The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-24
KELLY'S DISAPPEARANCE.
THE MISSING UITNESS VINO KNEW
IBOUT THE FOL0LRILS.
His Letter to Mr. Pottcr-yIurricd OF by n
senate Employee for whnm Il kciogv Got
Leave Of Abscuce-'rbe Andavit Mil.

Senntc Employee FOR whom kellogg Got |
Leave OF .tbscuce-Tbe Anda,it MIL
New ORLEANS, July 23.-1hc evidence
brought out to-day is very important. EN-Gov. |
Robert c. Wickiifc. one OF the most distn-
gushcd men Of the State, with Col. $. j. Powell |
and W. W. Leakc. both prominent citizens tcs-
tilted rs to tho manner in which the election
wns carried in West Fcicnna in 1876. Tho in
tcgrity and truthiulness OF these witnesses are |
unimpcachablc. They were the Democratic |
leaders in their parish in 1876. They organ
lied and directed the movements OF their party |
there. and their testimony us TO how II was con-
ducted must be accepted by candid men ns
worth moro than the sworn statements Of John
Sherman and tho other visiting statesmen who |
suborned perjury. uttered published forgcries.
and wllfully deceived the people with their
lying report in order TO place In powcra Fraud
ulcnt Administration and reap the spoils Of its
patronage.
Gov. Cox called two more ~ the anidavit-
manufacturers. One had been caught stealing
several hundred dollars worth OF whiskey IN
1865. but he helped make afIldnvitG in 1876
now he is Government letter carrier. Tho
other filed two places at once-one on Kellogg's
police and the other ns affidavit maker. Neither
OF these mon. as they confess. would have taken
any afildavits in which the aftiants said n good
word for the Democratic party.
Documents were produced which so further
toward proving the forgeres in the second
louisiana certificate. and others which showed
that Thomas :. Kelley. the confessed witness TO
the forgeries. had been taken off to Washing
ton by kcllogg's man. Assistant Doorkecper
Kennedy. To prevent his testiiying. So much
has now been found out that all the plot must
soon be known.
West Fcliciana in 1876 had been senator three
times. and hal been elected Governor before
the war. In 1876 he WINS an Eector from tho
state ut large on the Democratic ticket He
made special canvass Of the Sixth Congress
sl.nal District. In every ward OF West Frliclann
colOred Democratic clubs were organized.
He addressed their meetings. making special
points rs TO the eNtravaeance IN the management
of the Government by the Republicans. and the
Misrepresentation Of their school funds He
promised them better management with the
Democratic party in power: II tie funds were
not better managed he told thom he would ioin
tho Republican party. These appeals and others
influenced the coored voters To Join in large
numbers. and their clubs showed more zeal md
enthusiasm than the white Democratic clubs.
There were barbecues. parades. and torch
for four months preceding the election.
in which tho colored voters ouinumber-
ed the whites two TO ono. He never heard
or knew Of single instance where colored
man or gRepublican was wrongiully lniiu enced
in 1876. over 1900 was theitullcst ever polled IN
West feliciana; Toward the close OF The cleo
tion. ID. A. Weber told Major Bascom that all
| was quiet. He said this in Witness presence.
| Witness was much surprised when he saw
| that Weber had filed a protest When the
Returning Board was in session. he re-
qucsted permission in writing ON behalf
| OF the Democratic electors to be present at
the opening and counting Of the returns
| This was accorded him. and the next morn
ing he appeared in the boards room. He was
requested 10 leave By their serge2nt,,at-arms.
printed reports of the aflldavits were published
Julius Green, Tom Dalton. and others IN West
Feiicinna told him that they had mnde no such
| statements or affidavits appeared over their
,s names, There w1re enough polls reeGted y by
| cratic majority OF four or live hundred votes
into Republican majority
Col. :. J. Powell testified that he had resided
in West Feliciang for thirty years and was a
| member Of the Democratic State committee
| from that parish in 1916. In the early part of
| party in that parish. but went North In the sum
| mer After his return he found colored Demo.
