Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1858-1859, 1859-09-03

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cncts comprising the Otter Tail Canvass and
the, style and manner lin which } the whole
fraudulent return was got up, we will con-
clude this branch of our subject D..
ST. Vncent,is papor precinct on the Red
River of the North, opposite the mouth of the
Pembina river. 1t contains or contained one
shanty OF lodge on bottom which is ten
feet or more under water every spring, and
there was and is not an inhabitant within 100
miles of it IN Minnesota! The Q. S. Gus
tom House officer living on the opposite side
in Dakota Territory with half a dozen half
breeds, crossed over 10 st. Vincent On cleo
ton day and opened poll there. They re-
turned the poll books, both in the same hand
writing; the judges Of the election did not
write their names, but simply made their
marks; and there are no witnesses atteStlng
them The unblushing magnitude OF the
fraud at this, one of Gov. Medary's illegal
precincts, may be estimated from the fact
that TWO HUNDRED AND FIVE straight
Democratic votes were returned from here
and counted in the Otter Tail Canvass "
all for Slbley, and none for Ramsey!
Otter Tail City, on the lake of that name,
in Pelnbina County, is the point at which by
law the returns from all the precincts in Cass,
| Todd and Pembina counties, should be can
vassed. There was a poll opened at this
place on the day of the election, at which, it
is notorious, only about nine persons voted !;
the Judges and clerks were not sworn the
return counted in the Otter Tail canvass from
this place is seventy straight Democratic
votes
The canvass known as the "Otter Tail
Canvass" was neuer made by the judges and
clerks at this poll As testified in Mr. Per-
kin's affidavit it was made elsewhere. 1t was
made at a trading house in Crow Wing, on
the Mississippi river, entirely out of the Dis
trict, and fifty or one hundred miles from the
legal place of canvassing. Consequently, the
technical point made by and centended for
by the majority of the State canvassers, that
the "Otter Tail Canvass" was made at the
legal place and that they would not $50 be-
hind the record" falls to the ground. The
whole of it was One Great Monstrous Fraud
in all its ramifcations, and Mr.. Medary has
since both here and in Kansas acknowledged
| that he knew it.
But this is not ALL At Ogdensburg, in
Todd county, opposite Swan river, in Morrison
| county, At votes were returned for Mr.. Slb-
ley and the Democratic ticket. Here there
were in reality but two or three voters. A
letter from Dr. R. L. Metcalf, of Little Falls,
says, 81 had conversation with old Squire
Kamp, living in Todd county, who was pres
ent at the election held at that places oppo-
site Swan river; he says he was so disguised
with their fraudulent proceedings that he
would not vote, as the same voters who voted
at Swan river on this side, also voted on the
other side He also says that the judges and
officers who presided at said election were not
sworn. Also, in regard to the Mile Lac coun-
| ty return it was fiction. The vote reported
| by the forged return was 20, and not an in
habitant in the county"
THE FRAUDS AT THE INDIAN
AGENCIES.
Another branch of the frauds occurred at
the various Indian Agencies. At both the
Chippewa Agency on the Upper Mississippi,
and at the Sioux Agency on the Upper Min
nesota, and at the Winnebago Agency in
Blue Earth county, large numbers of fraudu
lent votes were pOlled. Pure Indians, dress
ed as Indians, and without single mark of
civilization about them, were led up by the
U. S. interpreters and U. S. Indian agents,
| the Democratic tickets were put into their
hauds, and they duly voted them
The Winnebago Agency and Indian
Democrats.
The following is the affidavit of C. l.. Shur-
rager, in proof of the foregoing charges:
| Territory Of Hiaae8ota, County Of Blue
! Ea,Ih Ss: G. &. SmuERAGAR being duly
sworn according to law says: that he is &C
quaiutcd with and knows personally the great
! er part of the Indians known as WinnebagoeS
and living upon the reservation in Blue Earth
County. Depontnt says that during the
winter Of 1886 and 81 he was employed up
ON the said Reservation as steward and that
he had good opportunity of becoming &C
quainted with the greater portion of said In.
dams, as they were often around after victuals
&C., and that he was among them in their
tents and tepes frequently. Deponent says
that he knew many Of them by their names
as they were known in and among their tribe
and as spoken Of and known by the employ
ees upon the Reservation, and by the people
generally.
Deponent says that he is citizen of the
United States and a resident of Blue Eeartt
County, NJ. L. and that at an election
held at Rice Lake Precinct on the 18th
day of October 1857, he was present (tha
is upon the Winnebago Reseruation,) thai
Deponent was upon the ground before thu
voting began, that he attended said election
with veiw Of observing the manner of con
Quoting the same and the persons voting
thereat That he soon discovered from vari
Gus indications as well as by the allegations
of those employed upon the Reservation, tina
Indians were going to be voted by those hav
ing them. in charge. Deponent says that at
the opening of the polls he was present.
John Mason, Clerk declared the polls open, a
which time Gen. j. E. Fletcher Gu. S. Agen
for the. Winnebagoes) came in with the blanl
t Poll Books and bundles of tickets, and tn
t Constitution of Minnesota. Said Fletcher the
| said, 81 am one of the Judges of Election her
= to-day, but my business is such that | car
t not act, | therefore appoint Peter Monag
(half breedD to take my place-all in favor
that say "L' Mr.. White the other Judge {
: Election then resigned and Gen. Fletcher the
appointed Mr.. Laudrass to take his place.
s Deponent further says that Gen. Fletcher, Ii
e dian Agent, then called for VIM Gleason Or
If terpreter) and asked him to bring Battle
a Zone of the chiefs.) Deponent says that (,
d this time there was row of Indians, or
d hundred and fifty in number, lying in frol
I. of Messrs. White & Marks store, at whic
It place the election was held. Deponent say.
e that said Battles went to the door and spoil
d to those lying on the ground in their ow
It tongue and Immediately they crowded in an
o voted ten or twelve at time. Deponent W,
o standing in the room and says, that as the
d passed by Gen. j. E. Fletcher, he gave Sta
" and County tickets to the Interpreter, and
at to the Indians. Deponent says that as thu
at received the tickets they deposited them up
I, the Judges table, and the Interpreter call
at their names in English and the Indians Il
of the room for more to come in the Judg
took the said tickets without asking a sing
i'd question of said Indians, deposited them
he the Ballot Boxes and the Indians passed rs
O. rapidly in and out for the space of three gu;
es tiers of an hour, each, one voting
p- There were about sixty (6O) of those
nd dams that received their tickets of Gen. j.