New-York tribune., 1878-06-25
THE FARCE AT WASHINGTON.
THE INVESTIGATION FLOUNDERING'

vx-eovFRNoR HENDRICKS DENoUNCEs The IN
CURRY. a. dow VOC
The Potter Committee spent the DAY yes,
terlay in questioning Mrs. jerks anu Ienei"
poypton. No evidence was obtained IaFoia-
+1-.s tI,o Oemocratic case. Mrs jerks again
,ros tbe author of the Sherman let
-, While the committee pressed her with
Questions for hours she refused to impart any
detailed information, and was cOntemptuous ID
bor answers. Mr.. Sherman views the slow
nrooress Of the investigation with impatence.
Fv-GovernOr Hendricks, who is in Washing
ton. speaks in mfavorable terms of the Pot
Ter Committees proceedings Mr.. Hendricks
nredicts General Grants nomination III 1880
TWO INTERESTING WITNESSES.
MRS. jerks STILL DEFIANT AND DvERTING-GEN-
ERAL BoYNrON DEFENDS HIMSELF WITH SPIRIT
AGAINST ATTACK.
iBy TELEGRAPH To TTIE TRIBUNE
W,smNGroN, June 24.-The Potter Committee
spen. t,yo hours to-day IN fruitlcss examination
OF MIS- jerks. This woman was as self-possesSed,
imperiinenl and audacious as when she upon
the stand last Saturday. diverting, ingen-
ious witress. quck at re9artee, deXterous IN
parying questions she is the equal of the shapest
member Of the committee a match for General But
lsr himself. Ine committee failed to get single
new fact OF any additional information in regard
TO any old fact from her testimony to-day.
Only once did she to falter under the searching
ouestions of General Butter. That was when after
audaoiously auagning General Butler for having
in his possession her letter to GovernoG Kellogg,
General Butler turned to her and said that Governor
Kellogg had given him package with lots of let
ters in it. When she heard tins she hesitated and
appeared for a moment to be confused. She aid not
seem TO know what that package might contain and
how its contents might cOnfound her.
Her testimony, which is of the most remarkable
character clearly proves, unless it can be broken
down, that Secretary Sherman did not write
the famous letter. The committee has not
vet discovered who did, for Mrs. Jenkss
testimony stops defantly at that point.
This fact alone makes bad impression
mon those who hear her. She says she dictated the
letter but she goes no further. She will say 20
whom she dictated it, except that 1t was to pen
held by person whose name she declares she has
committed 10 oblivion She would cut off her right
hand before she revealed IT. Mrs. jerks is character
not found in Northern politics, and rare specimen
even in the South She talks Of statesmen with
whom she has had interviews, and to their terror,
and saws that all of these interviews have been pre-
served in shorthand, aud recorded in great ledger
She plainly intimated that the person who
wrote the Sherman letter at her dictation
ls dead, OF as Sne ucScIlDes IL III utI
wierd dialect, he may have gone to
the land of shadows" 81 know the beginning and
the ending of the letter." said she; IL alone know
now the end of it. People die in Louisiana some
times. alone know now the beginning of it,
won't tell who did write it, j viii not say did
not write it. That is all the committee, with its
ponderous machinery and the most skllful cross
examiner of the continent, have been able to obtain
from this remarkable woman respecting that not
less remarkable letter.
The day closed with the examination of General
H. " BOynton, correspondent Of The Cincinnati Ga
eette About the time that James E. Anderson was
appointed to be Consul at Funchal, General Boyn-
ton by invitation had an interview with the Presi
dent which lasted several hours During the con-
versation reference was made to The nomination of
Anderson, and to newspaper stories Just published
that he was not proper person to appoint on ac-
count of completely dsreputable transactions IN
Louisiana General BoyntOn asked the President
why Anderson was appointed, and the latter re-
Piled that he had rendered valuable service to the
Republican party in Louisiana. General Boyn-
Ton then called the Presidents attention
10 tie reports in circulation, and the Pres
ident replied in an evasiye manner that
it was not probable that Anderson wOuld
retain the Office, OF would have 1t at all
General Boynton inferred from this that the Pres
leuf bad aDDOluteQ ANDERSON as a ttWdlu lOI lis
services in connection with the election in Louis
lana. but that he was not ready to defend him.
This impression General BOyntOn says he retained
until since the present investigation began,
when il was discovered that the President
revoked AndersOn's commission. Late In May
1877 General BoyntOn referred to papers and
memoranda made at the time, and discovered that
bis conversation with the President took place
about week after the revocation. He then be-
came convinced that his former inference was not
the correct one, and that the Presidents evasive
answers were due to the fact that Anderson's COM
mission had been cancelled, aud not to Anderson's
refusal TO accept the office.
All this General BOyntOn told to-day in straight
forward manner, III answer TO questions by Mr.. Nc
When General Butler began the cross-examina-
tOn of General BOyutOn the former at once resOrted
20 his peculiar tactics bat found the witness one
who would not submit TO insults. Cen
eral BOynt0n insisted with great spirit that
ne was willing to tell the truth to the
letter: that he was not cOncealing anything
from the committee; but that he would not permit
General Butler nor anyone else by lnuendo 10 intI-
mate that he was not telling the truth. lie
vent further and said that he would not al
low General Butler, by skitully framed ques-
fiOns, to change the recorded categorical answers
10 make him testify in such way as 70 misrepresent
the conversation he bad with tho President. He
lad nothing to conceal. lie admitted that for long
tine be drew inferences from the Presidents con
yeisation which he now believes TO have been IN
rOrTest ones, but in testifyng before the commit
lee he was determined 70 tell what actually oc-
cured and not to allow General Butler 10 make
the President responsible for his General Boyn-
Ions incorrect inferences.
Tinally being pressed closer, and becoming indig-
nant at General Buffers insulting manner, General
BoyntOn fatty told the committee that he would be
glad to be examined by the Democratic members,
Who were gentlemen but as for General Butler,
ne considered his manners those Of q rOwdy, and
That he would answer his questions in his
own way or not answer them at all
until next December General Butler took this
Sutont and began what evidently was intended TO
De series Of questions designed to bring in the OPP
efaflOns OF tie Louisiana Commission. At this