New-York tribune., 1878-06-10
THE POTTER INQUIRY.
IT'S PROGRESS EXTREMELY SLOW.

SENATOR FERRY EXAMINED IN wAsHING1oN-sEN-
AToR MATTHEWS DECLINES TO APPEAR.
The principal witness before the Potter Commit
Tee in Washington on Saturday. was Senator Ferry
President pro TEN. of the Senate The Demo-
Gratis questioned him closely to ascer-
tain if a knowledge of some irregulanty
In regard to the Louisiana return had not Deeh
brought TO his mind at the time Of the count. Sen
ator Ferry denied this, and he gave interesting
testimony upon bis mode of procedure with the re-
spective returns Senator Matthews sent letter to
the committed declining to appear. General Butler
made speech insisting on the right of the commit
tee to subpoena Senator. Some debate took place,
and it was ordered that a subpoena issue
A PROFTTLESs DAY IN COMMITTEE.
sdR. FERRY EXAMINED WITHOUT OBTAINING ANY
THING TO HELP THE REvoLUuoNIsTs-A DE-
BATE on THE DECLINAToN OF Mr.. MATTHEW'S
WASHINGTON, June 1.-TWO hours were spent
by the Potter Committee yesterday trying 10 ascertain
the facts about the electoral returns from Louisiana
Mr. McKenney the clerk Of the Electoral Commission
made explanations in regard 70 the matter IN 'he
course Of his testimony be said:
Five or ak weeks ago. Mr.. Garfield, OF Ohio, called
tween ceti6eates plumbers one and three did not at
first recollect IT, but when Mr. Garfield and went TO
the recoecton Of the difference came fresh upon me-
and stated 1t to Mr. Garfield and furnished him win
separate copies. 1t in procuring these copies rom
the storerOom, where they mad been thIO"n az Ns.o
paper that L discovered bow the two sets OF keogs
Certificates had got mixed up together ana tnat as
closed to / had made the mistake IN 1ufDlsnllg
comics 10 Mr. Murphy. Garfield said 10 me on tnat
oeeasion lyon will see the importance of this thing
probably in day or two. and tben tod me mat t1sLe
had charges made Of the forgery OF one OF tue
certificates
In the course of the examination of Mr. MeKenney
sharp cooquy took place between members OF the COM
mitteo.
Mr. Cox iutimated that Mr.. Mcmahon had mistaken
and To
acting rather the capacity Of prosecuting attorney
than OF a member OF a committee.
To this Mr.. Mcmahon retOrted that Mr.. Cox was max
ing q still greater mistake, and was assuming ole
which he had before assumed that was defender
OF fraud he had known him before to appear III
that role. He went say that paper had Deen
submitted to the TWO and to the Electoral Com
mission which paper a forgery, and when 1t had
been treated by those bodies genuine paper there
was certainly foundation enough for representative
Of either political party to probe that matter tOTAe bot
tom
Mr. Reed-But you should not probe it to the bottom
by making statement TO the witness which Is not the
fact
Mr. MeAiahon-If Mr.. Cox Is nettled because he hap
pens to be where he has happened to be before IN
his Hfe-on a side which may compel him to appear as
the defender OF fraud and fOrgey-he should s retain
his equanimity best he
Mr.. Cox-I am sitting here as a member OF commits
sion having something Ike judicial functions. have
once OF twice before protested against assuming con-
cusOns TO have been reached when we haVeyet matters
under consideration. [ protest against assuming
beep 6artiaV Examined has testied on the subject and
when that same question is likely to be the subject
matter OF further examinations IT, when this committee
has concluded its functions il shall appear that any
paper Is forgery, viii be perfectly willing TO trust
the public opinion OF my character as TO whether sh9l
say not At present l simply protest against the
imprOpfiety OF this jumping at conclusions.
A. b. Levssee then took the witness stand After some
testified that did have the remOtest idea who had
signed his name TO the corrected returns
Mr.. FERRYS TESTIMONY.
Here the committee took brief recess, after which
Mr. Thomas W. Ferry, whO President of the Senate,
received the electoral returns at the last Presidential
election appeared before the committee and sworn
He was examined at great length in regard to the man
ner which the returns from the different states had
reached him. the examination being directed mainly,
however, to the Louisiana returns. He testified that
when he received the first return from Louisiana by mes
senger ThOmas 9. AndeTsOn) he did not accept H. Dc
cause il appeared 70 be informal
Odd you decline 70 receive the return Al die not
decne asked him whether he was familiar with the
statute and whether this compliance with II, and
pointed out him the statute and upon that be with
where discovered any normay on the outside OF the
package TO call the attention Of the messenger TO ~
fl the messenger insisted upon my receiving IT, dd so,
and in such declined 10 part with IT again Tor
correction or for any purpose until II was lad before
the two Houses IN joint convention.
Odd you at any time learn from anybody that the
tanning but one list OF votes for President ana Vice
Presdent2 A.-No, STR knew nothing Of it. ,-..
returnsl Al do recollect opening them IN the JOINT
oIHave Won now any present recollection Of which
envelope YOU broached first A-Yes think nat the
record will show that a1nounced tnat II was the one
ger. Tbat was the first read by the teller. Wnen
opened the return handed il 10 the teller Ny present
Teeolecfiou is that the teller was Senator Allison. II
was either Senator Allison or Senator ingalls,.
large shears cut of the ends Of the envelopes and
pulled out the contents aud handed them to the tees
90 that did not know in advance the contents Of any OF
Q-Dd you know from anything that had been sug-
gested 70 YOU outside from anything that was said in
the meeting that any OF the signatures were not gen-
tnef ANO; the only thlhg th can can IeineiOes t yaS
cannot remember who SAID itl was an expression
OF fear that ia the correction Of he returns the date OF
the time when they met was put R lhsteau OF inc he
when the college should have met.
QThat expression OF fear must have been before the
rerns were opened because opening them the fact
would have disclosed ITSELF A.-Yos sir remember
probably be the one that came by mail.
Q.-Cdn you tell from whom you first learned that
louisiana Al got It from the messenger.
QTnen Il was not until long after the election that
respect to the authenticity Of t9at return Al did not
four i've weeks ago. think first heard II from Cen
By Mr. Cox-I desire you to state now distinctly what
rule you adopted with regard 70 giving an opportunity
back for correction where there was an
those which had once been receyed9 Ain every case
think Irrespective Of the States from which the
formally, called the attention Of tho messenger to it.
thought II my duty 20 do; may nave erred in that
but at any rate treated both sides alike have that
justification called tho attention Of the messengers TO
The statute aud IL they still insisted on handing the re-
turn to me- as they did IN two cases. took IT, and
when 10 was in my hands declined 10 give u up
OF the who brought you the second Kellogg
returns was not the that brought you the first,
didn't that excite s1spiciOnsf A-No, siri not 80
long he exhibited paper authorizing him TO act as
messenger.
Q-Dldn't that indicate to you that there had been
second eeting Of the Electoral COllegei A-hO, sir;
that was my matter. They might have authorized
The same person TO act as messenger.
n Tno1ly you faok or
subsequent meeting of the Electoral COlleRef Al
kueW no than that the messenger appeared with