The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1878-07-17
The House Presidential Election InvestiRa-
finn.

The House Presidential Election InvestiRa-
hon.
After examining General Thomas @. Ander
son, Thomas II. jerks and James Il. Anderson
upon points connected with the testimony pre-
viousy given by them tho committee called to
the stand L. L. Weber, the brother OF Don
Weber, whose name is associated with Ander-
sons in the Sherman letter. Weber took the
stand and read voluminous statement, in
which was included the declaration that he had
seen and read the letter several times and was
familiar with the handwriting Of Secretary
Sherman and had no doubt therefore, OF its
authenticity. Witness detailed his brothers
possession Of the letter, testified that he had
repeatedly heard him say that Secretary Sher-
man had told him that he would BIO provided
for and protected, and finally said that when
the inquiry came 10 be made about the letter
he searched for and found 1t among his
brothers papers and destroyed 1t to pre-
vent its falling into any one else's hands.
He swore that the election in the two Fell
cianas was peaceable and orderly that his
murdered brother informed him there was no
ground for entering protest, and that he
knew this statement to be true. He was pre-
sent when Anderson signed the protest which
Pitkin and Judge Campbell swore had no exist
ence that it contained number of blank
spaces and that he saw Compbell affi1 and
sign the jurat to this protest after Anderson
had left Campbell's office. Upon cross-examl.
| nation Mr. Cox read letter which witness had
written in March, 1871 giving an account OF
his brothers death and the state Of terrorism
existing in Louisiana Witness stated that the
| letter had been written to create political cap
| itol, that the statements in it regarding out
RACES committed upon Republicans were not
| true, and that his brother had not been killed
on account OF his political acts, as WAS affirmed
in the letter. but on account Of personal mo-
tives Adjourned.
When the committee met again the examina-
ton of L. l.. Weber was continued. Witness
| testified that in November, 1876, he held a
consultation with Secretary Sherman, who
informed him that he (Sherman) had been
told that witnesses brother was hesitating to
let the protest stand, AZ it was against the
facts and would endanger him that Sherman
then told witness his brother would be pro-
vided for away from East Feliciana il he did
not propose to go back there. Witness also
swore that he had seen his brother and Ander-
son talking with Sherman in New Orleans
restaurant, and on the following day his
brother showed him letter which they had
obtained from Sherman. Witness swore further
that Messrs Kellogg, Packard and j. O.
fluence to have his brothers protest made
and afterwards to let it stand, and that
rs o reward he was declared elected to the
State Senate by 600 majority although he
had been Defeated by 1000 majority. Refer
ring to the visiting statesmen, witness swore
that Governor Kellogg said to him on Noyem
Der ~, 1876: " We are beaten after all we
have stretched the law as far as we could aud
the result is we have only elected the State
ticket, majority of the legislature, and only
six Hayes electors out of the eight" and thai
the returning board was induced to change thif
result as to the election by the visiting states
men. After witness had described an alleged
: attempt to bride him, subsequent to his arriva
in Washington, not to testify, by promises Of
, an appointment to Office, the committee nd
journed for a week. The witness was com
, manded to appear before the Subcommittee
in New Orleans for the purpose Of being cross
examined.
Mr.. Potter has written reply to Secretar,
Bherman's letter asking that witnesses to prov
fraud and intimidation in Louisiana be called
Mr.. Potter says the committee will give Mr.
Sherman an opportunity to call Mr.. Stoughton
as requested The letter closes thus: "Shoult
it later appear that any testimony as to wronl
or violence before the election would be prope
to the inquiry pending into frauds and wrong
in the returns OF the election, or to the con
spiracy referred to in the resolution appointin
/ the committee, they (the committee) will.co
: slider whether it may be practicable to take tn
testimony you propose and that in contradiC
ton, or whether the reports Of testimony take
\ by former committees of the Senate and Houa
may not be used and any application fror
!. you in this respect will be duly considered"
i Secretary Sherman has written another let.e
. to Mr.. Porter, in which he again offers to prov
3 fraud and intimidation in the Louisiana ee,
g ton. Mr.. sherman says in his letter :" I
:. view Of the facts that your committee is no
engaged in taking further testimony intende
to show that the declarations set forth in th
: various protests are not true, it seems to m
" that should be allowed to prove, by additions
testimony that these protests are true" /
closing his letter Mr.. Sherman says: ~ hay
N also to state that am now prepared, at I'll
! convenience of the committee, to submit test
mony here in Washington to repel the charg,
" against me, and have given to Mr.. Shellabargt
!: list Of witnesses whom / ask may be SUI
. | pCnnaed"