Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-07-28

John H. Goddard, Esq against The I'D mission Of
Of Aldermen from the Fourth Ward have had
the matter under consideration, aud beg leave to
report, viz:
That we examined the tickets an returned 10
the Register, and the returns Of the Commission
ers, and find them to correspond as stated in the
case of Messrs Emery and Goddard, with the ex :
Ception of one vote, which should have been
given to MIR. Goddard in the second precinct
This shows that the Commissioners of the first
precinct were as particular in making their re-
turns as those of the second precinct, from which
il is claimed that Mr.. Goddard is entitled to the
seat in this Board, instead of Mr.. Emery
The Chairman, Mr.. Moore. read TO the commit
tee copies Of several questions, which he had
asked the Corporation Attorney touching this
case, TO which propose d to add another and il
was refused, because, as supposed, the answer
might effect the answer to one of the Questions
already proposed, and thus Illustrate the object
designed by said question.
There was presented and read for orr informa
ton several afhdavits. The most of them were
from persons unknown to your committees which
amddvits Will accompany this report of majority
OF the commltte; some Of which believe to have
no bearing on the right to a seat in this Board by
either claimant, but was brought there for other
ahd extranecus objects. | requested to have the
persons VINO 1t was said had given the attdavts,
summoned. that they might appear before the
committee and be questioned in reference to what
they had therein stated; but the chairman of the
committee refused, and stated that he was OPP
for what reasons you and the community must
Judge. Whether they were to be found, or not,
am unable to say. IT certainly could not have
been because we had not time, for there was no
great urgency in the case.
then asked that might have the affidayits to
look over them. When first asked for them the
chairman replied that he wanted them himself
for that purpose. At the next meeting | made
similar request, and WAS peremptorily denied the
privilege.
The affdavits that numbers of persons were
seen at the Railroad Depot, and went in directions
not indicating that they were led to the polls in
IN the Fourth Ward, is of no value TO show that
they were the persons who created the disturbance
on the morning of the election; neither are those
OF any value which state that they did not 90 to
the polls because they were afraid
Tue commissioners state that there was plenty
ol Tune Tor all persons who might have desired TO
vote, 10 nave done So and that all was quiet around
the polls, except about an hour in the morning
ana about the same time in the afternoon and that
they were not mOlested bya persons Turing the
disturbance in the morning., other than that per-
sons who were outside pressed through n window
ia the room in which they were sitting, hut hear
ing the report of'fire arms &c, outside they con-
Guided to take the ballOt-boX and papers. and 20
to MI Israel 81 one of the commissioners close by)
until all should again be quiet; after quiet was
restored they did return and the voting was re-
SulIled and went on pedCeablv until the Marines
came up, and then they (the commissioners gave
hotlce from the window that they intended closing
the polls until the Marines were removed from the
ground, which they did, and after the Marines
Were marched away, the polls were again opened,
ana every thlns went on quietly until the closing
OF them at seven O'Clock.
From the evidence before the committee there
IS nothing which justiies the conclusion that
there would have been any rioting fighting in
the afternoon, had not the Marines been marched
Oil the ground, and | am of the opinion that to
mat cause, and to no other, NAV he traced the
Strengthening Of good and peaceable citizens
from all the evidence presented to the commit
tee; am of the opinion that Matthew q Emery
and John III Goddard, Esqs., were in the same
condition, and that one had not the advantage of
the other, only that Mr.. Emery received the great
that Matthew 6. Emery, Esq, be declared emit
tied to his seat Us member of the Board of AL
dermen from the Fourth Ward
Very respectfully, yonr Obedient servant
ROBERT CLARKE.
MIR. Clark said that, during the investigation of
the proceedings which characterized the late
election in the Fourth Ward he had asked that
several parties, whom he named to the commit
tee, might be brought forward and examined in
relation to those proceedings; that he had also
>kcd to examine the aihdavits of those persons
who had alleged that they were driven away from
The polls on that day, and would have voted for
MI Ooddard had they been permitted TO vote
that this request had been denied him by the ma
JOrity Of the committee
Mr. Emery averred that he had made before the
MED.
Mr. Dove said that no such request had been
made by the gentleman during any of the sittinps
OF the committee at which he had been present
Mr. Emery cOntended that he had made those
requests when Mr.. Dove present, to have
those papers looked over by the minority Of the
committee
Mr.. Dove replied that he knew of no such refu-
sal; on the contrary every facility had been ten
dered tn the minority to examine and investigate
the papers and hear the testimony offered before
the committee
MI Moore said, that at the close of the investi-
CATION Mr.. Clarke had disSented to several mat
tiers in re alton to the pending investigations that
he was then in the minority, and had asked to
ldke the amdavlts and the report and carry them
away win MN 10 examine them; that he did not
think 1T consistent with his duty at that stage of
the investigation TO let the papers 90 out of his
hands that during the several sittings OF the
committee he had frequently suggested TO Mr.
Clarke that if he knew of any persons whom he
would ike to have brought before the committee
ne would send for them. Mr.. G.. had named Mr.
Sothoron and several others as persons who would
give some new light to the efforts of the commit
lee IN the investigations that he had called on
them several times, and requested them to attend
on the committee and give such information a.
thev COuidi mat those gentlemen had refused
saying That IL would nlurc them i'm their busiueSs
IL they did 50. At Mr.. Clarke's request he had
called several times on DIR. A Med. Davis, who
who had each time promised to attend the sittinps
oil The committee, but had not done so that the
committee had no power to compel the attend
dnce OF persons; and that after the Investigation
was over, Mr.. Z. knowing these facts. had again
requested the attendance of these gentlemen and
that at that stage of the proceedings of the com
lnlttee he had regarded this as an effort TO pro-
CraStlnatc the proceedings beyond reasonable
limit, and as M. c. thought proper to De in the
he had considered it his duty to have no
more delay; If those persons refused to come be-
lore The committee there was sense ia procras-
tnating the investigation any further
MessTs Clarke and Emery insisted that the COM
lnttee had not given a fair chance to the minority
Mr.; Moore continued, saying that Mr. Clarke
had denied the existence of those persons whom
the afhdaylts represented in the investigation; he
would only say that they were certified to by the
Pol Ce Magistrates before whom their testifnonv
had been taken; what further proof could the gen
uenan ask He stated further that the gentle
man MIR. SothOron) whom Mr. Clark had de-
Slred 10 call before the committee, had stated to
him (loore) that the gang of - Plugs had as
sembled 1T the polls opposite to his store al :
clock on the morning OF the election, and that
their aspect at that time so outrageous that
he did not consider it safe thing to open his
store, and had IN fact closed it, preferrinr 10 sus
pend business operations for the day, rather than
run the risk Of exposing his goods to the ldwless
gang who surrounded the polls.
Mr.. Clarke commended that Mr. Sothoron WAS
not requested To come before the committee until
after the investigation was nearly over; and Chat
40 Too a 10 "a