Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-02-27
A LETTER FROM J. MADISON
wIal0

extended letter to the New York
Times, touching the trial of the men,
bers of the Returning Board. We
publish a part OF that letter as fol-
lows:
The central figure in this conspira-
cy is that most supple tool of the
traitors of Louisiana, Judge William
II Whitaker. He conspired to de-
fraud the Government Of the United
States of 100000, with which he was
intrusted as Assistant Treasurer, suc-
ceeded in the conspiracy, and stands
indicted for felony. He stated to sew
eral persons, and to lawyers of high
standing, before the trial of General
Anderson. that the jury wau packed
for the purpose OF his conviction.
Nine Of the jurors in the Anderson
trial swore that they were prejudiced
against the prisoner, yet they were
made to serve. Two Of them had de-
clared openly that Anderson ought
to be hung. During the greater part
OF the trial Judge Whitaker was in a
beastly state of intoxication.
Attorney General Ogden is an ell
der in the Presbyterian Church. He,
too, was aware of the fact that the ju-
ry was packed, and aided and assist
ed in the nefarious scheme by which
the packing was accomplished.
Assistant Attorney-General Egan is
q worthy and plant tool in the hands
OF the AttOrney-General. He stands
indicted for murder in his own par
ish, having ussassinated a brother
lawyer on account of his success in
practice over him.
Mr.. Charles Cavarac, the important
and reliable witness in this trio of
villains-Whitaker, Ogden and Egan
lis man of bad reputation for We.
racity, especially where political or
personal interest is involved. Hun
dreds of men in this city would not
believe him under oath. He holds a
prominent position in the city gov
ernment, although he has denounced
the female teachers of the public
schools as prostitutes.
William r. Smart, the custodian of
the Vernon records, would omit no
lie that he could utter that would be
likely to convict me. During the re-
bellion he stole my stock, killed my
hogs and poultry, and put the vote to
his company whether they should kill
me and burn my dwelling over the
heads Of my family.
A. E. Burke, another prominent
witness, absconded from the little
town of Aenia, Clay county, State of
Illinois, and changed his name from
A. +. Burke to f. A. Burke. Debts
have followed him here for liquida-
ton over the signature of A. f..
Burke, and some Of them have been
paid by him, thus affirming the fact
OF his absconding. and changing his
name.
The name of the jurors that were
impaneled for the trial of Anderson
and myself were furnished by the
Democratic Committee. Their polit-
ical status as we'll as their views as to
the proper punishment was canvassed
by tho Judge, Attorney General and
the Democratic Committee before be-
ing placed on the panel. One of the
Jury Commissioners testified before
the court that the list of jurors plac-
ed in the jury box from which tales
men were drawn after exhasting the
panel, was furnished by the Demo-
cratic Executive Committee, and this
fact was known to the deacon Og-
den," the assassin Eagan. and the pet
tifogger Finney.
Will any man point us to any other
civilized nation ON the face Of the
globe where such spectacle is pre-
sented as the abovep The Irish na
ton may justly complain of its treat
ment by the British government, and
the Irish people feel outraged attheir
wrongs, but where has q Judge sal
upon the bench to try his fellow, who
was guilty of embezzling 100000
and himself lying under the charge
Of felony?
Here is q man who has robbed the
people of the United States of half q
million and yet by some kind of an
agreement to let bygones be bygonei
the government has never prosecuted
this case to conviction, but has sort OF
tacitly dropped it, and yet he sits up.
on the bench to persecute republicans
and secure their conviction, by all the
foul means q bad man can invent.
just contemplate the list of scoun.
drels as portrayed by Wells and see
what the Policy has brought to the
front as rulers in that State.