Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-06-22
The Potter Committee.

e
WASHINGTON. June 21.-The Potter invosti-
eating committee met to-day, MIR. Morrison
presiding in the absence of Mr.. Potter.
Capt. Thomas 4. jerks, of New Orleans, was
examined by Representative Reed. He testified
that in 1876 his residence was in East Feliciana.
He held the position Of United States deputy
marshal; was appointed by Marshal Pitkin.
Republicans in the parish HAD sold witness
they were afraid to register their names on &C
count Of intimidation.
Mcmahon interrupted the testimony and asked
Reed whether this witness had been called in
Secretary Sherman's interest.
Reed replied in the Affirmative.
Mcmahon objected 10 airy testimony being
given on the part of Sherman until that gen.
tler1an admitted he had written the letter to
Anderson. As he ad denied writing that let
ter he had no interest in showing what had been
the condition of affairs in the parish of East
FeIeciana, at or Immediately preceding the last
election.
Reed complained of the course of the ma
jority of the committee in ruling out testimony
ffe1ed by the minority; also, IN to the dlth
Gu ty of getting the scope of the examination.
fixed definitely.
Mcmahon challenged him 10 give a single
instance IN which any testimony offered on thu
part of the minority had been excluded. The
charge had been made public, and he therefore
wanted the matter to be definitely settled.
Reed said he repeated the charge.
Mcmahon said the charge was false, and
again cha ienoed Reed to refer to single
instance of the kind.
Reed relerreu 20 .ue offer of testimony made
in executive session to the inquiry IL
Florida and which offer had been refused.
Mcmahon repeated that the gentleman, Reed
had made charge against the committe,
which he must either prove or admit that the
charge was false.
Reed said he intended to prove it.
McMahon repeated his challenge to Reed.
long discussion ensued, the Republicans
taking the ground that they had been endeav
oring since the organization of the committe,
to ascertain the proper scope OF the lnvestlga
| ton, during which Mr.. Morrison stated thai
Sherman had requested that one hundred wit
nesses be subpmnaed by the subcommittee
| who are to visit Louisiana, the members o.
which have not yet been formally announced
to testify in reference to intimidation, ant
that it was his (Morrison's) intention at thu
proper time to ask the committee to refuse L.
! hear the statements of witnesses regarding in
| limidatlon in that State.
| MIR. Mcmahon viii hdIew his objection.
| Witness retold the old story of intimidation
when Mcmahon again objected and another dis
| cussion ensued.
At the suggestion of Mr.. Cox witness was al
| lowed to proceed, with the understanding tia
! a future meeting would decide whether the testi
mony relating to intimidation be accepted o
stricken out.
| Witness produced a letter written by Jane
! E. Anderson, requestion that he forward An
derson the original list, given by witness t.
! General Augur, of nineteen murders COMM t
| ted in East Feiciana parish
Anderson told witness he was attacked b,
Democrats and afterward said he thought hi
clerk P. c. Butler had something to do with II
| Witness testified to the signing and swearing
| to by Anderson, and the protest which Andel
son said he bad not sworn to. He said tina
Anderson had come in q carriage to his hous
! and asked him to accompany him to Marsha
| Bitkin's Office where that document was. ii
wanted to consult with him about 1t. The
! went and read over the protest sentence by ser
tence, and he then advised Anderson to sign
as he nothing in it which he could nc
| sign. They discussed some of the points
the protest, and finally Anderson concluded
sign it anu did sign it sefore Judge Hugh. )
| Campbell and / swOre to It. Several minute
| afterwards Anderson came to witness and wan
ed him to make Il statement to the effect thu
he, Anderson, never signed the protest an
had no document written by himself to that e
feet. Anderson told witness that Major Burh
offered him several thousand dollars IL he woul
go back ON his protest.
Witness told what ne knew of the so-calle
Sherman letter. and stated that the first t
knew about the Sherman letter was the 9Th 0
January last, when it WIS m entionel by Maj
shall Pitkin in conversation; never saw lette
written by Sherman to any one about the ele
ton of 1876.
Witness was shown several letters whic
witness identified as being in the hand writin
| of D. A. Weber, and then he was shown tt
signature of Weber to the AndeIsOn-Web
contract, and was asked whether he believed
to be genuine. He replied he did not think
! was; that Weber always signed his name IN
back hand; that he had never seen him sign
this paper was signed; that it might be Weber
signature, but it was not his usual slgnat ur
He had never seen thai Anderson-WeDer col
5 tract before.
, He also testified to Gov. Kellogg's desire TIL
Anderson should return to East Fellclana al
discharge his duties as supervisor, and that tt
governor had advanced him fifty dollars OF
Of his own funds to pay his expenses. He d
MED Anderson's stat ment as 20 l.. Is. Jenk
not a cousin or relation of Witness being g
drunk at witnesses house, and as to the facts
the conspiracy that there should be no electie
in East Feliciana b. ing drawn out Of hiI
That part Of the statement which mention'
the fact Of his wife going to Col. Patton, chat
man Of the Democratic State committee we
true. But her object was to get a guarant
Tor Anderson's protection from violence.
Witness testified about the 1851 which
derson had received in Baton Rouge, aud sa
it was paid on a draft drawn on the Democrat
candidate for district judge by the chairman
he Democratic State committee III New
leans.
jerks was the tax collector of East Felicinia