The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-01-13
Last Nights Dispatch IS.
TIE POTTER COMMITTEE.
st Martin, Another "Fixed" Witness
who Tells a Thin Story.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 11.-Tnomas S.
Kelly, colored. who sent letter to the |
chairman some time ago stating that he |
was familiar with the fraudulent Louisiana
presidential certificates and had placed |
marks on them to prove it, testified that
in December, 1876, he was Gov. Kellogg's |
messenger; was present when the first
certificates were signed; witness pointed
out the signatures of Jehrion snd Levissee,
two of the presidential electors. as having
been forged,
The Chairman-It has been said that
you forged these signatures. What have
you to say to that?
Wituess-I cant answer that question.
Cox-Did you sign either Of the names
of Jeffrion or Levissee2
Witness The general suspicion is that
| signed the paper; it | should now say
that | signed it people would say | was a
| fool for telling that, au1 it should say
| did not they would say ii was 20 more than
| they would expect. Witness later in-
| formed the committee they were not ia
miIiar with the laws OF Louisiana, and if
he should say he did forge the names they
could not protect him. he finally ex-
pressed a wish to consult counsel before
answering the question.
The committee then gave him till Tues
day morning next to frame response and
adjourned till that time,
St. Martin, in his affidavit, attributed his
appointment as deputy sergeant-at arms
of the committee to Weber, and says: |
was induced to leave my home in Donald
vile, La, by Weber, and interview the
democratic members Of the committee and
confidential agents OF Samuel j. Tilden, A.
NJ. Gibson, j. H. Maddox and George W.
Carter: at the interviews with the agents
generally saw each separately; became
convinced that they desired special ser
vice. and were interviewing me for the
purpose of determining whether | was
discreet and reliable, ard that their
I, plans might be safely intrusted to me for
execution; Maddox revealed the service
was expected to perform; firstly, journey
to St. James parish TO subpoena Arm
stead. Duncan and Steward, but not Il
serve the subp9nas until | had first asceI
tained that when placed upon the stauC
. before the committee they would give th'
a testimony desired by Tiden's s agents; sec
: ondIy, to secure such testimony | was au
h thorized to offer the hope OF reward an'
the further assurance that they would o.
permitted 10 return 10 tDtiF DcutS III Il Gil
ciaua parish, from which they had previous
" been driven, and guarantee OF lmmu
r. nitv from molestation in future; thirdly
q the testimony desired from Armstrons
o Duncan and Steward was the retractio
aud denial of the material facts in their ez
animation before the returning board as
outrages, intimidations, etc., in Feliclan
q parish. from a conversation with Arm
4 stead, Dun ,an and Steward became con
d vinced that they would prove plant VII
~ nesses; [ brought them to the city an
took them to Weber's room: then II
ported to Maddox and the committee ths
the witnesses we're in the city; Maddox wrot
le out an affidavit from the evidence each on
q was expected to give before the Potter con
b, mittee: I carried these afhdavlts troi
Maddox to Weber; these afhdavits wei
read TO witnesses and they promised DuI
can 500, hrmstead $50 and Steward $e
80 80 for such testimony; Weber coached WI
y - uesses by repeatedly reading to each th
o. testimony expected and he FURNISHED Stel
ger with questions to be propounded vi
nesses and the answer witnesses had agree
of to give: / carried such lists from Web'
H. TO Stenger; 10 the performance OF my dul
8 as deputy sergeaht-at-arms was placed
possession of subpenaes and