The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-03

ZVN Nol'S NSb tnHn n tnird plpCtOr. md 100
900 more thnn five OF the electors. Alter the Re-
turning Board had rejected certain polls. Pack
nrd had more votes than five Of the electors and
less than tho other three. There were some
protests that were annexed to the returns The
Comm ssiOncr of Election WINS required to- make
ne ne returns within twenty;four hours to the
law was not strictly complied with except i'm n
very few, parishes. The returns from certain
polls In Enst Baton Rouge were brought In but
witness thought they were not counted. He had
no recollection OF tho fact TINT returns were not
mn,de from some Of the polls In New Orleans.
Witness authority us messenger Of the Elec-
toral College,. was never formally revoked;
didn't know that any ono had power TO transfer
" except himself Many of the Supervisors did
not mako their protests at the timo as required
by law, because they were afraid to. Tho board
trcqtcd The protests made, in Now Orleans os
valid. Tho men who made protests returned
to thcir homes .nft.rward. mud some q them
were Killed Mr.. Weber yas killed, Wit E,:
presumed he had none. The. appointment OF n
ncm9"rat to illl thc vacancy in the keturning
the board. hut no action was taken upon II. The
mattcr was laid over ana never taken up again.
board tender the appointment To anybody. The
only reason ne could give was that the Demo-
God TGs SSorG Went h2r into ,S @
when they acted on parish to give their final
decision. There was no person in tho room at
officers
Can't Thomas II. Jcnks OF Louisiana wns rc-
CNlt'u. lie SNlu tnnt ne nnu seen the nflllANlt
purporting To have been signed by him pro-
scented to the subcommittee in Now Orleans
and that he never made any such affidavit MIR.
Anderson requested him on two different occa-
sions To make an affidavit, but he did not do IT,
The witness was first introduced to the Notary
seymour in Washington since tho present in
fore tn his knowledge. When Anderson asked
witness to sign u document something like this
i9r damned foolf" This was probably in
James +. Anderson obtained permission to
make statement. He sad:
left New Orleans on the 18th Of May. About
o'clock the same afternoon met Capt. jerks
cnve AT 5 o'clock. lie then asked me TO use my
influence when got to Washington to get him
a place; ! told him it was about ns much ms
could do to get place for myself. and in talk
ing the matter over Capt jerks said: You
know what We have done here together md II
ington they would be obliged TO give me- n
place He said: You know what we can swear
to about the election in East ,Fcliciana. and
about your protest being forged. and IL these
facts were brough, To their attention they would
soc the Importance OF keeping the thing quiet
containing those facts. l will take IL with mo
We then went to the Custom House and nj his
Ii ct, 10 wrote on! thc, AFFIDAVIT We then
several gentlemen with whom | was not ac-
quainted. but Capt. jerks was; and after
minutes the affidavit WINS signed. His
request To me. was that when | got
TO Cincinnati should show this afldNylt to
senator Matthews for the purpose OF getting n
place for him. and this will explain the reason
Of my, sending SO many postal cards about Sem
ntor. Matthews from Cincinnati. | never sue
ceedcd In seeing senator Matthews mud did not
show the affidavit to Senator Matthew'S or any
body else. In regard TO my going to his house
anu asking him To siEn an affidavit short time
the afternoon of the 10th Of November.
when requested him to 60 down and read the
protes, over. never, crossed his doorstep. He
dictated the affidavit TO me. ON the afternoon
81 tae IN Of cMS the 1dSy on which lcit New
thu Auditors office Of the Custom House. and
several other persons were present when he
Emil l.. Weber Of Ascension Parish. Ia, was
then called. and said that he had prepared n
written statement covering all the points upon
winch he could tstity aud desired To- r-nt II rs
his testimony. Objection being mad" hy Mr..
Cox. the witness was requested To- stand aside.
announced that Mr. Weber would be allowed to
read the statement he had prepared. and tho
witness read 1t rs follows:
wEBER's STATEMENT.
entered actively into politics in Louisiana In
ls6s: wns elected sheriff Of the parish o. West
Fcirana In 1865 and Parish fudge IN 1870.
hailOt-boN stufline; in 1872 was elected state
senator Tor the term ot four years. and in 1876
was n candidate for reelection. and was returned
rs elected 10y the Returning Board. My oppor-
tun,t"s Tor knowing the plans 81 the political
lenders II the Republican pnrty Of the state
and their purposes and expectations relative TO
the election ~ November. 1876. We're good. was
intimate with Kellogg and Packard and alno st
every prominent Republican in he State. and
was frequently consulted and trusted by them
on party matters. Tbs necessities Of the lie-
publican party in Louisiana required TINT the
/ Election law should b" constructed so ~ 10 give
! IN" krpugican leaders arbitrary power and
! d"spotr control over the machinery Of elections
/ ~ well ~ over tho NrtOnS Of the voters mem
| selves The Governor, tho Returning Board.
! and the Supervisors oi Election were all Repub-
Gnns Az nInriIS.nw,Ms.hs , 9t ,he I"Ey
| Of 1876, like preceding elections should h,
controlled hy securing the fan registration and
! poll OF IN" Republican vote and such manpu-
lation Of the vote in the returns of the Supervi-
s"rs md the action of the Returning Board
! IL would guarantee the political victory 81 the
Republican party. 1t was understood that il
| might BE- necessary to throw out certain par
lshes In order 20 do this and ia some cases 10
! West Feliclana parishes were from the begin
ming considered by tho Republicans so doubtful
vnss In them was questioned. and 1t WIS deter
mined that on some pretcnce or other they
should be abandoned, and the election be al.
Owed to go Democrniic. with the intention Of
having the Returning Board throw them ont on
the ground OF intimidation. My brother and |
protested against this course, and defcot-
SSncernod f 55 tbs s MSI' the s' usua nSm
Der OF speakers. deputy .marshals. and other
tration and vote were not supplied, money was
not furnished for expenses. and Republican
tickets were not distributed. Violence has been
OF frequent occurrence in those parishes before
md since the war. often in the form Of personal
difficulties between whites and blacks IN the
efforts OF the whites 10 protect themselves
against petty thieving on the part Of the blacks.
md sometimes, from the viciousness Of a small
but bad class 81 mon. clubs were formed 10y the
citizrns to protect themselves against theft but
these Regulators. ms they were called. were not
political bodies OF men. Republicans Of both races
being members ~ them AS well as Democrats.
For more than ak months prior 10 the cam.
pngn Of 1876. quiet and order prevailed. And
the Democrats declared their purpose. through
Coy. Nichols, 10 ask and give a Tree. fair. and
pcareable election; and from that time until
after the election they pursued n concilatOry
line " action. The Republicans Of East and
West FclicianA had entirely recovered from tho
effects ~ the violence heretofore referred 10.
hut they were divided in counsel and democrat
Ted 10y factlonal lights among themsel yes and,
rs n consequence both parishes gave legitimate
Democratic mnlOrities. The disturbances and
disorders were not political. or OF such
magnitude as to have materially affected
the election. | have no personal knowledge
that corrupt influences or intimidation on tho
part oi Democrats entered materially into or
affected the results In those parishes. James l..
Anderson and ID. A. Weher. tine Supervisors,
stated TO me their helici that the two parishes
had gone in favor ~ the Democrats. and there
did not exist sufficient ground for protest in
either parish. and expressed their determine
ton 10 ma 10 no protest. In the case Of my
brother aud myself. and the members II my
brothers family. II was ngrred that protest by
him would be wrong and dangerous under
the circumstances md TINT its pNppu-