National Republican., 1888-03-25
TEXAs ELECTION oUTRtGES.
The Investigating Committee Once
More Moving to Secure Justice.

me investigating tOmmiuIec Oncc
More Moving to Secure Justice.
In the Senate committee room on privi-
legcs and elections yesterday morning-half
or three quarters Of an hour after the hour
fixed for the beginning Of the investigation
Of the alleged Texas outragc-and while
Senators Evars and Spooncr were waiting
for their Democratic colleague ON the sub
committee, Senator SpOoncr made the fol
lowing statement to Senator Evarts:
senator, this case seems to have been
fairly tried by the United States district at
torney in Texas. Nevertheless, Kirk was
acquitted. They first struck OF from the
jury panel every Republican and every
colorcd man. We subpGnaed the clerk Of
the court. with instruction to bring Oh the
records. The clerk has brought what ptir-
ports to lie q transcript of the stcnographic
report of the trial. II bears the affidavit of
the stenographcr, who swears that the ap-
pended 24O pages are u true copy of his
notes. The testimony produced is, how
ever, only 0fty-three pages-being through
out testimony for the defense. It shows,
however, that there was important testi-
mony for the prosecution. What should be
done under the circumstances?n
Senator Evarts reioined with emphasis,
that the committee should bring all the
parties to Washington.
The scnators-with Senator Teller, who
had then arrived-went into consultation
about the matter. At ll;30 the committee
was called to order, and ID. II. Hart, of
Austin, Texas, clerk of the United States
district and circuit courts, was sworn. His
| appointment to the position was subsequent
to the trial of Lafayette Kirk and others for
acts connected with the events which the
committee is Investigating. His predecessor
| is now in the Albany penltentiaIy for NAL
fp nfl Go
produced certain indictments, capiases, and
| evidence, which his subpoena called for
In the examination of the evidence wit
| ness read the stenographcr's affidavit, and
| then, at the request of the committee,
counted the pages There were but fifty
| two pages. Witness had been unable to
find the other l9S pages in his Office. Sena-
tor Pugh told the committee that he under
| stood the entire official stenog1aphic report I
was in the Attorney Generals office.
| Among the papers which witness submitted
| was the following, written upon Western
| Union blank and puipoiting to he the origi-
nal dispatch
Nov. SOTO u. B. BoLroN, COURTNEY -
Things here look doubtful DO your work
| Tpaid. l.. kirk.
This is the telegram about which the COM
mittee n year ago tried to get some
information, but Judge Kirk, who was then
witness, denied sending it, and the tele-
| graph operator at Brennan, under instruc-
tions from his superintendent, refused To
testify on the subject.
Witness said he found this telegram folded
IN the indictment against Kirk in his Office.
Mr.. Pugh entered an objection to its being
| introduced in evidence, his objection being
, based upon the fact that its authenticity was
not established and that the telegraph com
pany had no right to produce it.
In reply to Senator Pugh witness said 1t
| n etn,,,
now In the penitentiary, was Republican.
Several other witnesses were examined by
| the committee.
Robert Wilson (colored), who said he
| knew Judge Kirk personally and well, met
him on the evening Of election day at
Graball precinct, place where Kirk. when
before the committee, swore he had not
been.
In reply to Senator Pugh witness said he
had once been on trial ''ior bitin' woman
and for gamblin,' but was acquitted.
| Elijah TOland (colored) swore that on the
| night of the election the county constable,
Milton Sly, and eighteen or twenty other
| white men, mounted and armed, came to
his house, and with threats of instant death,
forced him TO guide them the nearest way
| to the Washington road, five miles distant
In reply to Senator Pugll, who wanted to
| know how 1t was that these men, who witness
said We're natives, did not know the way,
witness said they had never been through
| the bottoms, and besides they said they were
| lost.
| Il. ID. Durfce (whitc), formerly telegraph
| operator at Burton, produced n copy Of u
telegram received by him addressed to b.
Learcy, Burton, Texas, and signed by Rob
ert Sloan, as follows: "Graball gone against
| the peoples ticket four to one. What must
we doy Let us hear from you tonight
| Flewellyn overfowing against us.n
n ~.
ing places where IL is alleged fraud was
perpetrated in the interest Of the peoples
ticket, of which Judge Kirk was the head.
The committee adjourned till tomorrow