Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-01-10
The Potter Investigation.
NEW ORLEANs. Dec. 8

NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 81.
The Potter subcommittee met this morning
Present, Hon. Clarkson N Potter, chairman,
and Ex-Coy. Cox. Oscar Arrayo, Secretary of
State, produced the records of his office re-
lating to the election of 1875. P. g. Deslonde,
Secretary of State under Gov. Kellogg, testi-
fed to affiXing his signature to the first set of
Republican Electoral certificates; signed it
Dec. s. didn't recollect signing any second
set during Christmas week. Witness also
testified that he furnished to Gov Kellogg
during August, 1876, blank commission
sions for the Supervisors of Registration
and clerks to be used by George L. Smith,
present Collector of this port, while running
for Congress in the Fourth District Judge
Billings, of the United States District Court,
testified to a request having been made upon
him to return the first set of Republican
certificates, as 1t was alleged they were in
formal. Judge Billings declined to grant the
request and subsequently, the second set was
handed to him. Peter Joseph, the Republic
an Elector testified to facts already known
about signing the first and second sets of Re-
publican certificates. j. D. Kennedy was eX-
amined, and declared that he had not spirited
away the negro Kelly as he had been charged
by some Northern papers; in fact Kelly was
now and had been for some months in Washing
ton. Messrs. Raymond, Lloyd and Malony, clerks
in carpet house here, testified to having
found in their store on Sept. 10 a bundle of
documents left there by and addressed to
n
produced before the committee. The most
important was one purporting to be the al
legged original "Sherman letter.e Chairman
Potter made statement to the press to the
effect that these documents had been dropped
by Mrs. jerks for the purpose of imposing
upon the committee. He declared that the
so.cGled copy of the Sherman letter was a
forgery. The committee then adjourned to
Wednesday morning.
NEW ORLEANS. Jan. l.
At to-day's session of the Potter Committee
Mr.. John Ray, counsel for Secretary Sherman,
| filed a communication setting forth that he
had no intention of offering further evidence
on the subjectof intimidations in the elections
of 1876. Ex- Gov, Michael Hahn was examined,
| and corrOborated the statement of EX-Secre-
tary of State Deslonde, to the effect that blank
commissions of appointment for supervisors OF
| registration and clerks had been furnished to
| George S. Smith for use in the Fourth Con.
gressional District. Hahn at the time was
| State Registrar of Voters. Witness testified
that while Superintendent of the Mint here
he appointed Thomas D. jerks to a posi-.
| ton. The only recommendatNsh jerks had
/ was verbal one, and the witness decline tC
| tell the name of the gentleman making this
recommendation. Chairman Potter then an
nounced that inasmuch as several witnesses
wanted in the committee were in Washington
| the committee would adjourn to meet in that
| city next Tuesday. In the meantime Mr.
| John Ray, representing Mr.. Sherman, and
another gentleman to be selected by the chair
/ man, would remain in New Orleans and take
! whatever testimony might be offered in re
| buttal of the evidence already taken by the
committee The committee then adjourned
Mr.. Potter says Colonel f. c. Zacherie viii
probably be appointed to act with Hon. JOIN
! Ray in taking testimony after the departure
| of the committee.
| After the committee adjourned, Mr., Potte
| remarked in conversation that the OBJECT o
lhis visit of the committee to New Orleans
was to give Secretary Sherman an opportunit,
of producing any further evidence In supper
Of his chargeof intimidation in the election
Sherman, had communicated to the commit
tee that he had no further evidence to offe
on this subject, the object of the committe
on this visit was accomplished. The member
of the committee left for Washington thi
| afternoon.