The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-07-04
THE INVESTIGATION.
Weber Again Before the Commit
tee.
His Opinion of the Eliza PiHkStOn
Case.
The Louisiana Returning Board Accused
Of Bribery.

WASHINGTON, July 3.-The Potter commit
tee met at IL O'Clock, Mr.. Hunton presiding.
Weber gain Tesiines.
e. L. Weber was recalled and testified that
the conference in New Orleans during the
count of 1876 was understood to be led BY Sen
ator Sherman. In conversation with Sherm al
witness was assured that it his brother should
stand by his protest he would be protected In
compliance with the request of Sherman wit
ness went after his brother and Anderson, and
informed them that the visiting statesmen were
DESTROYS of seeing them. Anderson, in reply
to the statement, said: "Tell them to go to
hell" His brother, however, went to see Mr..
Sherman and they had long conversation re-.
garding the President Two or three days af-
ter this conversation occurred his brother show
ed him the Sherman letter of assurance and
told him Sherman gave it to him at the conclu.
sion of the conference relative to his standing
by his protest, and remarked it was the best he
could do at the time.
Odd your brother agree to stand by his
protest?
Ale hesitated about doing so but could not
well avoid it. considering the pressure brought
By Springer-Did you have the Sherman let
ter in your hand?
Ayes sir, did.
Q-What kind of paper was it written on?
Alt was written on double sheet note pa
per.
witness then showed the size of the paper,
which was about half the size of the sheet
Mrs. jerks said the letter was written on. She
claimed that it was written on single sheet of
commercial letter paper. Witness said it was
arranged before the election by Messrs. KEEL
logg, Thos. G. Anderson aud Packard to re-
ceive afidavits of intimidation in the parishes
of East and West Felicians, for the purpose of
throwing out those parishes. He was as
sured by Kellogg and others that if he would
use his influence with his brother towards hav-
inn 10 a fhofb a NIL
be returned to the Senate. He was defeated
for the State Senate bv about 1900 votes and
was returned by the Returning Board as elect
ed by about 800 majority. In reply to Hunton
witness stated that some of the visiting states
men had an interview with Eliza PInkSton in
the custom house before she was brought before
the Returning Board. He thought one of those
who interviewed her was Senator Sherman.
He was of the opinion that the Eliza Pinkston
outrage was "put up jab."
By Springer-Did you see the affidavit of
Eliza Pritchard, formerly Eliza Pinkston, pub
lished last Saturday?
Ayes sir.
Q-Can yon state whether or not it is true?
A-To the best OF my knowledge and belief
il is true.
Mr.. Springer then sent for copy of the Her.
aid with a view of submitting the affidavit in
evidence.
Weber then related the circumstances as told
him bv his sister-in-law concerning the visits of
Mrs. jerks to Donaldsonville and read the fol-
lowing letter:
NEW ORLEANS, May 26, 1875.
Madam,-In the investigation about to commence
in Washington under the Pocter resolution, 1t is
Mrs jerks will bear this to you and explain the af
fair to you.
Very respectfully,
To Madame D. Weber. Donaldsonville.
Mrs. jerks explained to Mrs. Weber that
Mr.. Sheldon desired asking her to go to WASH
ington to testify. She did not know of the ex-
istence of the Sherman letter. Mrs. ". re-
fused complying with the request unless called
upon by the proper authorities, whereupon
Mrs. jerks threatened to have her arrested
and taken to Washington. At this time a
brother of Mrs. D. A. Weber came to Donald
sonville and seeing Mrs jerks asked what that
woman was doing there again and whether she
was after the Sherman letter. Mrs. Weber
told her brother not to NEEDLE with her affairs,
that she had the Sherman letter and knew
what to do with it. AT this time Weber had
not informed her that he had destroyed the
document. Mrs. jerks told Mrs. w. that the
letter was worth $1,000 and said she would pay
tlmated that she had anything to do with the
authorship of the Sherman letter but spoke of
it as letter written by John Sherman assuring
Weber and Anderson of positions under the
administration.
At this point the N. Y. Herald containing
the Pritchard affidavit was handed to Springer
and was submitted by him to Judge Sbellabar-
ger who represented the minority, no Republic
can members being present Shellabarger OBJ
]ected to the affidavit being put in evidence,
and Springer agreed to lay the question over
until the minority shall have passed upon the
question.
Witness submitted in evidence letter writ.
ten him by Judge Marks, now collector of
New Orleans, wherein Marks requested wit
ness to inform him whether he had received
the appointment he had made application for.
if not be would look after it for him. He also
requested witness to inform Mrs. Weber that
he thought he could secureSher an appointment
as postmistress at Donald sonville, for which
che had once applied and been unsuccessful,
Marks being at that time opposed to her an.
pointment. Marks previous to this had been
to Donaldsonville and requested Mrs. Weber to
make o statement. Had never known of the
existence OF the Sherman letter. During this
visit Marks told witness and his sister-in-law
that they were both to be summoned as wit
nesses before the investigating committee
Agnes stated. He was under the impre sson
that the approaches by Marks were merely
with view of influencing his testimony before
the committee. He gave him no encourage
ment whatever. Marks had stated to certain
parties that he could control Mrs. Weber's
testimony. Witness after further unimpor.
tant testimony was ordered to report to the
Louisiana ub-committee on the 10th inst, at
which time he will be cross examined by Gen.
Cox.
Committee then adjourned until July 10 h at
IN m