The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-07-31
GENERAL TELEGRAMS.
THE ELECTORAL INQUIRY.
The Work Done Yesterday-The Pro-
ceedings at Atlantic City.

ATLANTIC, n. j., July 24.-The Potter COM
mittee this morning called Representative
Kelly, the examination being conducted by
Representative Hiscock.
Mr. Kelly testified that he visited New Or
leans in November. 1876 President Grant,
while in Philadelphia participating in the
closing ceremonies of the exposition, sent
for witness He found President Grant sur
rounded by distinguished gentlemen, among
them General Robert Patterson. President
Grant proposed he should visit New Orleans
to witness the action of the returning board.
At first he declined, but the president said q
number of prominent gentlemen of the dem
Ocratic party had gone, and therefore he
wanted him to go. He was merely to go TO
New Orleans as a locker on and to see tn at
nothing improper should occur. Previous
TO going he had no conversation with any
one but President Grant. General Patterson
cOncurred in the suggestion that he ought to
go. He left Philadelphia the 18th of No
vember entirely alone, but on the route
found himself IN company with Secretary
Sherman, and on arriving at New Orleans
found number of visiting gentlemen, re-
publican in politics.
The witness stated that the republican Wis
iting statesmen found there the distin-
guished gentlemen democrats. commit
tee of the latter addressed a communication
TO the former proposing that the two bodies
of visitors organize and participate in the bust
ness of the returning board. The republican
committee replied, I'VE are here as private
citizens with no official power; we can not,
therefore, supersede or modify any law of
that state, nor have we any right to control
or influence any officers IS TO the manner in
which they shall perform ministerial or
judicial duties"
Senator Sherman concurred very decided
ly in the views expressed by the republican
committee The visitors of the opposite side
mingled freely at times In answer to
question if the republican committee dis
cussed any question involving interference
with the official duties of the returning
board, witness said he never heard such con-
versation in private or at meetings. If any
one had attempted such a thing 1t would
have been treacherous 10 his associates as
well as a violation of duty.
Kelly, in the course of his testimony, said
he never heard of any suggestion to man
lpulate the parishes for any purposes, nor
did he ever hear that affdavits were signed
with the names of fictitious persons. He
did not know of Sherman having a CONVEX
satiOn with Weber and Anderson. He bad
no consciousness of having ever seen Weber.
The action of the returning bolrd was not
communicated to the witness In any way.
He was, however, of the opinion, and fire.
quently said so, that fraud had been perpe-
trated on both sides, but that if the Just re-
turns were made they would give the cleo
toral vote to Hayes. His attention was
called TO Weber's testimony, in which it was
stated that the returning board was iniu-
enced by the visiting statesmen to reopen
the returns. The witness said this
was unqualiiedly false in whole
or in part. Nothing was done for
which any such assertion could have been
made. The witness never heard any such
runor. The general character OF the EVIL
dence showed intimidation. Some of it was
most abhorrent. He heard the stories of
Eliza PinkstOn and Rosa Richmond, and
another old negro witness, and fully believed
all their statements. There was violence of
the most desperate character. III Eliza Pink
stOn's story is not true then the stage has
lost brilliant ornament Mr.. Kelly was
cross examined by Potter, but nothing of
importance was elected.
Cortland I. Parker, of New Jersey, testified
that he visited New Orleans solely at the re-
quest of General Grant. He did not, while
in Louisiana, hear doubts thrown on the
protest made by Anderson as to East Felici-
ana, or that il was interlined, or that Ander-
son wished to withdraw it.
Representative Hale testified-Went to
New Orleans solely at the request of Pres
ident Grant, and not at the instance of Gov
ernor Hayes or any person for him. All
republican visitors maintained the position
that they should be careful to abstain from
any attempted influence on the returning
board. So far as he knew, this principle was
strictly carried out. The witness and Senator
Sherman were together every day. He had
not seen the letter purpOrting TO have been
written by Weber and Anderson, dated No
vember 10, 1876, and the alleged reply of
Senator Sherman. II such letters were writ
ten he thought, from his intimacy with Sher-
man, that he would have heard of the fact.
He characterized as false the testimony
OF Weber about visiting republicans influ-
encing the action of the returning board.
In reply TO question by General Butter Mr..
Hale said: II thought that il Hayes was
elected president Packard was elected COVER
nor. | thought both were elected"
Representative Danford was recalled and
testified that there was no discrepancy or
difference between the votes cast for Hayes
and those cast for Packard, except in Match
itoches, where Packard had 200 or 800 more
votes than Hayes.
Elk Congressman J. Hale Sypher of New
Orleans, was examined by Chairman Potter
and testified that he is a republic
can on principle, and that at the
time the republican visitors were in New
of the custom house. who asked, Can
take the promises of gentlemen who are
here TO provide for me If am driven out Of
my PARISH" The witness replied to this:
Whom do you mean?' Weber mentioned
Matthews and Sherman specially. The
witness then said, 1.-The gentlemen stand
very closely TO the incoming president, per-
sonally and politically, and l think you can
trust them" Weber remarked he had been
deceived a good many Tunes, and he,
therefore. did not feel like taking any mans
verbal promises he would demand a promise
in writing.
The witness said that was the only way.
The next day he again met Weber, who ex-
hibited letter, which the witness read, and
then returned. Weber made special re-
mark, but appeared to be pleased with the
letter, which purported TO be signed by John
Sherman. He had seen Sherman's hand
writing. He would not testify that the let
ter was in Sherman's handwriting but there
was nothing to make him think it was not
his handwriting. He presumed it was his.
He could not give the purport, but the pub
lished letter, the original of which he
hastily read seemed tn he substau-