Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-12-06
THE GREAT STEAL.
JIM ANDERSON TELLS HOW LOUISIANA
WAS CARRIED FOR HAYES.
SOME UNPUBLISHED FACTS AND
INCIDENTS.

- fif2lEEL
reporter. Being asked for an explanation
of the many contradictory statements made
concerning him, Mr.. Anderson replied
substantially rs follows:
Notwithstanding the fact that Louisiana
matters have been so thoroughly discussed
The past two years, there are comparatively
few people who thoroughly understand the
facts in the case. Let me give you some
points in the election law Of that State, in
order to show more clearly how it was
manipulated for Hayes, and how it hap
pened that / was drawn into the affair.
Each parish, or county, had a Supervisor
of Registration, who was appointed by the
Governor. He had absolute control over
all the election machinery in his district.
No man could vote who did not hold a Ger
titicate from him, and ii was in his power
to disfranchise legal voters upon various
pretexts. He designated the polling places,
appointed the commissioners, and made a
consolidated report of the various polls,
which he forwarded to the Returning
Board. The law also provided that in case
Of riot or bloodshed at any poll, or if any
corrupt means had been used before or on
the day of election, the Supervisor should
report the fact to the Board, who simply
acted as a court Of appeal. You will readily
see the point Of that law. Let us apply it
to Eureka county. Say there were eight
polling places; five Of them would give Il
Republican majority, which would b. over
come by the Democratic majority at the
other three. Now, if for any reason one or
more Of the Democratic polls could be ex-
cluded. it would give the county to the Re-
publicans; so the Supervisor, when he de-
sired to save the parish, could either refuse
to count certain polls on any pretext he
saw fit, or he could forward a protest to
the Returning Board, who being of the
same political faith, and understanding his
motives, would accept his statement with
ont question, and throw out the polls for
him. 1t was such q travesty on justice that
the people Of no Northern State would have
submitted to it for u moment.
1t was with such power that / was sent to
the parish Of East Feliciana in 1876. 1t
embraced an area Of territory as large as
the State Of Delaware, and had the rcputa-
ton Of being the worst bulldozed section
Of the State. In fact, it was the birthplace
Of the bGiidozcrs. Murders and acts of
violence had been frequently reported, and
| have no donbt that Kellogg's motive in
sending me there was because he thought /
would surely be killed. aud my death
would have assisted in firing the Northern
heart"
A few weeks residence in the parish con-
WINGED me that il would so Democratic by
a heavy majority. found that the man
who commanded tile first body Of bull
doZors held the best Office in the parish,
by appointment Of Kellogg. gave each
party the choice of a clerk, and the Repub-
llcans selected 4 mar who had also been a
bul.dozer, and who boosted that in a
period OF some fifteen years he had shot
and stabbed twenty-sescn men. When want
ing TO Fix Il particular occurrence, be would
pleasantly refer to it as having occurred at
the time he killed Smith or Jones. In 1874
he belonged to 4 certain clique of the Re-
publican party, and one day he rode into
the town Of Jackson. where the opposite
faction was holding a meeting, and
opened ON the crowd with his Colts re-
yolver. Whom the smoke Of battle cleared
away, the killed and wounded footed up
eleven mules ard eight 'nipgers."
1t was such men who controlled tie Ee-
publican party in East Feliciana, and ]
soon learned that between them and the
colored people there existed en- %irrecon-
CT able diffei ence. The latter accused them
Of Icing ~bulldozers, n responsible for
many acts Of violence, while they declared
that the colored people we're all thieves.
This was the reason why there was no Re-
publican organization in the parish, and
there were no votes cast on election day
because the leaders thought that fact
woHld be a sufficient argument on which
to throw ont the parish, by alleging that it
was due to terrorism.
My returns, showing a Democratic ma
jority on the Presidential and Congress
sional ticket Of over 1920, were regularly
forwarded to New Orleans. Upon my ar
rival in that rity, i found it in a ferment.
1t was conceded that Hayes election de-
pended on the State, aud the Republicans
saw at once the necessity of having a pro-
test against my parish. This | refused to
make, but finally signed a statement to the
effect that acts of violence had been re-
ported to mo, but that ! had no personal
knowledge Of any that could be charged to
the Democratic party. This statement
amounted to nothing in law, but interline-
ations were afterwards made, which
changed it to an intimidation protest. A
Jurat was attached, and the parish thrown
out.
i.eporter-Aud why did You not de-
nounce the forgery?
Mr.. Anderson-I knew the desperate
character of the men who had committed
it. Had | denounced them, their pro-
gramme would have beer to have arrested
me on a charge OF perjury, tried me before
one Of kellogg's corrupt courts; the men
who had committed the forgery would
have peYjured themselves, and l would
have been sent to the penitentiary for such
time as the scoundrels might have seen
tit. Had | known then, as | have learned
since the Potter Committee was appointed,
that the protest bears the evidence of for
gerry on its face, the changes being in n
different hand and written in different ink
from the original, l would have been en-
couraSed to have made an attempt to
break it Town.
Rep.-Was the forgery proven before the
Committee!
Mr.. A. Clearly. Judge Campbell was
summoned from Dakota by the Admins
tration to contradict me on this point. and
he upset all their calculations by declaring
that he had no recollection Of ever having
sworn me.
liep.-Why did the administration never
provide for you
Mr.. A.-That is a mistake. / was offered
several places. none Of which | cared to ac-
cept. When / refused to protest against
my parish, l made a bitter enemy of KEEL
logg, and every Republican who held, or
expected to hold, an Office under the State
Government. The latter embraced nearly
every one in the State. When the parish
was thrown out, on what appeared to be
my protest, l made an enemy of every
Democrat, without regainins any friends
among the Republicans and SO when l
| appeared in Washington, as an applicant
for a position, l encountered their com
bincd opposition. 1t placed mo between
two fires, and l have been there ever
since.
Rep.-It has has been freely charged that
your statements were not corrcd4.
Mr.. A.-Yes. Democratic papers unite
with Republican in calling me- champion
liur - Nnu- what hova I aaaarta12 Sip,p1v