The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-06-20
THE INVESTIGATION.
Central Figures Of the Potter Inves-
tigation.
sherman's Guilty Career Nearly
Ended-A Pen Sketch Of Ander-
son-Matthews' Melancholy Down
fall-Levissee's Antecedents.
Correspondence of the American.

WASHINGTON, June 18th, 1S7S.-
The Importance of the facts already
developed by the Potter investiga-
ton can hardly be overestlmated,
but there is some danger that the
salient points may be lost sight of
in the mass of evidence taken.
The three nest important develop
ments of the investigation thus far
are: The virtual confession of
John Sherman that he wrote the
Webber Anderson letter; the pro-
duction of the Matthews Anderson
lett, rs, which show conclusively the
guilty knowledge of the Presidents
chosen friend and delegated agent;
and the startling testimony of Lev
issee, which is substantiated with
out a peradventure, that his name
as one of the Louisiana electors was
forged over and over again to the
return of the vote of Louisiana.
which Gov. Kellogg certified under
his official oath and the seal of the
State to be the legal and true re
turn of the electoral vote of the
State of Louisiana, and which, be
ing so certified, was laid before the
two houses and counted by the Elec
toral Commission. The mass of
corroborative testimony which sup
ports these central facts is already
before the contry. If the investi
cation should rest where it is, the
verdict of the people would doubt
less be that it had indicated the
Democratic House which undertook
it, but, as Butler remarked yester
day, the committee has, as yet, only
uncovered the shadow of the sub
stance. 1t has merely Land the
foundation of one wing OF the terri
BILE structure which will be builded
before the committee adjourns sine
DIE The worst is yet to come.
The country is already pretty ia
miliar with John Sherman's person
mel. His long, lank, bony form and
bloodless face is an embodiment Of
the financial spectre which haunts
so many houses. He is a cold
blooded, scheming, crafty, ambi-
tious, heartless man. Unapproach-
able, even to his associates, unpop-
ular among his colleagues, distrust-
ed by all who have ever had deal
ings with him, he has risen to
wealth and power by force of craft
and ceaseless scheming, and no
man, save himself, knows what de-
vious paths he has trod. He is no
bungler in guilt, as Matthews is,
and it will be no easy matter to IN
cover the tracks which he has con-
ceaied so shrewdly, but, unless, l
much mistake the temper, ability
and opportunity of the present com
mittee, John Sherman's career as a
public man is nearly ended. The
fabric which INSCRIPTIONS ambition
has so long and so patiently build
ed will be tumbled about his ears,
and he will 60 out of this investiga-
ton, and out of public life, with
reputation beside which those of
Schuylar ColfaX, of Cakes Ames
and Belknap will he desirable.
1t is eminently fitting that John
Sherman's doom should come in
the form of ex Supervisor Ander-
son. 1t is a clear case of retribu-
ton. Anderson Is another John
Sherman in embryo. He essayed to
rise to rank and fortune by the
same means whereby John Sher-
man succeeded. The difference be
tween them is only one of time, To-
cation and of luck. Had Anderson
started in Ohio before the war, he
might now be Secretary of the
Treasury. Had John Sherman
started in Louisiana after the war,
he would very likely be in the peni
Tertiary. One is just as honest as
the other, and both are very much
alike in character. In appearance,
Anderson is rather prepOssessing.
save for his painfully red hair and
mustache. He is a young, bright
looking man, with the confident,
self possessed way of a man about
town, and without even the look of
disssipated man, or the swagger
Of low man. He is very much
such another man as the late Collec-
tor Simmons, of Boston, and, in
looks and manner, reminds me of
him.
1t is safe to say that Stanley Mat
thews has created the greatest sur
prise of anything that the investiga-
ton has developed. There is an
old legal maxim to the effect that
when a lawyer manages his own
case he has a fool for client, and
the truth of it appears to have been
well eXemplified in the Ohio. Sena
tors case. How politician of any
judgement could have carried on
such a correspondence with such a
man, and how any lawyer could
blunder as Stanley Matthews has
Numbered since the correspondence
was made public, are two conun-
drums which everybody here has
given up. The only man who has
approached answering them is
grand, great hearted Matt Ransom,
Senator from North Carolina. "Ah,
well" said he, "None of US can tell
what we would do it we were in
such a terrible position" That
was genuine charity. Indeed there !
is deal OF charity for Senator
Matthews among his Senatorial col
leagues. He is personally well
liked by them all, and all with
whom l have talked are scrupu-
lousy careful not to PREJUDICE his
case, but what way out is there for
him except the way suggested by
Mr.. McMahon, to-wit, to claim that
he acted as the attorney for Mr.. !
Hayes. There is scarcely 8 doubt !
that Matthews position really was
that of a confidential friend and at
torney without pay, except in prom
Uses of benefits to be conferred. |
The evidence thus indicates that !
Matthews vas the mouth piece and |
the ear piece for Hayes, Rho Is a
more willy politician than he is usu- /
ally given credit for. Whoever had !
anything to tell 10 Hayes was sent /
to Stanle, Matthews. Whoever /
wanted to know Mr.. Hayes wishes |
was sent to Stanley Matthews. /
Under these circumstance it is
easy to understand how Matthews |