The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-04-12

cCtlOJ VI tuo CIRCUMSTANCES 0PpSoso
% he clear.
Having been afforded 40 insight to |
he inner ring in political councils
Turing the exciting January of 1877.
lie Information was that at joint
caucus Of the Nichols legislature
hen IN session at Odd Fellows Hall.
. committee was appointed to wait
npon MI. Charles T. Howard, presi>
lent Of the Louisiana State Lottery,
and ask his money aud influence IN
behalf If the "gmd cause"
In consideration Of this money and
influence, the Democratic party,
through ito representatives, the joint
caucus, pledged its faith to never BY
future legislation, attempt to abridge,
curtail q divest the Louisiana State
Lottery If the rights graused under
its charter.
The report is that Mr.. Howard OK
planned to tho committee that the do
tails If his business we're much too
absorbing to afford lim time to trans
act any business of q political char.
acter, and he referred the committee
M Mr.. John A. Morris, bic con6den.
tial partner, and large stockbolder
in tile company, who would respect.
fully hear their proposition, aud no
doubt devote the attention ito great
Importance deserved.
The story 10 that tho committee
waited upon Mr.. Morris and reiterats
ed the proposition made to Mr.. How.
ard. Il was at once entertained,
whether at the 6rst interview or one
Immediately subsequent 10 MT alto.
gether clear, but it seems certain that
MI. Morris handed tho committee
several thousand d"lla,s.
Matters ate reported to have gone.
on swimmingly for some time after
this, aud it is said the relations he.
tween the committee aud MI. Morris
we're extremely confidential, but sud'
denly some one offered 10 the house .
bill tepeaIing the charter Of tho Lou
isians Lottery Company, aud it final.
" passed that body. The next 10.
terview with Nj. Morris dies not
appear to have been 90 confidential.
1t 10 iutimated that he expressed a
doubt in the genuineness Of their
credentials, aud apptehended that
they might not, after al, DO able ia
deliver the g'ods they had 90 ardent
" promised. The situation must
have been somewhat embarrassing,
but tho story is the committee Wal
profase in ito apologies and ito or
plantations.
The committee, it is said, informed
Mr.. Morris that 40 . community the
people Of New Orleans arc peculiar
aud it would never do to impart {.
them the devious methods to which
it vas necessary to resort to restor'
the rightfal authority and bring pros
perity to tho State.
Tho committee, however, coul'
offer % emphatic pledge which woul'
be uuauswerable, and control th
Democratic party for oil future time
Tho bill repeating tho charter q
the lottery would bs taken up in th
senate, and instead of the usus
method of referring 1t to . committee
where it could die q natural death,
motion would be made aud adopte
, to indefinitely postpone tho bill.
This arrangement, it 10 alleges
i. vas considered satisfactory, and it
: asserted that the proceedings If Il
!, Odd Fellows Hall senate Of Februal
q, 1877, will chow that the act repea
:. ,"g the lottery bill was called up On
. was indefinitely postponed BY
unanimous vote or ono very nearly
. This legislation at once restore
condolences, and the committee VI
furnished with 81, 900 IN casll, whi'
was disbursed under their directio
This money, it is claimed, was Il
Il instrument b. which. . quorum
both houses 10 the legislature, that
q quorum returned by the returnil
board, was transferred from the
Louie Hotel, under Packard, to o.
10 Fellows' Hail, under Nicbolls. II
q story is that during the ioterreguu
I. required for this contamination. I
y committee and Mr.. Morris we're .
l. t,emsly intimate, seeing each 9th
1t daily, and that it frequently happe
= I'd that no Was visited ct bic residsu
~ long after midnight, aud discuss
r. tho situation until dawn.
n. TIE events of t|'st period arc
\. fresh in Tho memory OF oil to rend
II, . narration necesssty.
.. All can reccllect when Drury d
It serted Packard toward the Iast,
y, CAUCUS 10 tho Republican Office,
~ election If 40 United States senat'
" sct., bot meanwhile it 10 claimed Il
=. 1.-The Louislaua State Lottery 10 Z
b. $4,000 il the rather expeosive I
caeiaAnt AZ AnecfinR \ n0vafnaal