subsequently in the possession of the "Forman" returning-board, af terwards elected by the senate in accordance with the act of 20th of November, 1872, which I approved. Q. Are you familiar with the returns made in the second congressional district for member of Congress?-A. No, I never examined them particularly. Q. You are not familiar with the canvass of the returning-board?— A. Yes; I know that the board returned General Gibson elected. That was the "Forman" board. Q. Where were you at the time of the last election in the State of Louisiana?—A. In this city. Q. Were you about much on the day of the election in the city?—A. Yes, a good deal-all over the city. Q. Can you state what sort of an election was held in the city of New Orleans?-A. A perfectly peaceable, perfectly quiet one. I don't think there was a single disturbance at any one of the polls-none reported to me; and they would have been reported to me, I think, if there were any, and it was so throughout the State. It was a remarkable fact that there was not a fight nor a row during the whole canvass or election throughout the whole State. It was such a thing as was never known before in this State, where political parties were so much interested in the contest. Q. Is it to your knowledge that United States supervisors officiated at the different polls in the city of New Orleans upon the day of election?-A. Yes, at every poll, I suppose. Q. Do you know whether or not they differed from the supervisors appointed under the State law in their count or estimate of the ballots? -A. I heard of no difference whatever. They were present at the receiving of the ballots and at the counting of the ballots. Q. And they were present also at the registration?-A. Yes, and I think have signed the returns of the State officers. H. C. WARMOTH. Y. A. WOODWARD, sworn by Commissioner Hon. E. North Cullom and examined by J. E. Austin, esq. Question. Where do you reside?-Answer. I reside at 593 Saint Charles street, in the city of New Orleans, in the second congressional district. Q. What position did you occupy during the late canvass?—A. Assistant secretary of state. Q. That was under the administration of Governor Warmoth ?-A. Yes. Q. What position have you occupied since that time?-A. The same position under the government of John McEnery. Q. Do you know or not whether the official returns of the last election were filed with your office or in your office or not?-A. They never were filed in my office, but I had possession of them two or three different times, because I had no office most of the time. Q. Who received the returns when they came from the State regis trar of voters?-A. They did not all come from him, because they came from all the registrars of the different parishes, and supervisors of registration in each parish, who sent them direct to the governor. The su pervisors of registration in each parish are compelled by law to send them direct to the governor, two copies, one by mail and one by messenger. Q. Did you have occasion to examine or see these returns, or have them in your possession after they were sent to the governor ?-A. I did; all of them. I assisted in the compilation of the whole State vote. Q. Do you know to whom these returns were delivered after they passed out of the possession of Governor Warmoth ?-A. They were first turned over to what is known as the "De Feriet " board, and afterward to the "Forman" board, elected by the senate. Q. Have you any knowledge of the whereabouts of these returns at this time?-A. No. Q. Were you in the city of New Orleans during the last election ?A. Yes. Q. Will you state what kind of an election it was; whether a quiet, peaceable election or not, as far as your observation went ?-A. I visited nearly every ward and nearly every poll in the city for that exact purpose, and I don't think I ever saw a more quiet, orderly, peaceable election in my life, anywhere. Q. Do you know anything about the canvass of the second congressional district for members of Congress?-A. Yes, I made the compilation of the votes for that district altogether, with the clerks, of course, but it was under my direction. Q. State how these official returns were-who they elected.-A. The returns, as made up by the De Feriet board, returned General Gibson elected to Congress from the second congressional district. Q. Do you recollect by what majority, or about what majority?--A. I do not. I have forgotten it. Q. Have you any recollection about the returns from Terre Bonne?A. I know the Terre Bonne returns were not completed. The supervisor of registration did not make full returns from the parish, and we only counted such polls as he sent in. I think he only sent in three polls. Q. Were the official returns required by the election-law of Louisiana in the possession of the Lynch board at any time?—A. They never were. To my personal knowledge they never had any one of them. Y. A. WOODWARD. Adjourned to meet at same time and place to-morrow, February 27, E. NORTH CULLOM, 1874. Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LоGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, February 27, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at 6 o'clock p. m. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing contestant. No witnesses being present, adjourned until to-morrow, Saturday, February 28, 1874, to meet at the same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, February 28, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at 6 o'clock p. m. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing contestant. No witnesses being present, adjourned until Monday, March 2, 1874, to meet at the same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 2, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at 6 o'clock p. m. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, aud J. E. Austin, esq., representing con testant. No witnesses being present, adjourned until Tuesday, March 3, to meet at the same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 3, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at 6 o'clock p. m. Present, Hon. E North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing contestant. No witnesses being present, adjourned until Wednesday, March 4, to meet at the same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 4, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at 6 o'clock p. m. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing con testant. No witnesses being present, adjourned until Thursday, March 5, to meet at same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 5, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at 6 o'clock p. m. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing con testant. No witnesses being present, adjourned until Friday, March 6, to meet at same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 6, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at 6 o'clock p. m. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing contestant. No witnesses being present, adjourned until Saturday, March 7, to meet at same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 7, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, and no witnesses being present adjourned to Monday, March 9, 1874, at same time and place. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing the contestant. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 9, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at No. 5 Carondelet street, New Orleans. Present, Hon. E. N. Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing contestant. No witnesses being present, adjourned to March 10, 1874, same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 10, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at No. 5 Carondelet street, New Orleans. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing contestant. No witnesses being present, adjourned to March 11, 1874, to meet at same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Seldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 11, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing contestant. No witnesses being present, adjourned to March 12, 1874, at same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 12, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing contestant. No witnesses being present, adjourned to meet March 13 at same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LоGHLIN, Clerk. In the matter of R. L. Gibson, contestant, vs. L. A. Sheldon, sitting member for the second congressional district of Louisiana. NEW ORLEANS, March 13, 1874. Met pursuant to adjournment, at No. 5 Carondelet street, New Orleans. Present, Hon. E. North Cullom, commissioner, and J. E. Austin, esq., representing contestant. No witnesses being present, adjourned to meet March 14 at same time and place. E. NORTH CULLOM, Judge Fifth District Court for the Parish of Orleans. JOHN O'LOGHLIN, Clerk. STATE OF LOUISIANA, Parish of Orleans: NEW ORLEANS, LA., March 14, 1874. In the matter of the contested election, wherein Randall L. Gibson is contestant, and L. A. Sheldon sitting member in Congress for the second congressional district of the State of Louisiana. B. R. FORMAN, having been duly cited to appear and testify as a witness on behalf of said contestant, and being first duly sworn by Judge E. North Cullom, declares and says: Question. Were you or not connected with the canvassing-board during the election of the 4th November, 1872?-Answer. On the 11th of December, 1872, I was elected a member of the returning-board to canvass the election-returns under the act approved November 20, 1872, by the legislature which sat under the proclamation of Governor Warmoth, at Lyceum Hall, and took the oath the same evening, and commenced the canvass that night. Q. Can you state what the compilation of the returns for the second congressional district contained as to the vote for Congressman?-A. |