Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-20
The Potter investigation.

Ma 4. tHASDlER VS.. GENERAL BARLOW
Before the Potter Investigating committee
Yesterday, after our report closed, VIM. E.
Chandler was recalled and testified that Gen
Barlow was in Florida from the beginning to
TIE END and as counsellor the republican cause
and the republican candidates. lie distincfIy
entered into that relation and remained In i
duwn TO the 9Th Of December, when we left 10
home. aid was under the obligations aud re-
sponsibilities OF counsel. AS to his statement
that ne was not, witness said: II desire in my
own beDalf and in behalf Of all the other gen
tleman who We're there To tnterpoSe a distinct
and unqualified contradiction. He seems to
nave tritd his best as republican counsel to
secure the vote Of the state for Tilden, but
fortunately he did not succeed"
MARSHAL JACK WHARTON ON THE STAND TO-
DAY.
The Potter investigating committee assem-
bled at half-past twelve to-day an hour and a.
half after the time appointed, and Mr. Jack
wharton, United States marshal of the Staie or
LOUISIANA, was called to the witness stand. He
was republican, and had been supporter of
the Packard government. During the time the
returning tOaTd of 1876 was sitting he was la
New Orleans, but he never attended any of their
sessions. There was q great deal OF scandal
atloat at the time about public men. and he
heard among other things that Wells was try
ing to make money out Of his position. ..It is
not not my charge said MIR; Wharton, in eXplana-
ton, 1.-The charge was that the democrats had
men down there with money, and they were
making an offer to buy and it was believed
that matters could be arranged Gov. Wells
The ChaiIman:-Speaking of the election. was
there not at one time good deal OF disturbance
IN New Orleans growing out of what is called
the sewing machine circulars? A. Yes, sir
Z. Were you In New Orleans at the tiinee A
No sir, not immediately at the time. was nor
there at its Incubation, but 1t was running for
several days. q
Q. The circulars were addressed TO nearly
every citizen were they, and these persons whn
did not receive them had warrants issued a~ainst
them? A. A great many warrants were iSsued
Sir and II you Will allow Inc, will tell Won rho
whole story. The republicans became CONVINCED
tnat there was an Immense amount of false ra .
g1sTatlOn going on, and how to destroy the
pIactcal erect or this was q great quest ion
with US and then what WAS called the sewing
machlne circular plan was adopted. We rot
copies CT the registration books, and to every
name thereon which we could not identify with
real live person we posted one Of those sewing
machine circulars. 1he post boys carried
them around, and when they found the
man did not live at the address given
and had never lived there, they made a
turned TO us. The object was to find out the
persons who had made fictitious registration.
and whenever the circular was returned the
presumption was that the registration was
fraudulent. and warrant was Issued for arrest
at once. There were great many thousand
warrants issued, perhaps ten thousand and the
effect was that the people became afraid OF
making these fictitious registrations, There
were few arrests, comparatively, made on these
warrants. because SuppoSing a man registered
In all Of the ten wards in different names fen
warrants were issued, but we could only make
one arrest.