Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-06-17
The Potter Investigation
GOVERNOR KELLOGG sUMMONED
TO APPEAR.
ii. c. Clark TestiRes Concerning the
Louisiana Certificates.

WASHINGTON, june ID. The Potter committee
met this morning.
IL. Conquest Clark, for merly private secretary
Of Gov. Kellogg, al present ~ the office of the
internal revenue department, was examined by
Potter relative to the Louisiana certificates, and
testified Anderson stated there was an error IN
the certificates, IN consequence OF which Gov.
Kellogg requested witness to examine them.
lie was present when Gov. kellogg signed the
second set OF certificates, and had himself sealed
them up finally and forwarded them to Washing
ton, by CHARLES Hill. lie also sealed the first set
anu handed them to the district Judge. 1t was
two days after he received the first set back from
Anderson, that he forwarded the second set. KEEL
logg was the first sgner to the second of certi-
hcates. Witness WIS present when the other sig
natures were added but could not say in what Or
der they we're written. He was not present at the
electoral college. All signatures Of first set were
signed in presence Of witness.
lie recognized the first and second set of certif-
Gates now in possession of the committee rs pre-
pared by him. The bank seal in the envelope
containing the certificates, he said, The prop
ery Of one Of the clerks IN the building 1t being
that OF an extinct bank, and was secured on &C
count OF being OF rare design aud not easily imi-
tated.
lie recognized the docu nent containing the au.
thoity of the messengers of the first set OF certi-
hcates as having bean prepared by him, and said
he had no instructions to prepare the messengers
authority, that was charged with the delivery of
the second set OF certificate.
Potter here showed him the authority which the
bearer of the second set of certificates presented
and witness was OF the opinion 1t was an author
ity which was prepared for the messenger of the
first set, Anderson.
Before concluding Clark testimony, Potter ex-
pressed desire to be absent from the committee
for an hour so, in order to take part in certain
measures which were to be disposed of in House,
and thought it best that the other members of the
committee should also be present, and for that
puTpOse the committee took a recess.
The committee re assembled at 2.l0 and Clark
resumed. Testified that he was under the lm-
preston he saw Brewster sign the second set of
certificates, and that gentleman signed in the COM
mttee room, and not IN the governors office.
As Brewster testified yesterday that be had
read the statement In Cincinnati paper, to effect
that some OF the signatures of the La. electoral
returns had been forged, he clipped q paragraph
from paper and enclosed it to Kellogg, inquir-
ing what 1t meant, but never received reply to
II. He never heard anything while in New Or
leans of the so-called SHERMAN letter." The
first animation he had of the existence of such
document WAS from reading q statement in refer
ence to it in newspaper. If the envelopes in
which the certificates were enclosed were not
genuine, he did not know who had supplied them.
In consequence OF the objections made by KEEL
logg to the handwriting III the first set of cerlli
Gates, the witness had caused u number of extra
copies TO be made by the clerk in the office, by
writing palmer hand than the fist to which
Kellogg had objected, and witness therefore had
a number OF certificates in excess of those re-
quIed for the use OF the eectola al college.
After further unimportant testimony, the wit
ness WAS excused and ex-Representative Darrell
recalled, remaining on the stand hive minutes,
when Chairman Potter announced that he had
requested Kellogg 10 appear before the commit
tee, but received a verbal message FROM him say
lny he could not comply at present.
Adjourned to Monday