New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-03
POTTER COMMITTEE GOSSIP.

AFoRGED SHERMAN LETTER" TO BE PRODUCED
POINT ABOUT ELIZA PINKsToN WORTHY OF
NOTICE.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRBuNEl
WAsHINGToN, Sept Notwithstanding the fact
that General Butler has never seen and does not be-
lieve in the existence of the Sherman letter" the
rumor that the managers of the Potter Committee
have document in reserve which they will pro-
duce soon after the committee reassembles in OctO
Der continues to circulate. Judge Shellabarger
counsel for Secretary Sherman, has information
from sources which he considers worthy of cOnsd-
Grafton to the effect that fictitious document has
been prepared and will be produced before the COM
mittee by former mistress of f. L. Weber pur-
porting to be the veritable Sherman letter"
Judge Shellabarger says that he will not call
more than one or two witnesses on behalf of Secre-
tary Sherman unless the committee undertakes an
investigation of the Louisiana OutTages. In regard
to this subject, gentleman recently from New-Or-
leans, who is thoroughly acquainted with the re-
cent political history of that section, calls attention
to the fact that although the Democracy has had
full control of the courts and State machinery for
more than a year, no attempt has been made TO
bring to justice the murderers of Henry PinkstOn
and his child. and those guilty of the barbarous
mutilaton of his wife, the night of November 4,
1876. This is the more noticeable when it is con-
suit from showing that the statements OF Eliza
Pinkstou before the Returning Board were false,
and known to be so by the Republicans then pres
ent.
Immediately after Eliza Pinkston closed her testi-
mony before the Returning Board, she identified
four men who, she said were among those who
murdered her husband and child Two of them
were arrested and brought before Judge Evans,
Republican, for examination. They were de-
Tended by eminent Democratic counsel. who
made an attempt to effect their release
on alleged infotmality in the proceedings Failing
in that, they applied 10 Judge Able, Democrat, Tor
writs OF habeas corpus and secured the release Of
the accused on the strength Of the same claim Of in
formaty which Judge Evans had oycTulcd. At
that time the Judge, DstrCtAtt0rney and the Sher-
i'll of Ouchita Parish were Republicans, but az tho
election, which occurred in November, 1877, Demo
Gratis were elected to all these offices. Since then
two terms OF the court have Dccn held IN the parish,
but no allusiOn To- the great crime has ever been
made by the Judge in his charge 10 the Grand
Jury.
It well known that the Democrats assume TO
have discovered that the crime was committed by
cOloTed men who bad some grudge against PlnkstOn.
II this assumption ~ true, they must have some
evidence of the fact yet no effort has been made 10
arrest or bring to trial these cOored murdercrs. The
Democrats have never been slow to ferret out and
punish colored criminals. and. indeed, only few
weeks ago. In one of the FclicIanas party of them
raidcd the JAIL and took out and lynrhed four col
ored men, two of whom had already been convicted,
and two awaiting trial for a crime less heinous than
murder