Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 December 1876 — THE INVESTIGATIONS. [Compiled from Associated Press Reports, unless Otherwise Designated.] [ARTICLE]

THE INVESTIGATIONS.

[Compiled from Associated Press Reports, unless Otherwise Designated.]

LOUISIANA. *

Two colored witnesses(Henry Carroll and John Petty) testified before the House Committee on the 15th, to tbe effect that they had voted aad acted with tbe Democrats at the late election, aad that for so doing they bad been subject to threats and abuse. Carroll stating that attempts had been made on Ms .fife aad that a man was shot aad killed on ths loth of November la mistake 'or him. Petty testified that be was shot and beaten by colored men for having voted the Democratic

ticket. William Ward (colored) teettfied that he WM s Republican In 1871, and took a Beat In the Leaislaturi', although foil ly beet<-n at the pol e He st’itod th<t the " lIM >ry ot the Outrages on Red River,” written by him, he believed at the time to be true, ba> now he knew better. O. B Morgan, discharged fiom. a clerkship tn tbe Cus-tom-House, on the lOih of November, testified •hat Supervisor Anderson bad told him, after the election, that the Democrats had carried the Pariah of East Feliciana, only one Republican vote being polled. On meeting dsv some men came to Anderson's office, and said he ought to be hong, but they did not otherwise molest hm. Witness had frequented t'ie Cus-tom-House since his d scharge. and had seen a number of persons there iniUdag out affidavits, and bad known some instances where they were not lu accordance with the testimony given In regard to intimidation. Supervisor Clover, of East Baton Rouge, had said to witness that it was peaceable there on the day of election, but Clover did not consider k safe to return there after the election; that be bad thrown out some boxes and elected three Republicans to the Leglelsture. The witness conversed with Supervisor l.eday, of Lafourche. before and afier the election. Leday told him that the parish was Democratic, but it would go all right ; that he was not there for any foolishness; he would throw out enough polls to elect the Republicans. He said nothing about Intimidation. Witness said he had been advised not to go before the Congressional Committee, as he would not get his place back in the Custom House if he testified.

M. 8. Peeler, of New Orleans, was before the House Committee on the 18th, and testified that he was United States Supervisor in Pol) 2 of the Second Ward; that an attempt was made by the Republican Commissioner to prevent Democrats from voting; that Mr. Hare. Republican Commissioner, bad told him. after the election, that there was some trouble about that noil; that the Democratic Commissioner would be arre-ted. and they would take the box and tix it to suit themselves: witness wa* otfeed S3OO by Mr. Casey. Republican Marshal, if he would let him and another Marshal have the box; be declined the offer, and notified the Democratic ■ Committee, who sent a force.for protection; the Republicans subsequently made an attempt to seize the box, and take it to the Custom-House; witness was subsequently assaulted by Hare, Republican Comm seioner. because he would not certify the returns as correct and refused to allow the box to be taken by the Republicans. On the crovs-examina ion. witness said the election was peaceable, quiet and fair- had been told if be did not keep in he would be killed for going back on hie party; was still a Republican. Pompey Slate, Marshal Taylor, E. H. Flowers and Henry Smith (all colored) testified that they voted the Democratic ticket at the last election, and had been assaulted and maltreated for so doing. Flowers said he canvassed the btate for the Democrats, and had heard a large number of colored men sav they would vote the Democratic ticket, and others said tney were afraid to vote such ticket owing to threats which had been made against colored Democrats; 8 J. N. Smith, lawyer, of New Orleans, testified that he canvassed the State for the Democrats; saw no intimidation of colored people except bv Republicans, who said if the Democrats got in office the colored people would be again enslaved: saw a number of negroes who pr mised to vote the Democratic ticket; beard of no disturbance in the Parish of East Feliciana; Supervisor Anderson haa. old witness that Parish would go Democratic, but would be counted Republican; that he (Anderson) had said the Custom-House officials wanteu him to swear that fraud, violence and intimlda ion were practiced by the Democrats, but that he refused to do so. At the meeting of the Senate Committee, on the 18th, Gov. Wells. President of the Returning Board, was called upon to give some information respecting the action of the Board; he said he would furnish the Committee with the required statement of votes polled and votes excluded,but,as the Board was busy preparing a report to the Legislature, the clerks would not have time to make the copies; the Chairman said the six stenographers of tbe Committee would do the work. Witnesses had been summoned to testify in tbe case of East Baton Rouge, and a large number of witnesses were already on hand* to testify. No witnesses on the Republican side had so far been examined by the House Committee Several colored citizens were examined by the House Committee on the 18th, and gave testimony similar in substance to that of witnesses on the two preceding days. Geo. Johnson (colored) was recalled, and stated that he had been assaulted by colored Republicans since he testified before the committee; he knew other witnesses who feared violence if they testified. E. W. Barnes, Manager of the Western Union Telegraph Company, who had been subpoenaed to produce dispatches sent and received by Messrs. Kellogg, Packard. Dibble. Warmoth, Carter and Gen. Augur, from and after the 15th of August, 1876, was ca led before the committee and 8;» ed that he had been instructed by Genera' Superintendent Van Horne not to deliver or p:oduce the messages, and consequently he must, under his instructions, retuse to deliver the telegrams called for by the subpoena. A resolution was then adopted, by a party vote (the Republican members of tbe committee objecting to the clause ” his refusal being in contempt,” the House, being, they thought, the best judge of that question) to communicate to the House, for its consideration, Mr Barnes' refusal to produce the telegams, ” his refusal being in contempt of the ouse of Representatives.”

