Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-02-11
THE RETURNING BOARD PROSECUTIONS.
WHIT SECRETARY SHERMiy SAYS
The Conviction of Anderson an Out
rage.

rage.
Mr.. Sherman was asked if it was true as
stated in the morning papers. that he, Mat
thews, Garfield Hale and White had sent
dispatch to Anderson. He said it was true
and, as that fact had been made public. he
would furnish copy of the dispatch, and they
meant all they:said.
Mr. Sherman then stated that he regarded
the arrest, trial and conviction of Anderson
as great outrage under color of the forms of
law. Anderson was not indicted. The grand
jury had refused to indict him. The proceed
ing against him is called an 'infOrmatiOn,''
and is expressly prohibited in cases of felony
by the Constitution of the United States and
OF most OF the states, but is provided for by
signed and filed by a man who was an officer
of the white league, identified with all the
numerous crimes of that organization. The
Judge who tried the case is public defaulter
for over $6CO,OOO. When Anderson was arrested
he was the acting collector of the port of New
Orleans. and the arrest was made while he
was in the discharge of his duty at the custom
house, which stands, as Mr.. Sherman thinks,
on ground under the sole jurisdiction of the
United StateS by cesSiOn from Louisiana. He
was hurried to prison, required to give exceS-
Slve bail, and failing to do so, was kept in Gus
tody, denied all postponement, forced to trial,
convicted, and is now held for sentence, With
out benefit of bail.
The jury was packed to convict, the panel
had been carefully selected, almost eXclu-
siyely of one political party and one race.
Their examination, as called, showed the
deepest and strongest prejudice against the
defendant, and in any tribunal he Mr.. Sher-
MANI knew nearly every one would have been
rejected on his oath, and yet. though chal-
lenged, they were sworn in With such a jury
am prepared to believe the story telegraphed
this morning, that the two cOlored jurors were
trlcked into agreeing to this verdict by an
cause of this excitement against Anderson
and his associates is that in the performance
OF public duty, in plain pursuance of law
and upon ample testimony, they eliminated
from the election returns in louisiana the
results of violence and intimidation Though
this was not alleged in the information yet
everybody knew that this was the gravamen of
their offence, and without it no man on this
Jury would have convicted Anderson. 1t is
this that excited this pOpulace, heated with
passion, to the highest state of resentment.
The pretence set up for the prosecution was
that Anderson had participated in a forgery
or alteration of the Vernon parish returns;
9nt there was not one particle of !evi-
here by the committees of Congress. and
all the. records and returns had been
spread before them, and even Littlefield. who
made the alteration had excupated Anderson
from knowledge OF it. The truth is. the Yer
non returns were opened by the returning
board before hosts Of witnesses on the ninth
as they were in the daily papers and in both
Houses of Congress, and The subsequent altera.
tlOn by Littlefield of one copy of the returns
vas done either as as put up ,iob by him OF iu
the Interest OF local candidates having no
effect upon the. general result, and there does
not appear to be single scrap of testimony
showing that Anderson M participated in it inthe
slightest degree. There was no motive for such
an alteration by Anderson, the true return be-
ing printed in so many forms, it was absurd to
think he would alter it, and yet upon this false
preteAt he was convicted. l still hope that
this conviction will not be carried into execu-
ton but IL 1t IS, as matter of course the deem
est feeling oil resentment and hostility will exist
in the minds of tho great mass of our people
who believe that these returning officers did
but their simple duty. Nothing has been done
here pending the trial to interfere in any way
with the course OF judicial proceedings, but il
Anderson is imprisoned under this sentence
1t Will be mockery OF public justice, and will
bring into contempt all efforts at peace and
Cancellation. 1t is an unlocked for and terrible
commentary upon the efforts of the President
10 quiet the turbulence and violence of LOuiSi-
ana politics, and seems to HE an act OF folly
and madness.
THE DISPATCH TO GEN ANDERSON
WAsH1NGToN, February /, ls7s.-C51. Thomas
C. anderson, Nelc Orleans, La: The under
signed feel it due TO you, under present cir
cumstances, to assure you of our lnhesitating
belief that in the matter wherein you stand
charged you are altogether guiltleSS of any
offence against law; that you are falsely ac-
cused and maliciously prosecuted: that the
proceeding against you. though in the form of
law, is without the substance of justice: that
we hereby tender our earnest Sympathies and
express our hope that the sense of justice and
love of peace of the people of Louisiana will
protect you, and not permit the best interests
OF the whole country to be disturbed by re-
yiVal of sectional animOSitieS. In any event.
We are confident that the American people
will redress anyinjustlce Of which you may be
made the victim.
-[Signed John Sherman, Stanley Matthews,
j. A. Garfield, Eugene Hale, Harry White.