The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-16
THE TELLER COMMITTEE.
SOMETHING ABOUT TINE ELECTrON IN
NEW ORLEANS,
Eighth Day.

through Illness.
In connection with the proceedings of tn
day preceding, G. II. w. Newman. one OF TIN
witnesses, desires it stated that he was In
correctly reported as having said he killet
one of the men who made an attack on his
house. He claims that the man was killed by
one Of his own party.
VIM. T. HARPER (CoLoRED),
was recalled to testify that Madison Reams
and Isaac Reams, who were the instigators
OF the Caledonia riot, had left the parish O
Caddo, because they were afraid OF beins
killed, and that he (witness) did not know
where either OF them were.
CLEMENT d. WALKER
sworn--Am o resident Of New Orleans; an
an attorney ut law. l have always supported
the Democratic-C Conservative party up to tn,
last campaign, when was member of til,
executive committee which controlled anc
directed the movements of the Citizens Con
;servative Association.
The reason which induced myself and other
gentleman to organize the party was that the
control and machinery Of the Democratic
party had become conferred In the
hands OF few persons who were not inter-
ested In the affairs Of the city, and whose OBJ
ject was to get possession of the most lucra-
tive Offices. The election machinery we con-
;sidered as worked by them did not admit of
q fair expression OF opinion of the members
of the party: they had IL all their own way
The numerical strength OF tho association
can best be told by the vote. There were
sixty candidates in the field The Democra-
tic ticket according to the returns received
about 13 500 or $4,000 votes and the Citizens
ticket from 5000 to 5000. | do not, however,
consider that the vote is Indicative OF the
results of the election
ga the first place 1t Is based on the registra-
Hion, and the registration OF the parish is four
or five thousand at variance with the truth
and then the election was conducted In a
grossly irregular manner and not In accord
.ance with law. In the first place the com
mssioners were entirely in the interest of the
regular Democratic party. Men were ap-
pointed to represent the citizens who could
not serve, or who were unfamiliar with the
duties OF the office. | cannot tell just now at
how many polls we had representation, but
the number was small and the representation
inefficient.
The citizens applied to the state Registrar
OF Voters for representation. Messrs. Vim. A.
Bell, Chas. q. johnson and myself waited on
him as committee and asked il. He said
ne did not recognize our association as q party.
That there was but one party he did recog-
nize and that was the Democratic COnserva-
tive party. The Republican party had no
representation. The Citizens Association
was not party, he said, and neither was the
5o-called National party. He then offered to
give US representation, but said he would
make the selections himself. It Is my opinion
that the appointments as n whole did not
give guarantee of Just, fair and accurate
return Of the votes cast. At each pOl there
WAS majority of known workers of the
Democratic party, who had been prominent In
che primaries The law was ignored by these
commissioners.
In the selection of polling places the law
was not complied With they we're small, and
would admit but a few persons at a time.
The law provides for the admission OF rs
many citizens as desire to see the vote. In
most instances the count was made In secret
or In the presence only Of men who were de-
termined to. elect the Democratic ticket. /
am satisfied that the statement Of votes at
many OF the polls are incorrect, and were
made up purposely to give the Democratic
party majority whether 1t received 1t or not.
have good information that In some in
stances the vote for the Conservative Candi-
dates were counted for the Democrats, and
have reliable Information that the tickets
were changed. / have credible information
that this was praciced at more than one poll
4 do not think true count would show the
character OF the vote, because good many
fraudulent votes were cast on Illegal certif-
Gates Issued on fictitious names
The principal support OF our association
was from the business men. We had mer-
camille men, merchants. manufacturers, pro
teSsional men, laborers and property holders.
CRoss-ExAMINED BY MR. BAILEY.
Q.-Were you candidate at the last cleo
ton?
Al was not The gentlemen Of the com |
mittee agreed that they would not nominate |
any OF Its members for Office, nor allow them |
TO accept nomination from any other organ |
ization.
Odd you make any nominations for
Gong ress2 |
A.-No. The association was for local |
purposes merely for the purpose OF reform |
In local affairs.
Q.-Some merchants, professional men. |
laboring men and property |
holders did not belong to your association?
Ayes, sir; some did not.
Q.-And some objected to the manner OF |
the city affairs and organized the |
Citizens Relief Association?
Witness tinterruptingll.- Citizens Con- |
Association. There was no serious |
complaint against the retiring Citizens adj !
but 1t was believed that the !
probable nominations Of the Democratic |
party would not be acceptable or satsfac-
tory.
Q.-Obiections were then made to the prob
able nominations. Some persons wanted to |
get control o. the city and some wanted to |
retain 1t. Is that 1t? |
A.-No, don't think that Is O correct state |
ment OF the condition OF affairs. The p0lit- |
ical machinery of the party had got into the |
securing Office, and we were satisfied that the |
men they would nominate would be unsatis |
factory.
Q.-Would be. but had not been?
A.-Had not been.
Q.-You were defeated at the ballOt-boxy
Ayes, sir; we were defeated.
Q.-You said you had information that bal |
lots were substituted for those cast against
the Democratic party2
Ayes. sir.
Q.--You have that Information from per- |
sons who told you OF it2
Al have Information from great many
credible witnesses of Irregularities.
Q.-But these statements are met with the
sworn statements, with the official report Of
the sworn officers OF election?
Ayes, sir; but the irregularities were OBJ
served by many persons.
GA-Do you mean to say the statements of
the Officers are false2
AIN many instances, yes. The irregu
larities> and the conduct of the commissioners
is a matter of public notoriety, generally
talked az and believed Many gentlemen have
urged that the matter should not be discussed
or agitated, for the sake OF the Democratic
party.
Oh understood YOU to say that votes for