The Senate Committee was called to order at 12:30 on the 19th by Senator Howe, Chairman, who stated that the committee was not yet provided with the desired tables of returns. The testimony of Eaton Logwood, who was said to be in ad< ing condition, was taken oefore a subcommittee, at his residence. A special to the Chicago Tribune gives a summary of his evidence, in substance, as follows: He stated that he was a leading Republican on the island; that, in in Its waru, there were nearly 400 colored Republicans to seventy-live white Democrats; that in the latter part of August last the leading Repub ican of the pari-h. Dr. B. H. Dinkgr.ve, was a-sassii atid in Monroe; th>t immediately after, (he pariah was constantly raided by rifle c'ubs. and that nearlv all the colored men ou ihe Island, alter several had been whipped or killed, became members of the Democratic club; that he persisten ly refused tobec< me a member; that he was wounded several times; that he and others whom he named spent many nights away from their homes, lying in tbe woods and cotton patches with their wives and children, for fear of the bull-dosers; that on the morning of tbe 10th of October he was loading cotton-seed, and his brother-in-law. Primus John.-on, was holding in his arms a little child in front of his house, looking on; that he heard the voice of a man, and. looking up, saw at the fence two men with blackened faces and hands, with doublebarreled guns leveled at him; that he saw under the man's sleeve that bis arm was white, also by white rims around his eyes; that one man said: “Hello, Eaton, old lellow, we’ve got you now!” that he ran for the corner of the house, but received five buckshot in his side and arm, and fell, but sprang up again and got around tbe corner before the second shot was tired; that directly afterward he heard another shot, which was aimed at Primus Johnson, and which killed him with his child in his arms; uiat soldiers were afterward sent to his house to guard him. and he was removed to Monroe, and subsequently to New Orleans; be was obliged to leave everything behind, and dare not return home. The Republican and Democratic counsels submitted statements of their cases to the committee. Ex-Gov. R. C. Wickliffe was recalled and examined before the House Committee, on the 19cb. He thought that the change of the vote of West Feliciana Parish was flue to the Interest taken by the whites and the arguments used by them, promising a just and economical administration, and a proper application of the schoolfund in the event ol a Democratic success: knew of no thaeate of discharge, or anything of that sort being used by anyone; found the negroes readily convinced by argument, and employed no other means to influence them to vote the Democratic ticket; William Magnell and Antoine F. O'Lasee (both colored), of Orleans, testified—the former to having been threatened by colored Republicans, because he was a Democrat, and that, since election, he had been knocked down, and threatened with death, for having voted the Democratic ticket; and the latter to the effect that he knew of no violence, but heard talk of intimidation of colored Democratstall Democratic speakers had counseled peace, order and fa mess in the election, and everything was peaceable and quiet. Jerry Hall, of Orleans, had canvassed tbe Parishes of Rapides, Grant and Ouacbiia for the Democrats; saw many colored people who said they would vote the Democratic ticket: knew of no violence, bnt heard of talk about killing Democratic negroes, etc.; a colored preacher said that no Democratic colored man should be recognized by h:s orethren. Gen. I homas C. Anderson, of tbe Returning Board, submitted his reasons for not bringing the documents called for by tbe subpoena, butthe committee declined to receive his statement. In replying to the question whether the Tilden or Hayes Electors received a majority of the votes cast Gea. Anderson stated that he did not know: he never added up tbe votes of the parishes until they were ready for promulgation; never heard any member of the Board say who had a majority of the votes cast; determined he would not examine into such matters; all final decisions in contested cases were made ir. executive session. He stated .emphatically that there were no votes thrown Jut in the Parish of Orleans; that if the statement filed by the Board with the Secretary of State of the votes for Electors showed that any vote had been thrown out, then such statement was not correct. Gen.

