Chariton courier. (Keytesville, Chariton County, Mo.) 1878-current, 1878-06-07
CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION.
Evidence of Ex-Supervisor Anderson
Touching the Alleged Louisiana Election
Frauds.

Touching the Alleged Louisiana Election
Frauds.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-The Select Com
mittee of the House of Representatives to in
| vestigate the alleged frauds in Florida and
| Louisiana in the late Presidential election be-
gan its examinations to-day. A large mum
| Der of newspaper men and others were pres
ent. Messrs. Hunton, Springer and Hiscock
were appointed subcommittee to go to
Florida. Secretary Sherman was represented
| by Messrs. Wilson and Shellabarger as coun-
| sci. The examination of James L. Anderson,
formerly Supervisor of Registration of East
Feliciana Parish, La, occupied the entire
session. The substance of his evidence
was that the election in that parish
was properly. conducted and that he for
| warded the returns by mail to the Secre-
tary of State at New Orleans, unaccompanied
by any protest. A few days subsequently he
went to New Orleans and there had an inter-
view with Marshal Pitkin. who expressed sur
prise that he had sent in his returns unaccom-
| panied by any protest, and alluded to a con-
| versation held with Anderson previous to the
election, in which the latter said he had been
intimidated and driven from the parish. To
this Anderson replied that he did not know
whether the intimidation was from the
| Democrats or Republicans, but that he was
| willing to make n. statement and swear to
| what actually occurred. Such a statement
/ was thcreupon prepared and sworn to. 1t
was to the effect that he (Anderson) had heard
| of several cases of intimi idation, but that he
knew OF none of his own personal knowledge
This document, upon being, submitted to
Judge Hugh j. Campbell and other
Republicans, was, was pronognced worth
| upon drew up another protest, based
| upon the statements made in the first paper,
| but containing several blanks, one of which
was in reference to the number of voters who
had beeH inundated This paper Anderson
signed. but did not swear to. the understand
ing being that he should subsequently fill in
| the blanks after due consideration OF the
| facts in the case. The paper closed with the
the protest at the time OF making up the re-
| turns for fear of his life, this being explained
| by witness TO the committee as meaning that
| If the people of East Feliciana knew that he
| was going to cheat them out OF the
election they would swing him high
er than Haman. This protest made
and signed the 10th of November, and
| witness never saw it subsequently,, Marshal
Pitkin informing him, when he asked to see
| it, that it had gone into other hands. An
derson swears that he then and there pro-
tested to Pitkin and others against
a forged protest, as he suspected was in
contemplation. Anderson and Weber, Su-
peryisor of West Feliciana Parish, had va.
rious consultations about this time as to the
matter of protest, and the result was the
| drawing up and signing of the following pc
| culiar document:
| NEW ORLEANS, Nov II, Is76.-The under
| signed, James L. Anderson, Supervisor of
| Registration for the Parish of East Feliciana,
| and ID. a. Weber, Supervisor tor the Parish
of West Feliciana, Louisiana, have respect
| lively refused to sign any protest against
the counting of the vote of our parishes cast
of November, 1876, for the reason
that the election held on that day was the
most peaceable and orderly one ever wit
messed by either, and the large gain made by
the Democrats being secured by legitimate
means, and was owing in a great measure to
the disquiet and hatred with which large
proportion of the colored people regard the
present State Government. But the Electo-
cure the election of Hayes and Wheeler, and
| in order to secure such vote it being neces
sary TO throw out oi IL Et est
| ana parish to make the parish Republican,
we have for this reason, and for no other,
consented to protest against the counting
| of the vote as cast, and we have
| done this at the instigation and request of S.
b. Packard, candidate on the Republican
Marshall; w. p. Kellogg, now Governor of
the state, and Chas. Z. Nash. Member of Con-
| gress from the Sixth District, and others.
| ISignedl d. A. WEBER.
| JAMES E. ANDERSON.
This was signed in our presence. Nov. Is,
isisnedls GEORGE DICKS.
| A. j. WILDER.
Sworn before me this 18th day of Novem-
! ber, 1876, by the within mentioned JAS E. Ana
| derson and ID. A. Weber.
VIM. ii. SEYMOUR, Notary Public.
| The following, bearing date week later
than the foregoing, is also presented:
| NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 81, Is76.-By an arrange
ment entered into this day between James e.
