter.l
The witness was asked by Mr. Mcmahon |
the meaning OF the following passage in her |
letter to Gov. Kellogg November IA, 1877: |
Eyes, / refer to the letter you wrote Of"
She did not say it was the Sherman letter; |
In fact, she could not say what letter 1t was.
She agreed to bring 10 the committee Kel-
her letter was O reply.
She was also asked what papers those were
referred to by her in the letter as being deem
ed by Anderson ''ot value to himself in the
questions by Mr. Mcmahon that she had
never known of the Matthews letter, but
waived an answer as to what document she
referred to.
>Mr. McMahon-I wish you would succeed
Ia tracing that letter, for which Anderson Of
fered cool $1,000.
Mrs. Jenks-You don't suppose l would
have taken money for such transactions?
Mr.. McMahon-Oh, / don't suppose you
would do any such thing, but then was
thinking that everything was possible in
Louisiana politics"
Mrs. Jenks-I would not have taken $10,0 600
for any such business | would not degrade
my dignity to that extent.
TO Mr.. Potter-Never saw Mr.. Sherman
write; don't know his handwriting.
Witness was asked by Mr.. McMahon to
identify her husbands signature, but would
not say positively whether it was or not 1t
looked like his handwriting.
wanted to crafty her curiosity In regard to
his obtaining the letter from Mrs. Weber. He
said Gov. Kellogg handrd hum bundle of
- v~r,.e. oY,d in IL he ftund hat letter