cratic clubs organizing rapidly. He was called
| upon frequently 90 address these clubs with
| Gov Wicklifie and others. They succeeded in
| removing the impression prcNale mt among the
| negroes that they were more numerous than
| the whites in the Unit ID States in demonstrat-
| ing plainly 10 them the identity OF interests Of
| the whites and blacks in Louisiana: and in con-
| Vincing them that they would get good schools
under "A Democratic state Administration. They
soon found general disposition on the part of
cOlOrcd voters to change their politics. and there
was II general brcak-up OF the color line, He
| did not believe there was "A man in West Frlci-
! ana restranGd IN ms choice OF voting Alter
| the election Weber told witness In New Orleans,
on Nov.14. that he had filed his returns and hud
| made no protest.
A. ". Lrake ox-Distrct Attorney Of West
Feliciana. testified that he first entered politics
actively in his parish in 1876 He addressed his
arguments particularly to coored voters. and
| soon found That the great point with them was
| public education They had teachers for their
| children utterly incompetent and immoral. and
| the chief part Of their school funds had been
stolen or misappropriaied. lie showed them
ment. for medical attention. for legal services.
| for aid in all their troubles and trusted their
| lives to them IN everything but politics. BY
| these appeals md promises of u proper man
agement Of their schools. they were induced to
| They were induced. never coerced. Coorri
| Democratic clubs were more enthusiastic in
their political demons'ratlonS than me whites.
He did not know oil man who had been pre-
| vented from voting "a he chose. ID. !. Weber
! told him on Nov that the election had bren
the election Weber went TO New Orleans.
| returning thence Immediately. He told witness
IA strong effort had been made to get him to lllc
| q protest with his returns. hnt he had refused.
| Weber again went to New Orleans. and return
| ing u few days afterward told witness THAI on
protest. Witness turned from him, and never
spoke 10 him again. Julus Green. Bresenski
afidavits in print that they were iHlsc. These
men made counter allldayits 70 that ELECT White
| citizens were now teaching the colored schools
first society. The negro police Jury was re-
Inesled To resign on account o inS ro7s llnan-
| payers. Some of these swindlss were exposed;
one whore 1880 had been appropriated for u
500 bridge and the President and members Of
| the police Jury had divided the surplus. The
| killing of d. 4. Weber was Investigated for
weeks without the discovery Of a clue. Witness
thought 1t was occasioned by the publication Of
| very violent pers onal articles in Wehcr's news
| paper. and his threat IN the next issue to
| publish the records Of certain men named.
| This issue never appeared ~ Webrrwas killed.
T.. X. Russ, called by Coy. Cox. testified TINT in
JAS =. McArdle, called by GOV. Coz testified
| that he hnd assisted in making aiiidavits in the
| Custom House; was engaged in III, work three
| weeks; simply took down statements made to
him. Al present was Il lahorer in the Custom
House. Was 2 native Of Maine. Wns on the
Metropolitan Police force IN 1876 and TIL April
| 25, 1871 after Packard's fall He did not draw
| police pa, while he was in the Custom House.
| Was detailed there TO assist the Republican
| committee in the registration and election.
Didn't know who detailed him. Sometimes
| would make ten or twelve Of these nndaNits "a
| day. Didn't know OF n single colored man who
| came into the Custom House and got out with
| ont making an affidavit. Forty or lity men, all
told were engaged on this affidavit work.
| Here Gov Cox made Il statement relative to
| the subpunaing of Mrs. D. \. Weber aud j.
Gondrau. and placed Asslstant SerGeant,nl
| Arms Dunbar ON the stand He testified that
be had served suhpnn4s on these personssn
| Donaidsonvll" Mrs D. A. Weber had Two
children sick with scarlet fever, and couldn't
come Gondrgu hai recently opened II Store
| unI hnNiufr Al clerk eDulu not well lpuNp.