The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-10
LOUISIANA VS.. MAINE.
Some Interesting "reminiscences Of
The Great Fraud.
Jim Anderson, Kellogg's Henchman.
Tells How East Feliciana Was
Managed After Fate
of the Conspirators.
Eureka tNev.l Daily Sentinel /

commenting on the proceedings 81 the Maine
Democrats. and comparing II with the cleo
tion Id Louisiana In 1876 eaysi
majority or the vaterH Ia Louisiana IN the
spring of 1876 were Republicans. The feurnF
showed that tn aoma parishes wAich the pre-
yIgus year had given heavy Republican major
tiles there was la 1910 scarcely Republican
vote eaat.
In 1879 Kellogg, the Republican candidate
for Governor. carried the parish of East Fe-
IIciana by over t1oo majority, and In 1874 tho
Republican ticket was elected by over 800 but
In 1870 not Republican vote was cast IN the
entire parish. 1t was the only parish where
such thing occurred, and the reading OF the
Ettternrises editorial recalls the rtfeumstan-
cee connected with that memorable affair.
On the Friday evening preceding the cleo
tion Of 1876 the writer, who was ihen super.
visor OF registration Of the paflaii, was cent
for by the Republican leaders, who were hold
iu1 Il consultation Ia the Office OF the taN-col-
lpt,tnr. There were present COL Frank Powers.
James DE Grey, Winans Campbell, I. g. But
lpr and one or two others. Powers had been a
Colonel of an Arkansas cavalry regiment Ia
the Confederate army, had been Colonel Of
the hultdozers' regiment, was credited with
having killed dozen men, and at the time
mentioned held the position Of tax collector
OF the parish under Kellogg. James De Grey
was deputy tax collector, and undoubtedly
the best Or the crowd. Winans Campbell was
a notorious tighter aud had winged his man
on several occasions. 7. q. Butler had been
u captain of cavaryin the Confederate army.
had been lieutenant colonel of the East Fell
clana hulldozers, and hoaated that between
the age OF eighteen and thirty-seven he had
shot and stabbed twenty seven men. when
wiehing TO fix particular occurrence he
would pleasantly refer 70 II az having taken
place two weeka before he ahot Smith, or ten
days after he had stabbed lonea. Such were
the Republican leaders Of East Feliciana and
they gathered on the occasion referred to for
the purpose Of mapping out their course ON
the following Tuesday
No man Ia the parish could vote unless he
held n certificate from the supervisor. and
voters could be deprived of the right of fran
chiee on the most trivial preteSt The super
viaor also designated the polling places. APP
pointed the commissioners of election counted
The returns from the various precincts and
forwarded his returns to the Returning Board,
who acted aa court OF appeal There were
eight polling places IN East Eelicana, and II
was In the power or the Returning Board
upon The supervisor protesting, 10 throw out
any number or Democratic polls. count the
Republicans and thus save any parish or
county theysa tit.
To Thoroughly understand the peculiar
etate Of affairs at that time II is necessary TO
70 back 10 the election OF 1874. In the fall of
that year the Republicans elected a act of
county officials whose neutrality-suspicious.
were never equaled. even In Louisiana. The
sheriff was an ignorant, brutal negro inca
pahle of writing his own nanne, and the bal
anee of the ticket WAS scarcely better. They
had hardly been Installed In office before they
entered upon career 81 intolerance and op-
preston that would not have been borne
day outside or Louisiana. The people real
iged that their reputation a. law-hiding cit.
liens was al stake and tolerated the thieves,
for they alec proved to be thieves OF the most
anblushtnE character, until forbearance
ceased 20 be virtue, and they were driven
from the parish. The colored people were
anxious TO educate their children. but the
school fund had disappeared with The officials
IN question. The better class of colored men
decided that there was but one way to better
matters. and that was to rid the State Of kel-
loun's crowd, and the only way to do that
was at the polls, and SO IN 1916 many OF them
determined TO vote the Democratic ticket.
The writer firmly believes that had IL been
possible To have separated the State from the
national ticket Hayes would have carried the
State by large majority. This was impos-
sible, however, aud through the manipua-
tions Of kellogg's gang Packard apparently
secured a larger vote than the national
ticket.
The meeting In question was called for the
purpose of devisns some means Of saving the
parish for the Republicans. II was conceded
that the Democrats would carry Il by ma
iurity ranging from 1900 to 1900. Powers,
whose Office was worth $4,000 per annum,
was anxious to secure the two members OF the
Legislature, in order to help kellogg's cleo
ton to the Senate. and To secure himself
should Packard carry the State. This. ac-
cording TO his programme, could easily be
done. The Republicans would rally and carry
one poll, and the remainder were to be thrown
out BY the Returning Board upon the protest
of the writer.
Approaching Powers's motives, aud not
caring to be a party to such a transaction,
we declined TO accede TO this modest request,
and a general discussion as 90 our course,
and what should be done, followed, and at
Powers'a request we submitted our views,
which were ABOUT as follows.
Every election since the passage OF the re-
construction acts had been contested. Charges
Of bribery, corruption and intimidation had
so often been made that they fell fiat on the
Northern mind. As supervisor we would hold
the election and make our returns accord
ingly. But what would be the effect in the
North Ii, In parish that had gone largely
Republican heretofore, not single Repub-
llcan vote was cast on election day 4? We left
those assembled to draw their own differences
and departed. That night couriers were sent
over the parish, and the Republicans in
structed to remain at home. No ticket was
placed In the field, and on the day Of election
not q Republican ballot was east In the par
ish. Even Powers and his associates. who
feared neither God, man or devil, refrained
from voting.
And on this trick the whole presidential
election turned. 1t was in vain the Demo
Gratis asserted that il was a scheme to in
huenee public opinion. Northern Republi-
cans would not, or did not care TO believe it,
and the action OF the Returning Board in
throwing out the 1890 Democratic majority
was fully justified.
But the board decided that protest must
be had, In order to apparently comply with
the law. The story OF the forged protests of
East and West Feliciana, by which $500 Dem
ocratic majority was turned into SEQ Repub-
Ncan is a matter of history.
Or the men interested in thSt affair, Don
Weber, the supervisor OF West Feliciana, Is
rotting In the swamps OF Louisiana, his body
Ticdled with bullets and buekshot, a victim Of
John Sherman's ingratitude; Powers, after
Nicholiss government obtained possession of
Ehe State. sought the more congeDial cline of
Texas Butler was shot down in the streets
ofJackson. but, we believe, escaped with his
life; Jim De Grey was rewarded by the ad-
ministrauon for keeping his mouth shut, and
IS how deputy collector Of internal revenue
and few weeks since accused hia old chum,
Campbell, Of relieving him OF 5000. while the
writer lnhaies the fumes Of Eureka daily,
thoroughly convinced that there are more
things In heaven and earth" etc