Year: 1879

CLOSING BUSINESS OF THE CoMMIrTEE-THE


FORTHCOMING REPORT.


WASHINGTON, Feb. 2s 1879.
The Potter Investigation Committee met in secret
session this morning. the whole Of the members
being present.


The Chairman produced o letter from Senators
Allison and ingalls,, who the tellers on the part
of the Senate the time when the Presidential cleo
ton returns came in stating that they had no
knowledge of what became Of the electoral Ger
tifcate of Louisiana known the John Smith GER
tifcate, which was withdrawn and suppressed from
the records. He also read q communication from
Mr. Leonard Whitney, manager Of the Washington
branch of the Western Union Telegraph Company,
with which were inclosed telegraphic dispatches
sent in March, 1877, which showed that all the tee
grams forwarded to the Senate Committee by the
telegraph company had been returned to the COM
pany and sent to the New York Office for destruction


INPoRTAST LETTER WANTED.


communication read from Mr.. Rogers, pr-
secretary to the President stating that the latter
had no knowledge of o letter from Theodore Bourne
in regard to the confession of certain parties
nected with the Florida frauds and enclosing tele-
gram from Bourne that letter asking for informa.
ton with regard to the matter had been received
from the President. The Committee appeared to
consider that the production Of the letter. which, it
alleged, sent to the President, is of great i'm
portance and they instructed the Chairman to make
further search for it


The letter from Mr.. Jewett which was published
yesterday, and which simply to the effect that
after conversation with Mr.. g. S. Smith he was
satisfied that he had been mistaken in regard to that
gentleman's opening the Post Office vault for them
to get the election returns, next read and laid
upon the table without comment


Mr. Conquest Clarke wrote desiring that certain
correspondence which had come before the commit
tee and which denied his participation in the whis
key frauds should be made part of the records and
O similar communication was read from Manton
Marble asking that certain dispatches which had
been produced but which were omitted from his tes
timony should be incorporated in it. II was decided
tn cor idprf q
next considered various accounts tor the photo
lithographing of the cipher dispatches and other
matters.


THE COMMITTEES REpoET


The Chairman then stated that he had prepared
memoranda Of the committees report to be sub
mitted to the committee, and he would like for the
committee to consider 1t now.


A conversation ensued. during the course of which
it suggested that the committee adjourn to three
o'clock, and that special session then be held for
the consideration Of the report This was adopted,
ana the committee took recess until that time


The committee was again in session this afternoon
for two hours, when very animated discussion took
place upon the Chairmaas report. 1t found little
favor with the republicans. as matter Of course,
and in reference to certain points it did not to
go tar enough to please the democratic men,
bers. SO great indeed, are its shortcomings in this
respect that there is some talk OF second report
from the democratic side, but doubt these
minor matters will be arranged and at
the meeting tomorrow Mr.. Pottcr's report
will be submitted as the report of the
majority Of the committee. No mention made
this afternoon of any report from the republican
side ana there has been no statement made to that
effect except the one by General Butler. who will
bility but that the minority will submit to Congress
their views upon the testimony is fully understood,
and Mr. Hiscock has been deputed to embody these
views in q report


The committee will meet again atlelevcn O'Clock to-
morrow morning, when the several reports will be
definitely settled upon.