Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-03-02
THE TRUTH OF II.
ATTORNEY GENERAL OGDEN EXPRESSES
HIS OPINION On TIE WELL- LETTER.

In reference TO ~ few OF the many state
nents made by Madison Wells in lis
etter to the New York Times o: Mon
'ay, Attorney General Ogden ycsterd"'
aa.le the following statement to- rep
resentative Of the Picayuue:
/ There is not one word of truth in what
Wells says concerning me. except that
,,s an elder in the Presbyterian Church,
1t is also absolutely f,.ise that lever said
70 anyone hat the jury ii. tho Anderson
case YVES packed. l trust that am to"
we'll known by my fel!nw-citizeus of tai
State for such an accusation to gain
cretlence among them. No one here VIII
believe it possible that acted other
wise than legally and coDscien: ioiis]y in
the discharge of my duty to the State
and the prisoners. l had not hing TO do
with Grawin. the jury. The law gives
me no connection with that duty. The
jury was drawn as the law directs, by
the jury commissioners. MessrS. Rogers
drawn. Wells charged that the list OF
names was furnished by the Democratic
State Committee. This is al unqualified
falsehood in the sense in which Wells
asserts it. The jury panel is made mp
| from large number of names placed in
q wheel, which names are taken from the
list of reg sistered voters.
1t happened that when the State Reg
! istrar took possession of his Office, he
| found the books and records in 80 bad
| condition that they cou.d not be used
III consequence of this the Democratic
State Committee furnished the registrs-
| ton lists in their possession. which were
authentic and certified copies Of the off,
cial lists. They We're furnished for all
jurics since the Nichols Government
| was established. The same thing hap
pened as to the election returns as CAN
vassed by the Board Of State Canvassers.
| They were compelled to use in mary in-
| stances The duplicate returns forwarded
! to the Democratic committee. These
were il, all cases exact copies Of those
| forwarded to the Returning Board. It
! is false, also, that three grand iuri-S ever
refused 80 indct Wells. During the un-
| settled period between the election and
! the suhsidence OF the Packard Govern
ment the ,,atter was not pressed. When
| it was finally brought forward, the
I Grand jury did not lind t'.e Indictment
simply iecal,se til ere as a doubt Wheih-
er they could legally act III eases OF te'o-
! ny after The 1st of j une. This has been
! explained over Al d over again. The in
formation WAS not filed by rue or Mr..
Egan, the Assistant Attorney General,
but by M Finrey.
! He acted under the request, rendered
| in writing. by the members of the Grand
jury. l can say that the panel from
which the petty jury was drawn was the
| best we have had foc many years. in
| sisted tha, the Returning Board prison
evs should be brought 70 trial before a
| Jury drawn from that pane! because l
| considered it to be composed of intelli-
gent and conscientious mon. The panel
was exh; usted by challenges and We had
| to resort to talesmcn. The final result
was that the jury was composed OF eight
Democrats, two coloreu Republicans and
two white men supposed to bc Rerubli-
cans l think the theory the defense be-
gan with. was that Anderson WAS not
present wi hen the Vernon returns were
| opened, but we proved so cnnclusively
| that he was that this line was abandon
| ell. bclieve that the >tAte made ont
its case to tho satisfact ion of any impair
| tial person, and that the verdict was a
proper and an honest one. We proved
| that Anderson was present when tho re-
turns were opened, and that he comment
ed on them. n'e proved the forgery, and
| showed it to be so cumsIy executed a.
to I've plain to even ii casual observer
We proved Aaderson's signature, and
that the altered returns vent from his
| hands to tho clerk, which WAS itself q
| publication.
| In regard to the malicious assault mp
on tho Assistant Attorney General, can
say this: About twenty years age, whet
Judge Eagan was very young man, and
had just entered on the practice of the
law, he haI il ,li.iirnity with another
member Of the bar in regard to q law
suit. Tho gentleman referred t" had de-
| nouncch Jutge Eagan iii severe terms
| The two met QUO day in tn. street, when
All aitercation took place, ending in Il
.cuttie in which Judge Easan's adverse.
nv threw HIM to tho g~ont,I and 'intin e
his life in danger. Judge EaSan killed
his antagonist. He acted throughout IN
scif-.ieiense. Iio was tried for the act
before "a jury of we'll known citizens, and
was acquitted At once. No stigma has
ever rested on him on account of this sc
| currei ce.
Judge Eagan wa, present at this in
| r,rrnI,r.Ntn,1 ali that tbt