Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-09-13

pc puDHsneu tlu OIueIedOut ana charged Tor
accordingly.
sent or dissent fromany persons taking
them. | replied that if the clerk wo'd
not hold them, SO that they would be Sc
cure from alteration and change, ana
would be safe, that by all means the
democrats should hold them, as il
they had complied with the law; a du-
plicate was retained at KanesvilIe,
and it would be well to hold on to this
for the purpose of preventing fraud or
alteration, in case of contest either in
the Congressional election or senatorial
election for Monroe aRd Wapello. At
ter dark that night, was informed that
they had been procured, but how or by
whom | do not know, nor did inquire.
Subsequently, l was told that they were
in my carpet bags; but whether this was
told me at Abba, OF Ottumwa, in Wap-
clio county. or Agency City. l believe il
was at the latter place. / did not know
whether il was joke or not; but at Fair
field, in Jefferson county, l found
package. and supposed il was the pack.
age which purported 10 be the poll books.
l took them to Burlington with me,
and they remained with me sealed until
some time in the winter of lS49, when
some person or persons broke the seal.
never looked at them or in any manner
examined them, unless il was to look
over the list of voters to compare them
with the list furnished by d. F. Miller
in the contest. l gave them to Mr..
Thompson in the spring of IS49, and
never saw them them afterwards until
February, 1850, saw them presented
by L. F. Johnson, Esq, one of the astor-
neys Of Mr.. Thompson, on the examin-
alton of James Sloan, Esq, before Judge
Renney, at Traders Point, when his
deposition was taken.
Third. Where did you reside at The
period of said eIectiont
Answer. At Burlington, Desmoines
county, Iowa, about one hundred miles
from Abba. Monroe county.
Fourth. Did you leave Burlington to
90 70 Abba to influence the rejection of
said poll books! II yea, by the advice
and consultation of whom did you got
Answer. l went from Burlington on
Thursday after the election, with the in-
lention of going to Monroe county 10 be
present when the returns of The election
were opened, and with the intention Of
preventing the Kanesville precinct being
counted if | could, as believed the or
yanization was illegal and void. On
preceding the election.
was at Montrose, in Lee county, and in
company with Generals Dodge and Bab-
bit. After as careful an investigation
Ind inquiry as | could make, came to
he conclusion that no injury could arise
rom the vote of Garden Grove, in Ap-
,anoose county, or Pisgah, in Monroe
county, and that Kanesville was north of
Monroe county, and could not be legally
and told General Dodge that,
IS the friend of Mr.. Thompson would
attend to the matter. We, Dodge and
myself, went 10 Madison that day; and
sometime that day or the next Thursday
he matter was talked over in presence
If General Dodge, Ed. Johnson, U be-
ieve,) J. G.. Walker, and Ex-Governor
lanes Clarke. gave my views, and
old them that would go up and see that
he kanesville vote was not counted, if
hey thought it advisable. They all ex-
PRESSED desire that l should go; and
ome even urged me to GO, expressing
he unequivocal opinion that the vote
would be illegal and fraudulent and that
I ought if possible, be suppressed from
he canvass. The impression was that
he vote would be given to the wings.
Fi:th. Did any of your said friends
md advisers, after the disposal Of said
'oll book, approve of wha. was done
With them, and of the course taken with
hem!
Answer. I. as democrat. took an ac-
i've part in the election against Miller;
md am now Thompson's attorney in
he contest, and always approved the
lcts Of the clerk in rejecting the poll
,ooks, and the democrats In procuring
md retaining them. believe have
with Gen. Dodge, ex-Gover-
lor Clarke, Ed. Johnson, v. P. Antwerp,
md others; and, upon stating the facts
md reasons why | advised that the poll
'ook should have been retained in the
Of the friends of Thompson.
hey have approved it. | recollect that
General Dodge at the barbecue near Ed
lyville, in Wapcllo county, In the fall Of
I646, called for three times three cheers
or the democratic clerk Of Monroe cous-
y who rejected the Mormon vote, which
vas loudly responded to by large mee-
ing.
Cyoss-eramin0fion By Il. E. Johnson,
in behalf Of Mr.. Thompson.
First. What conversation did you
lave with d. F. Miller, Esq, the con-
estor. in relation 70 the poll books Of
xanesviliel
Answer. in August. | think, Of ls49.
md before heard that Miller had noti-
led Thompson Of contest, met Mr.
Miller at West Point, Lee county, when
he Kanesville poll books were the sub
ect of conversation. told Mr.. Miller