Anderson repeated thia a* at ement in regard to two other polls. FLORIDA. ; A Tallahasae telegram, of the 14th, says tbe Hones Committee had discovered wbat Is alleged to be an interpolation of seventy-two names on the pell-Hst of a precinct in Leon County. The Democrats charge that this was made to cover seventy-two Iraudnlent tickets of minute size hidden in tbe folds of the regular tickets, and thus smuggled Into tbe box. The citizens of tbe precinct fail toldentlfy any of the names that appear on two consecutively, and the poll-list waanot numbered. The Republicans claim that proper explanations could be given. The House Committee closed the hives, tlgnilon of Leon County on the 16th. Nd official report would be made on any county until all had bei-n Investigated. The Senate Committee had arrived at Tallahassee; The Senatorial Committee was called to order on the 18th by Senator Sargent. Reporters and the public were denied admission, tbe Berg<ant-at-Arms saying be had orders to ad mitno one. Cards to the Chairman were re-, turned with the statement that tbe session would be secret Tbe day was consumed in examining the Republican membeis of the Canvassing Board. Judge Cocke was summoned to appear before tbe committee. The House Committee was at work on tbe 18th. Eighteen negroes, whose names were on the poll-list in Leon County as having voted there, swore that they did not vote there and were not at the precinct during the day. Both committees were in session at Tallahassee, on the 19th. the Senate Committee sitting with closed doors. The House committee bad fourteen colored witnesses oefore it Their names appeared on the poll-list of Precinct 13 in Leon County, and there were votes in the box to balance the names on the list. Each of them siated that be did not vote at Precinct H. Tbe case of Manatee County, thrown out because there was no Clerk in the county during the election, was called up. One witness appeared, Judge Graham. He testified that the Clerk resigned Just before tbe election, and that the Governor did not fill hie place in time for the Democrats to register; that the Republican County Commissioners called an election, which was regularly held by inspecors appointed by them; tnat no man was allowed to-vote at raid election without first subscribing to an oath which recited that be was a regularly qualified voter, and was on the registry fist of the year before. The inspectors made up returns carefully, and sent them to the County Board, which canvassed them, signed tbe canvass, and forwarded It io the State Board. Judge Graham had the original papers containing tbe signatures of tbe voters. In trie evening the committee left for Live Oak to investigate the HamLtou County matter. SOUTH CAROLINA. The House and Senatorial Investigating Committees, at Columbia, were working actively and quietly ou the 18th. There were rumors 6F compromise between the Republicans and the Democrats favorable to tbe latter. Comptroller Gen. Dunn and Secretary of State Hoyne appeared before the House Committee, on the 19th. From the former the fact was elicited that the Electoral vote was canvassed by tbe State Board of Canvassers, and was made up and counted from the returns of the county canvassers, including the counties of Edgefield and Laurens, which were excluded in tbe count for members of the Legislature. Hayne’s tesiimony was unimportant. The Senate Committee held a secret sessions hearing testimony in respect to the intimidation of negroes. The House Committee left in tbe evening for Charleston, to inquire into negro intimidation in that and other counties.