Anderson, Supervisor of Registration for the
parish of East Feliciana, La, and Charles f..
| Nash, Member of Congress from the Sixth
| Congressional District of Louisiana, it is
agreed that said anderson & % shall suppress 9IT, SIS
East Feliciana was fairly carried by the DEM
| ocratic party at the election held in Novem-
Der, 1876, thereby electing the entire Demo-
cratic State ticket and Congressmen; in con-
| sideration of which the said Nash agrees to
secure to the said Anderson the position of
Naval Officer at the port of New Orleans, La.
| lSigned] JAMES +. ANDERSON,
| g. +. NASH.
| The above agreement was signed in our
presence this 2lst day of November, 1876.
| [Signedl j. NJ. ToMLINsoN,
| o. Ii. MORGAN.
Anderson then gave n detailed account of a
conversation alleged to have taken place at
an interview in New Orleans between Sena-
tor Sherman, Weber and himself, in refer
| ence to the protests upon which 1t was pro-
posed to throw out the returns of the Felici-
ana parishes Mr.. Sherman advising them to
''stand firm" and they would find no cause to
regret it, as ''the Republican party would not
| forget the men who stood by 1t in the hour OF
| peril" Not satisfied with the result OF this
interview, on the next day Anderson ana
Weber addressed the following note to Sem
| ator Sherman:
sR-We have carefully considered the ar
| guments advanced by you In our interview:
| Your assurance that we shall be taken care OF
| is scarcely specific enough. In case we pur-
sue the course suggested by you we would be
obliged to leave the State. Will you, there
@ tRe m wt,fs of thsse whS pro9isesP o
Respectfully, ID. a. WEBER,
- JAS. E. ANDERSON.
1t was here proposedto put in evidence a
copy of Mr.. Shernan's reply to the above
note, the original of which witness stated
was now or had recently been in the posses
| sion of Mr.. Stanley Matthews. Objection be-
ing mnde by Mr. Sherman's counsel, Secretary
| Sherman was sent for, and upon being shown
| the paper, swore that he had no recollection
of ever writing such a letter, but that if he
| had done so il must have been at the, time
when the returning officers first convened
to open the returns, which was on the 10th
At that time the papers had not been opened
and he knew very little about the transaction.
The alleged copy of the letter is as fellows'
NEW ORLEANS, Nov, 90, 1s76.-Messrs. ID. A.
WEBER and JAMES L. ANDERsoN:-Genffeme
Your note OF even date has just been re-
ceived. Neither Mr.. Hayes, myself, the gen
flamnn a
at large can ever forget the obligations un-
der which you will have placed us should you
From q long and intimate acquaintance with
Gov. Hayes am justified in assuming the
guarantee you will be provided for as soon
after the 4th of March as may be practicable
and in such manner as will enable you both
to leave Louisiana should you deem it neces-
. = Isignedl JOHN SHERMAN.
Among the documentary evidence present
ed were several letters from Stanley Mat
thews to Secretary Eyarts, Gen. Harlan and
others, urging the appointmentto to some Office
of James E. Anderson; and also letters from
Matthews to Anderson in reference to the
same matter; communications passing be-
tween Anderson and Weber, etc.
Witness gave a long account of his inter
views with the President, Senator Matthews
and others in reference to his claims for ap;
pointment to office. The position OF Cohsui
To Funchal was rendered him, but not desir.
ing to be banished to this sfar-away place, ne
declined. He was then promised poslIion i., ~ ~
| the Treasury Department, but when 1t came to
naming the position he found he was TO be put
off with Custom house Inspectorship, ,wortt
only from So to 81 per day. He then became
indignant, and in an interview with Senator
Matthew's witness intimated that the Demo
Gratis were anxious to getup an investigation
into the Louisiana election, that he had con
! siderable documentary evidence that WoulC
be valuable to them in such an event ahc
gave him to understand that unless hi
claims were fully and speedily recognized M
would not be unwilling to dispose of the doc
uments in his possession. He then present
ed as his ultimatum that Darrall be appoint
| ed Collector at New Orleans, and that he (An-
derson) would be provided for under Darrall
To this proposal Senator Matthews agreed
| thn ndnrstlnh hninp that in Cuse Dnrral