Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-02-07
THE LOUISIANA INIQUIITY
SOME FIGURES OF THE YERNON RE
TURNS.

Not New Story But Something to be Re-
Read and Remembered--Details Which
show the Infamous Fraud by Which
Hayes Was Seated--The Evidence Which
Ought to Send the Returning Board to the
Penitentiary and Hayes to Ohio.
New Orleans Democrat, Feb. IL
When the glazing fraud perpetrated in
classifying and forging the electoral returns
of Vernon parish was first brought to light
it most singularly failed to create any con
siderable stir among our national politicians,
or to startle those most interested in the |
manipulation of the figures numerating the
votes, because it was only one Of twenty four
parishes where votes had been fraudulently
counted.
During the canvass of the vote of the
Stately parishes, Vernon parish was brought
up in due course of time, OF at least was the
consolidated statement of the votes thereof.
TR1cKERY FROM THE START.
These returns were received by mail, in
registered letter, by the secretary of state on
November II, 1876, and then supposed to
have been kept in the custody of that officer
until the time when Wells, Anderson & Co.
saw fit to examine them. They contained
no appended protest at that time (as re-
quired By law, should it be deemed proper to
file a protest against their being counted),
but, nevertheless, Vernon was placed among
about dozen other protested parishes,
whose figures we're unacceptable to Pack
ard, to Kellogg, and others more OF less in
terested in protesting the vote of Democratic
parishes on general principles.
The papers from Vernon were opened
on November 29th, in presence of the counsel
for the Democratic party and the two distin-
guished visiting committees from the North
and. we believe, were inspected by Honest
John Sherman, and also by ex-Gov. Palmer.
The results of the consolidated statement of
votes were then read off by Kenner, and lac
cording to Mr.. Chas. Cayanac of Democratic
counseD while Kenner was reading them,
! Gen. Thos. G.. Anderson, who denies having
been present at this time, asked if there
4 sswere any commissioners returns with
/ these?" Kenner answered 'sThere are no
commissioners returns, only the CONSOLE
dated statement of the votes of Vernon, COM
piled by the supervisor of registration, and
sworn to on November 9th, before the dep
F
THE FIGURES.
The results were then announced in the
presence of all the board members, the Dem
ocratic counsel and the distinguished visiting
committees. The figures for presidential
electors were as follows: For Hayes electors
kellogg 0, Burch 0, Joseph 2. Brewster 9,
Marks 2, Levisse 2, Joffrion 2; these two
votes being cast at poll No. 8.
The Democratic electors received each CAT
, votes To the statement was attached no
protest from any of the commissioners OF
other officers of election, and no affidavits of
intimidation from any of the voters in the
parish.
THE FORGERIES.
: Now, after all these witnesses had seen the
consolidated statement of the votes, the pro-
y mitigation of the returns by the board, one
/ week later, showed the following results fo1
/ presidential electors: Kellogg ITS, Burch 178
! and the other Hayes electors each $50 votes
9 Each of the Tilden electors received 46t
e votes; or 179 votes had been added to the
: Republican side and like number sub
j tracted from the Democratic vote. Before
! entering on the testimony of witnesses as tx
4 how these wonderful results were effected
e let us take the discoveries mad by expert
e as to the manner in which the thing wa
d done. In the tabulated statement of pol
Is No. 2, where was after some of the Haye
It electors, a straight mark had been run dow
/ from the 0, making ito, and a placed at
e ter, making it 81. At poll No. 8, adding
r small top circle to an 0 made it 8, and plac
" ing after it made 81. In the Democrat
j. column simple erasures were made, and tn
8. new figures that the board voted for til
IS people Of Vernon put in their places. In til
ut addition the original figures at the botto1
at are completely erased, by chemicals, it
g. supposed, and the numbers ITS and $50 il
,e serted in tqeir places. In like name
is the Democratic totals are obliterated an
e. 469 placed where 647 was when tt
& statement was first opened. From ii
rs TESTIMONY OF WITNESSES,
is more especially that of Littlefeld, given b.
IS. fore Dudley Fields committee in Washin,
10 ton, it appears that Wells motive in maki1
es these changes was to insure the seating
or several defeated candidates in the ninth i
be dicial district, which is composed of Verno
i'll Grant and Rapides parishes. Mr.. Hunt
ill was their Republican candidate for distri
&C. Judge against Mr.. Blackburn. The retur
ing board had already thrown out the vo
of Grant parish, amounting to nearly 8
votes, but still this left Blackburn elect
le- district judge, until transposition of the
ures of the Vernon vote elected Mr.. Hunt.
cat Littlefeld swcre before Fields ,mmitt
ed that he was instructed by Gov. Wells
~ transpose the figures of two of the Vern
:. polls, taking from the Democratic side t
ls' stated number of votes and placing them
he the Republican side. The changes W.
of made according to order; thus, ninety -sev
,ly. votes cast at poll No. 2 were taken from t
ent electoral and other candidates on the Den
ers cratic side and placed to the credit of t
hat Republican candidates, and at poll No
an eighty seven votes were SO transposed. I
of witness stated that the necessary erasu
len were made to do this, and OIL
,eir figures put in their places. James
ma drews, the Republican candidate for dist
,rst attorney, elected by this process, declined
ion accept the place if SO obtained, and said Il
and he was not fairly elected. The papers We
are had given him IittlefelD to manipul
of commissioners returns from polls Nos
me and 8 were given back to Wells by Littlefi
few the day after the official PRONUNCIATION
on. made. Wells put them in his own pool
axe. and according to his own statemement !
,ese tlefeld asked Wells ''if it was not indescl
ime in him to carry them on his person as t
might be discovered . and he advised w
eak to destroy them, and they were then burn
lid. The returning board president told Lit
and field to make away also with the consolida
in statement. Littlefeld put this in his poe
d it with the ayowed intention of destroyin
the as he could not destroy it there in the &c
AZ with other ratTrninD hoard clarLe Ha