The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-25
POTTER'S COMMITTEE.
OF MEssRs. KELLEY, HALE
ANN SHERMAN,
They Testify tn the Beautiful Innocence
of the Visiting Statesmen, and Dee
nounce Weber,s TestlmOny as False.

pennsylvania, sworn ana teStlleQ tIlhJ ne
visited New Orleans. He at first declined to
go, but afterwards thought it advisable to go
and witness the count. AS soon as the sew
enteenth we had d convention; 1t was in
| formal. Secretary Sherman acted rs chair
| man. Saw him every day at the hotel and
when the board was in session. The purpose
| of the visitors was to obtain, as citizens, @
meeting with the Returning Board.
Five were appointed daily for watching the
proceedings. / heard of some instances where
affidavits were loosely drawn up. On the
affidavitS being presented they were redrawn.
There was no conference between the Demo-
cratic and Republican commissioners. Some
informal conversation took place. Never
| heard any suggestions made towards in
| tluencing the members of the board
| We were only there as lOokers-on and did
| not see any members of the committee have
conversations with the members OF the Re-
protests regarding the election, unless in the
case of Eliza PlnkstOn, to whose story we
listened and tried to get her case heard.
| The action Of the board was not cOmmu-
nicated to witness. He, however was OF the
opinion, and said so, that fraud had been per-
petrated on both sides. The returns were
| brought in by parishes. The theory OF the
committee was that they had no right to In
! terfere, but simply look on.
mony. in which it was stated that the Re
| turning Board was influenced by the visiting
statesmen to reopen the returns. This was
| false In whole or in part. Nothing was done
| for which any such assertion could have been
made
| He met Anderson In Washington after be-
| ing summoned before this committee for the
| first time. Mr.. Sypher introduced him. Never
heard that any of the parishes were to be
manipulated, or that any inducements
were to be offered to change the result. No
manipulation was suggested. He never saw
| Senator Sherman in consultation with any
| one. Do not remember having seen him at the
|
ing affidavits.
| The general character of the evidence showed
intimidation and violence. He showed the
story OF Eliza Pinkston, Rosa Richmond and
another negro. He believed all their state
ments. A young colored man Just entering
| his yard was shot There was violence Of q
desperate character. If Eliza Pinkston's
story is not true then the stage had lost
Mr.. Kelley cross-examined, but nothing i'm
DOrtant was ELECTED.
Courtland Parker, of Newark N. j., testi-
| fled that he went to New Orleans, having re-
| Ceiyed dispatch from President Grant re-
uuesting him to go there to witness the count
He was never requested by any one else,
neither the Republican Committee nor Mr.
Hayes. Witness arrived at New Orleans No
yember II; saw number OF Republicans at
| New Orleans from other States.
The first topic upon his arrival there was
the position of those deputed thither relative
to the Returning Board their duty and
|
not directly, indirectly or Intentionally, to
influence. Being requested by the President,
| any interference on the part of the committee
| would have compromised him.
Witness was of opinion that everything
looking to fairness and publicity should oc-
cur. There was an apprehension OF violence.
A knife was drawn one day during the Ses-
| sion of the board by q violent person, and Op-
probrious words used to the president OF the
| board.
| Everything was open and above board, and
| the Returning Board acted within the limits
| of it's power. The' understanding by every
member was strictly mountaineering. When
| the second report was prepared, Mr.. Sherman
merely inserted, by way OF repetition, what
| was contained In the first. Saw him daily.
Witness never saw either Anderson or Weber
while there, nor heard Of any communication
| between Anderson and Sherman. Never heard
| of Anderson's attempt to withdraw his pro-
test.
The attention of witness was called to
| Weber's testimony, primarily noticed, and he
said he thought that the imprObability OF the
statement was SO great that 1t may well be
called impossible.
| The testimony, so far as to COllusiOn with
the members of the Returning Board was, so
| far as the witness was concerned, q lie, and
insofar as others of the visiting gentlemen
were concerned, he believed 1t to be lie.
| What he knew of intimidation in the parish
Of East FeIiciana Is comprised In the atfi-
davits appended to the protest. There was
| DrOOI Oh Jub OERhIllAbLlOu VI ID Dphy VI lltu
called "RegulatOrs," whose purpose was to
intimidate the negroes. They killed sixteen
negroes and whipped quite q number OF
| others. They (the negrOes) were In aDJect ter
ror It was understood that If the negroes
didn't Join O. Democratic club and vote the
| ticket he wasn't SAFE Mr.. Sherman, in wit
ness opinion was very careful In any cOnver-
sation or argument with any members OF the
| Returning Board.
| Mr.. Potter crOss-examined Witness He be-
lieved all affidavits appended to protests,
and laid before the board true. 1t was my
opinion that the state Of things existing was
such that no man making protest would be
safe. II the evidence was manufactured as
charged, there wouldn't have been any danger
to the making Of the protest. In answer to
| Mr.. Potter who said that's g In reason, wit
ness said "Yes, sir, but l didn't know was
| here to reason"
Mr. Parker fully believed that justice would
be done by the Returning Board. Did not
think Mr.. Wells, the chairman, would under
any circumstances take bribe to turn over
the State to the Democrats, although there
was q rumor that 100000 had been subscribed
by the Democratic party TO coerce the MEM
bers of the board.
To Mr.. Butler-Began the brief, which |
prepared and gave to Mr.. Sherman to pc al
tached to our report to the PRESIDENT
There was never in my presence any discus
sion before the board regarding any parish.
The final report was not drawn up by Mr.
Sherman. 1t was drawn up Dy ME- otOugh-
IOU, bLl1l lully ulSCu55od Wy WY
/ signed it after left, by telegraphC author
ity It was substantially completed when
left. All the affidavits were in the hands OF
the committee. Don't know II the Democrats
had access to them.
Mr.. E. Hale, of Maine, was sworn and ex:
amined by Mr.. HiscOck. Am q member OF
the House Of Representatives and Republt-
can in politics. Visited New Orleans at the
request of President Grant. Went there sim
ply to witness the count Left Washington
alone In Pennsylvania found Mr.. Stoughton
and Gen. Van Alley. At Cincinnati we found
Senator Sherman, and together we reached
New Orleans, where other Republicans were
} met, Messrs. Matthews and Garfield among
! them.
Stopped at the same hotel with Secretary
/ Sherman. A meeting was held on the part Of
J the Republican visitors relative to the letter
issued by the Democrats and published. An
answer was framed and dated next morning
Mr.: Sherman presided at that meeting
Saw him constantly, my room being next to
his. Our conversations were entirely Tree anC