The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-06-20
The Investigation.

The Investigation.
On the Sth, a letter from Senator Mat
thews was read declining to appear before
the Committee. General Butler asked that
a subpoena be issued, and the committee
unanimously decided in favor Of it.
The first witness called was Mckinney,
Deputy Clerk of the Supreme Court, who
was Clerk of the Electoral Commission, and
touching the preparation of the Electoral
certificates Of publication as an appendix
to the proceedings of the Commission.
The point sought to be developed by the
examination of Mckinney is that Certificate
No. 1, which Levisee identified as contain
ing his genuine signature, contains only
the single statement that the Electors voted
for President and Vice President while Ger
tiicate No. 8, to which Levisee says his sig
nature is a forgery, contains the double
statement of the vote for President and of
the votes for Vice President. 1t appears
that in both printed volumes 1.-THE one in
quarto form, corresponding with the
Congressional Record, and the one in oc-
tavo form it is only No 8 that is printed.
OF this curious fact the only explanation
that could be offered by Mckinney was that
printed copies of Nos. / and 8 were so
nearly identical in the first page that in
gathering together copies that were not
used, they got mixed together, there being
no printed number to distinguish them. and
that when he handed to Murphy, the official
stenographer, copies to be printed in the
appendix, he had given him two of the same
kind instead Of two different kinds. Judge
A.. B. Levissee was recalled, and made
some corrections in his previous testimony,
among which was one denying having told
Asher that he would take 100000 and refuse
to accept his Electoral certificate. In
answer to a question whether he had any
thing to add to his statement in regard to
voting blank as charged, he said "Noth-
ing in particular. / took the ticket n in
dorsed my name on it. There were no
blank votes, as / can swear positively, hay-
ing heard them read as they were taken out
of the box, after they were voted. There
were eight pieces read, and | am confident
the names of Hayes and Wheeler were
written on each of them" Senator Ferry,
(Vice-President pro tem.) was examined
as to the presentation to him of the
certificates of Electors, especially those
from Louisiana, as to his manner of receiv-
ing and reporting them, etc. His testimony
was to the effect that in the cases of other
States besides Louisiana be had suggested
to the messengers that the Endorsements by
the Electors upon the packages were infor-
NAL, and that in more than one instance
the messengers did not insist that he [Mr.
Ferry should take the package, but instead
they went away and returned, as in the in
stance of the Louisiana package, with
amended or corrected Endorsements. He
stated that when he saw upon the face any
evidence of informality, he called the atten-
ton of the messenger to the fact and to the
law on the subject; but after he took charge
( of packages he allowed nobody to withdraw
them
The principal point in the investigation
on the 10th was the introduction before the
Committee, by Hon. Benz. F. Butler, of the
dispatch sent to Lieutenant Governor
Young by Boulds A. Baker, Secretary OF
the conference Of Southern Republicans
and old-line Wings, suggesting material for
on February "a, 1877. Mr.. Butler is of opin-
ion that the present investigation will lead
to startling developments. He remarked
that what has come is but the shadow OF
the substance that is coming. He said
there would be sensations enough come out
of it to last the newspapers all summer.
The dispatch suggested the names of a mum.
Der of prominent Southern men for the
cabinet of Mr.. Hayes, among whom were
Ex-United States Senator John Pool, Of
North Carolina; Hon. John Hancock, OF
! CAu OO4OACA II. l.. OIL VI u 14io
souri, General Joseph E. Johnston Senator
Key, of Tennessee, and others-all regarded
as Southern Union men, or moderate seces
s~ionists, the admission of either one Of
whom in the cabinent would harmonic the
South. Mr.. Cox could not see in
what connection this was competent ties
timony before the Committee, and ex
pressed himself as in a condition of ardent
curiosity about the matter. Mr.. Butler
said: Sand must leave you in that condi
zion until / can prove who Boulds Baker is
Mr.. Key, one of the men suggested, was ap
pointed by Mr.. Hayes, and one of the frs
acts Of his administration was to appoin,
Mr.. Boulds Baker to the best Office in hi
gift"
Messrs. Reed and Lilley were brought for
ward as witnesses, and were finally directed
to appear tomorrow with the records, &C
counts, and the appointment and recon
m~endations of Boulds Baker as specia
agent, and with like information as tt
George A. Howard, formerly one of tn,
assistant secretaries to the Electoral Com
mission.
On June11, Chairman Potter had read
letter to Stanley Matthews accompanying
subpoena stating it was not the desire of thu
committee to interfere in any way with Mr.
Matthews duties as Senator, and that Their,
would be every disposition on the part O
the committee to meet his convenience il
respect to time of attendance. At the sug
gestion of Mr.. Cox, the whole subject wa
laid over for the present.
james E. Anderson was recalled, bu
nothing new was ELECTED.
Jas. A. Boulds, Appointment Clerk of tn
Post-Ofice Department, was sworn, AM
produced a letter from the Postmaster Gen
eTal, stating that Boulds lac papers an
hanks ipnrtrad for hv III . oouniffoa in rafoy
ence to the appointments of JOS. A. Howar,
and Boulds and Baker. Boulds was Exam
ined at length, by General Butler, and state,
| that BoHlds Baker first entered the Posi-
Office Department, October 16, 1875, as
t~welve-hundred dollar clerk under the ad
ministration of Postmaster General Tynel
The names of the parties r~ecommendin
the appointment were O.. P. Morton, job,
, Hancock, and Representatives Throckmol
ton and Culbertson. Baker continued i
that position until April /, 1877, when b
was dismissed, and on April II, 1877, at tn
instance of the parties first recommendin
his appointment, and others, he was az
: pointed SpecialAgenta at twelve hundred pc
annum, and five do lars per diem.
, Lilley, Deputy Sixth Auditor OF the TreaI
ury Department, said, in reply to a questio
/, by Mr.. Cox, that the salary of Boulds Bake
l was paid strictly in accordance with tn
authority given in the Revised Statute
t Mr.. Baker was one of the sixty speci,
| agents. Recommendations for the appoin
ment of George Howard, Assistant Clerk t
: the Electoral Commission, were signed b
: Senators Creary, Hoar and others. Th
: recommendations were based upon How
ards efficient service in completing th
volume known as "The Count of tn
Electoral Vote"
: At two o'clock ex-Congressman Darra
: was to take the stand, but when the hou
l came it was learned that Kellogg had trotte
. him off to see the President. TIL announces
ment caused a gentle sensation. Mr.. Da
rail- was an hour late on account of h
Presidential visit. His visit to the Whit
r House was not referred to in the evidenc
DarralPs evidence was sandwiched wit
letters of his own composition, write
principally to Anderson. He testified tn,
the letters and documents Anderson ha
from Matthews were to be held over tn
| head of the latter gentleman, to get him
use his influence to have Darrall appointe
Collector of the Port of New Orleans; ais,
u that he, having railroad passes as a membt
O | ~ To--~ao1 80 H.. - 1a-14 Co. a.