Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1878 — SCHEMING SHERMAN. [ARTICLE]

SCHEMING SHERMAN.

At> Extraordinary Interview Between the Treasury Secretary and a Louisiana ExSecretary. [Washington Telegram to Chicago Times.] Nothing more extraordinary has been developed since the Tilden-investigation movement began than the sensational scene that took place to-day in the private office of Secretary Sherman, where James Anderson, formerly Supervisor of East Feliciana parish, openly defied the Secretary and even went so far as to shake a cane in his face. Anderson is understood to be the chief witness in the case against the Secretary, and it has been often stated that he Was the witness who could prove the authenticity of Sherman’s letter to Webber, the other Feliciana Supervisor, and who was afterward killed. Anderson reached Washington in the morning and was at once set upon by Maj. Marks, of Louisiana, who wants to be Internal Revenue Collector of New Orleans, and who insisted that Anderson must have an interview with the Secretary, hinting pretty broadly that it would be more advantageous to him than to testify before Potter’s committee. Anderson finally consented, and they went together at about half-past 1. o’clock. They were shown at once into the Secretary’s private office. Maj. Marks advanced toward Secretary Sherman and said : “ Mr. Secretary, here is the gentleman of whom we have spoken, Mr. Anderson. ” Secretary Sherman was seated at his desk, with his attorney, Mr. Shellabarger, at his right. Mr. Anderson did not know at the time that Mr. Shellabarger was the attorney of Mr. Sherman. After the formalities of opening ihe conversation, Secretary Sherman said to Mr. Anderson: “ Do yon know me ?” Mr. Anderson said: “I do.” “ Have you ever met me before ?” “ I liave,” was the reply. “Where have you met me?” said Sherman. “ In New Orleans.” “Do you know of any particular transaction that took place between us during my visit to that State ?” Anderson was about to reply to this when his quick eye caught sight of a short-hand reporter opposite the Secretary busily engaged in taking notes. He started back at once and saw that he was in a trap, and that it was the intention of the Secretary to commit him to some statement in the presence of his lawyer and to go with it before the investigating committee to refute any statement that he might be presumed to make against Mr. Sherman. Anderson then spoke out in a very angry tone of voice, saying, ‘‘ I did not come up here to talk to a short-hand reporter. I did not come up here at my own request, but at the request of Maj. Marks, and I do not think this is fair treatment. You ask me if anything peculiar took place between us. You know as well as I all about that, and you are just as capable of answering that question as I am. If you want it answered you will have to answer it yourself.” Mr. Anderson is a man of very fiery temper, and he hardly waited for a word from the Secretary, when he continued in a very loud tone of voice, ‘ l l suppose this trap is only one of your many schemes against me. You know that I know all about that letter that you wrote to Webber, and which is now in the possession of Mrs. Webber. I suppose that you would like to put me out of the way in the same fashion that Webber was, who was guilty of the crime of knowing too much.” At this outbreak from the infuriated Anderson, Secretary Sherman sank back into his seat, and did not appear to know what to do. Marks finally endeavored to restrain Anderson, but the latter was beside himself with rage, and would pay no attention. He shook his cane in Sherman’s face, and defied him. He said to him, “You have endeavored to intrap me, and, so help me God, I will never speak to another member of this administration, or have anything to do in any way with any of you.” After several more passages of a severely denunciatory character, he went out of the room with Maj. Marks, who endeavored to pacify and quiet him down, but it only resulted in a violent quarrel between them.