The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-03-13


tue chief clerks office, therein de
posted for safe keeping and for flu,
ture requirements, the papers Of
each parish in an apartment by itself.
SECRET SESSIONS OF THE RETURNING
BOARD.
It was shown that till final action
ION consolidated statements or re-
turns of the election taken by the re-
turning officers was in what was
termed secret session, being in con
tradistinction to the other regular
sessions-one, I believe, called exec
utive and the other open session.
It was shown that no one was ex-
pected or permitted to be present
with the returning officers during
the secret session, except the attor-
ney for the returning board. 1t was
shown that the returning board law
regards the board complete with five
members, one of them to be of what
is called the opposite party. It was
shown that only four members par
ticipated in the action of the board,
and all being Of the same political
party. That although repeated ap-
plications had been made to the
board, incomplete as it existed, to
have the vacancy filled, said appli-
catious being in behalf of that por-
ton of our people not connected with
the political party to which the four
members of the board were attached,
it was never done.
When the returning officers were
lin secret session, it was shown that
a messenger, in accordance with
their instructions, would bring from
the chief clerks Office into an apart
ment they occupied the consolidated
statements of such parishes as they
called for. These, in the absence of
all witnesses, save that of the attorney
of the board, were then acted upon
and the result of the boards decision
was written on the back of the con
solidated statement; or upon slip
of paper thereon placed. The same
messenger, as instructed by the
hoard, would receive from it the con-
solidated statements thus acted up
on, showing, in the boards opinion,
the result Of the election, and rede.
liver them to the chief clerk g
office.
DISPOSITION OF ELECTION RETURNS AT
TER ACTION UPON THEM BI THE RE
TURNING BOARD.
Clerks in the Iatter's Office would
then produce from the consolidated
statements, subject to any changes
noted thereon by the returning
board, the proper figures to repre-
sent it's final result of the election.
These figures were then placed upon
a tabulated statement showing at q
glance the result of the election
throughout the State, as thus deter.
mined by the board. This document
became one of the State records, was
shown to the jury, and upon it were
seen figures purperting to represent
the result of the election in the par
ish of Vernon, and corresponding in
number to those found upon the al
tered statement described in the
charge against the accused. Sale
State record was certified as true ane
correct by the four members Of the
returning board, as evidenced BY
their signatures, Thomas G. Andsr
son, the accused, being one Of The
number. The then official newspa
, per was exhibited to the jury con
tanning the result of the election as
above set forth, promulgated by the
four parties above referred to.
NO EVIDENCE AS TO WHO ALTERED TIL
VERNON STATEMENT.
No evidence was offered to SHOW
who altered from true to false thu
consolidated statement of the vote'
} of the parish Of Vernon, and none tt
show who placed on the State record
above described, figures correspond
3 ing to those on said altered state
ment.
J THE JURY RETIRE FOR DELIBERATIoN
The evidence, legal arguments ant
' charge of the judge having bee
E heard by the jurors, we retired t
5 the jury room. Being seated aroun
i. the table, an election for forema
, was in order, aud it appearing til
8 general desire Of my fellow juror
8 that I should act in that capacity
they chose me for the position
e which I accepted, and at once aske