The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-07-31
THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION


Investigating the Election or 1874
Under the potter observation-disclosures y ID.
Anderson ana Secretary sherman ~
the stand.
MONDAY, July 22.-The sub cor ,n;ttae
wasin session at New Orleans, Mo ,anv INV
I'D. Several colored men we - awsm,ned
who made af1idavits before Ma retnmir :,
board They now deny 10 truth Of tie aflis
nere ttauo ~ .'teh and say the adayits
ION NV Gov rv'1 ~" " ON Upon .examina.
,ess ~ y sa ue e Green admitted the correct
"a IN the afildavits.
4UEsDAY, July 23-The Potter sub
Committee, consisting Of Representatives Pot
Ter, Butter, Hiscock and Springer met at AT.
lantic City, N. j, on the GARD. There were
present ex-senator Trumbuil, Representatives
Danford, Kelly, and of counsel Shellabarger
and Sipher together with q large number of
guests of the hotel, of both sexes, and repre-
sentatives of the press. Representative Dan
ford was the first witness, at the instance of
Representative Hiscock, who conducted the
direct examination. Witness testified to a
1he testimony of Danford controdicted An
derson in material points. He said
that Anderson told him that duriug
the period of the registration " he went
to New Orleans and informed the Republican
comittee, including Gov. Kellogg, that his
parish was going Democratic, the colored vote
being largely on that side, and that he had
been advised by Kellogg and the Republican
committee that he should either not return
to the parish at all or come away and make
such Il protest as would throw the parish out.
He said he had put the story in circulation in
the hope that the Democratic committee
would make him an offer Of money; and when
by the offer of money he had them good and
fast, he would expose the authors and blow
them sky high. The witness did not hear, An
derson question the truth of the protest At
New Orleans before the subcommittee, Elk
Gov R. G. Wyklitfe, Col. c. j. Powell and
Capt. W. w. Leake of West Feliciana parish.
testified regarding their efforts to induce col
ored men to vote the Democratic ticket at the
last election. Each assisted in organizing
colored Democratic clubs. and addressing
tent argument was in relation to public
schools, which had been badly maraged by
the Republicans, the funds being, in many
cases, misapplied. The last election was
peaceable and quiet. Dawber told Col.
Powell, Nov 18th, he had not filed van
protest and did not intend to do
so. Several other witnesses testified
touching affidavits and the manner of obtain
ing them. Some difficulty in obtaining wit
nesses was developed. Gov. Cox made a
statement of efforts to secure the attendance,
as witnesses, of D. A. Weber and j. Soudran
Weber's brother-in-law. Mr.. Dunbar, an
officer Of the committee, was afterwards sent
to Donaldsonville with subpenas. Mrs. Weber
replied that her children had scarlet fever.
and she could not leave them. Soudran told
Dunbar he Couldn' tleave his business, that he
had no one to leave in charge, and further
more, if he came, he would have to tall the
truth, and fine told ALL hesknew he wot1 bnot
afterwards live there J@ .@-'
WEDNESDAY, July 24th.-Judge Will
liam c: Whitaker and John Douglas testified
regarding the signatures to the second set of
electoral certificates. Several witnesses tes-
titled as to the crookedness in regard to aft.
davits. Some testimony was given as to the
formation Of bands of regulators, outside Of
the law; The regulators were, mostly, young
men. The organization led to excuses and
for that reason was disbanded. at Atlantic
City, N. j., Mr.. Kelly testified that he went
to New Orleans at the request of President
Grant, and testified as to intimidations there.
He said Weber's testimony there, that the re-
turning board was influenced by the visiting
statesmen, was unqualifedly false. The gen
eral character of the evidence showed intim-
idation; some of it was most abhorrent. He
heard the stories of Eliza Pinkston and Rosa
Richmond and another old negro witness
Fully believed all their statements There
was violence of the most desperate character.
Cortland Parker, of New York, testified he Wis
tied New Orleans solely at the request of Pres
ldent Grant. He did not while in Louisiana,
hear doubts thrown GU the protest made by An
derson as to East Feliciana, or that twas inter-
lined, or that Anderson wished to withdraw it.
Hall, Danford, Secretary Sherman and others
were examined, the latter briefly, and to be
examined further. Ex-con gresham T. Hall
SyDher testified thate Wber showed him let
ter purporting to be from John Sherman, in
substance such as had been published He
could not swear that the signature to the let
ter was genuine.
THURSDAY, July 25.-Secretary Sher-
man resumed his testimony before t1e Potter
committee. Mr. Sherman narrated the cir
cumstances under which he went to New Or
leans on invitation of President Grant. to wit
ness the count, not to interfere with the Off
cial duty OF the board, and he did not interfere
neither he nor his associates met any mem Der
of the board alone Did not remember ofmeet-
ing D. A Weber or J. E. Anderson EXCEPT in
casual way. Mr.. Sherman denied explicitly
and emphatically the testimony Of Anderson
alleging a conversation between Sherman,
Weber and Anderson. Mr.. Sherman was
shown the letter alleged to have been written
to him by Weber and Anderson, dated Nov 20,
1876, ard said he never received such letter, and
never saw or heard of it until it was published.
Wife reference to the alleged reply, Secre-
rotary Sherman said most emphatically be did
not write such letter; at the same time,
however, as he stated when this inyestig cation
began, there were things in it he would
have written to those or any other men who
were engaged in the performance of what he
believed their duty, if he had been asked, but
he did not think he wrote the letter. He be-
leves he did say in conversation with various
gentlemen that all Republicans in Louisiana,
who stood by their guns deserved credit.
Mr.. Sherman submitted lette written by him
to Mr.. Hayes for New Orleans in Nov. 1876,
and Mr.. Hayes reply. Gen. Garfield was ex
amined at length.
FRIDAY, July 26.-E. A. Burke was be-
fore the subcommittee and testified at great
length as to arrangements made to secure
the recognition Of the Nichols government,
and submitted serveral documents signed by
himself, E. j. Ellis, William M. Levy. Stanley
Matthews and FIT. Nichols. Hon. f. j, FL
lis testified regarding the Wormley hotel con-
ference, and stated emphatically that there
was no bargain, that the ceasing to filibuster
was not insisted upon by the Republicans
who were at the conferences. Watterson al
ways steadily opposed filibustering. There
was not the semblance of a bargain at
that conference The object of thu Re-
publicans seemed to be to remove anxiety
in regard to the course Hayes would pursue
towards South Carolina and Louisiana.
At Atlantic City, NJ j., thePotter committee
were in session. Gen Sypher was recalled
and testified that he had seen Senator 5Sher-
mans signature in autograph albums. He
said to the best of his recollection, he thought