Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-06-06
THE ELECTORAL INVESTIGATION.
Potter Committee Proceedinps,

SUuullIGGG I
After our report of the cross-examination of
the witness Anderson, before Potters commit
tee, closed yesterday, the following letter,
which Anderson identified, was put in evi-
dence:
PERJURY SMALL MATTER IN LOUISIANA.
CUSTOM HOUSE, NEW ORLEANS, La, COL
ley Matthews: Dear Sir--Packard on Mon
day, concluded that his only hope lay in his
ability to frighten the President by threatened
exposure of rascality committed during the
past campaign, and his agents have been at
work since then endeavoring to collect evi-
dence He has sent for me three times during
trusted friends, in order to induce me to 20
with them, and to convince ME that the Presi-
dent dent could not throw him over, gave the out
ines hrin OF plan by which they claim they can
OF the electors on the republican ticket will
swear that they did not, vote for Mi. Hayes,
out voted blank; that they did not sign the
course, they commit perjury, but that is a
small matter here. An intimatiOn through the
press that their designs were known and
would be promptly met, might deter them (the
electorSl from making the attempt. have
posted General Harlan on the subject. In
January the party holding the Pitkn ct al.
it. He refused. He also refused to return it
to me, but said he was willing to comply with
their request. deemed it best and it was
to trust entirelyto you, as the ill-feeling borne
me by the republican leaders has been fntensi-
fled by my refusal to aid them in their infam-
Gus scheme. Truly yours,
(Signed) JAMES E. ANDERSON.
THE NASH AGREEMENT.
The Matthews copy of the Nash agreement
was then handed to the witness for identili-
cation. He said that he thought it was the
same which he had given to Mr.. Matthews,
but that, since the other had been altered, he
would not like to state so positively under
LETTER FROM MRS. JENKs
, The witness was reminded by Mr.. Butler
that he had promised to produce the letters
written to him by Mrs. jerks. He said that
as his wife destroyed all the papers in this
case that she could get her hands ON. He pro
duced the letter which he had found and it
was put in evidence. as follows:
WASHINGTON, ID. c., ST. JAMES HOTEL,
January 7th, 1877. Dear Mr.. Anderson:-AS
a, was writing to the captain to night, thought
would 90 myself the pleasure Of writing to
my elder brother on some family business.
About month before / left home got let
ter .anf from Q you, addressed to the Captain.
Captain was over at Bayou Bonfouca at work,
so did not get to give it him at all. So you
must not think hard OF him for his seeming
neglect in answering your kind letter. Cap
party, nor never will We are altogether LETT
out in the cold. l presume we Should be
forever forever running any risk for it. l can't help
to be Sure-you as well as us: In your letter
you did not mention what document it was
you wished to get Is it SIS letter to d.
Almost all our old friends ale gone. Senator
jerks went West. POstlewate is in the United
States employ, watching government logs. |
am at the st. James. always stay here Will
remain few days (ten). Would be glad to
hear from you if you can make it convenient
to write Hoping you are well, am, as ever,
your friend. tSigned) AGNES d. JENKs."
Excuse paper. Excuse chirography. am
quite tired out with my long journey"
The witness explained that The Captain
meant Mrs. jerks husband, and that the capi-
lal ,, with dash, meant Sherman, and that
the whole phrase meant Sherman'S letter to
Mr.. McMahon asked Mr.. Cox whether Sena-
tor Matthews had given to him all the papelS
and letters he had relating TO the matter?
Mr.. COX.-NO, sir; l did not 50 understand
1t. only understood him to state that these
were the originals of the Nash and Weber
agreements, which specially inquired for 1
only asked for those two papers, The letter
accompanying the one referring to that given
above) he thought had better come with it as
part OF that particular transaction.
The Observation-Disclosures says he wrote
numler OF letters to Senator Matthews
The Witness.-Yes; wrote probably dozen
The Chairman to Mr.. Butler (satiricaIly.)-
You would like to have all of them.
Mr. Bntler.-I suppose somebody would like
THE PITKIN AGREEMENT.
Mr.. McMahOn Ito witness. )-What was this
P1tkin agreement, referred, to in your letter
to Mr.. Matthews as having been destroyed?
The WitneSS.-1t was not really an agree
ment: went in one day to Mr.. Pitkin and
told him that on account OF my refusal to
make protest had made enemies of all the
democrats, and asked him what assurance
would have that would not be left entirely
out in the cold. In answer to that he sent me
note one day simply stating that he would
they would provide fOrme.
z. What do you mean by this statement in
your letter as to electors not signing the Ger
Liicate? A. The statement was made to me
that three of the Presidential electors-Burch,
Marks and Levisee-had voted in blank, and
that their names had been forged to the elec-
tOral count, and | found out afterwards that
there was a good deal of truth in that claim.
DIR. Gray, of East Feliciana, Zone of Packard7s
friends), remarked to me one day that he
would be damned iii they attempted to throw
Packard Overboard) if they would not sauelch
Hayes and the whole republican party
MISSING PAPERS.
Mr. French, Sergeant-at-Ar Arms of the SEN
ate, was sworn and examined in reference to
the electoral returns Of the state of Louisiana.
which the committee seems to find some diff
Guilty in tracing or getting hold Of
MIR. French testified that during the last ses-
sion he had received by Adams express box,
which he had understood to contain the cleo
toral returns of Louisiana that he kept it
sealed and under guard, occasionally taking
y
Louisiana secretary of state, would open it,
and when he was done with the papers, the
box would be sealed again and placed under
guard. Mr.. French, two or three weeks after
adjournment, sent them to the office of Adams
express, addressed to Honore, by his djrec-
tiOns, and he had never heard from them
since.
The committee then went into executive
session, and afterwards adjourned till to-day.
To-day.
The committee met to day at II 80 O'Clock.
MI. Cox said that he had received from Stan.
ley Matthews the file of correspondence be-
tween Matthews and Anderson, so far as it
can be found. There were fourteen letters
and kilograms In all. One letter, which Mr..
Matthews says is unimpOrtant, is missing.
One telegram from Gen. Smith, ex-appoint-
ment clerk OF the Navy department, to Mr..
Matthews, enclosing letters from Anderson.
was destroyed. The letters were read and
nearly all of them were the originals of the
copies presented to Anderson and read at the
meeting OF the committee last Saturday
Mr. Potter said that LeyiSsee, one OF the
republican electors in louisiana who. it was
charged, had cast his electoral vote in blank.
and not for Hayes and Wheeler, had been sub
pPnaed to appear at Fl o'clock. LevisSee was
not present when the committee was called to
order.
From the reading of Anderson's letters fur
Dished by Mr.. Matthews, it appears that the
copies furnished the committee by Anderson
are not literal copies.
STANLEY MATTHEWS SUMMONED.
Mr. Butler introduced resolution as fol
lows: