The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-02-20
IFROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS

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| IfROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
TESTIMONY BEFORE THE COMMITTEE on ELECTIONS. OF
THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES, IN THE CASES OF COMP
TRoLLER AND CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT roP PA1
! TIMoRE CITY.
ANNAPOLIS, Feb II, 1860
Joshua Underwood, ,4th ward Judge of election
Age 90 years; resided in Baltimore 40 wears; wa.
at election as return judge; the election progress
ed; sa" no hghtlng; saw pushing, but no more
than ne had witnessed before; urged parties tc
clear the way for voters; no violence except
pushing; never saw pushing at previous elections
tne election would compare favorablv with othar
elections; witness is well acquainted in tho ward
Alexander Stewart, 4th ward.-Was at election;
got there at 9% o'clock; not much dliculty-less
than he ever knew. Ruled out
julius JohnsOn-Never saw a more peaceable
and quiet election in the ward; no unusual pushing
or lighting; much less than in years back; was
Judge for both parties in old times no difference
In comparison with other elections.
ny mr.. freaner-Are you member of politi.
cal club No. Is a member of the church.
John McNeiu-Hard of hearing; lives in 5th
ward got to polls quarter before nine; helped to
arrange things in room; after which came to corner
OF Fayette and High streets; saw persons reform
ers) two abreast coming to polls; saw nobody pre-
vented from voting; was there off and on ali day;
voter lO years; was formerly judge. In compar-
ison with other elections, has seen worse under
Democrats; no fighting; nobody moested: man
named Dun voted and was struck half square from
the window: There is a political club in the
ward called the st. Lawrence-belonged to it,
but did not know its object; had meetings inst
before the election, not as club but as 18th
ward Council; did not see Levy nor Joshua
Vansant; saw no shooting; heard no pistol
hred that day near polls} does not know object of
st. Lawrence Club; knows it to be political club
Robert McCoull--Lives in 9th ward; is az wears
old lived all his life in Baltimore; got to polls after
l2 stayed short time; voted ali quiet, ,uohing to dis
turh or prevent persons from voting; in comparison
with other elections it was quiet and orderly.
Capt. Zachary, 9th ward-65 years old; arrived
at polls about = O'Clock; all as quiet as he ever
saw an election in his life; way was made for him
when he got near the polls; has not voted before
Tor III years. for the reason that he did come to
vote; was contoundedly whipped 10 or II years
ago; voted then for Sansbury for Mavor; was talk
ing with friend; Empire Club had eve on him,
mistook him for Brown who had stolen 73 men out
of their coop; did not day light fer two davs;
the last election a One-sided affair." saw nobody
opposing those who wanted to vote
Robert ls0ss-hives in the 7th ward arrived at
polls quarter to 8, stayed till 10 or IL at night-was
clerk OF election; at early opening of polls there
was the usual amount of pushing &c; saw no other
disturbance; this pushing appeared to be by parties
anxious to secure their votes that of friends
not so much of it as he had seen at other cleo
tiOns in 7th ward; saw nothing to prevent : person
from voting; considered it q lair, quiet and peace
able election only saw what took place in imme-
diate vicinity OF wiudow-was not in the street at
all; does not know how the room above was used.
is not member of club; knows Ned Lee. saw him
that day, heard him whistle did not see Lee com
NIT any violence; at one time there was no voting.
there muss so, 60 or 20 yards of; it an
peared general free fight; heard pistol fired; saw
men in the street in their shirtsleeves round the
polls, but did not take possession of the polls; vo-
ters OF the ward are generally voting people; polls
were held at Lafayette engine-hOuse.
l.. D. TaylOr-6th ward-arrived at 1917 O'Clock,
stayed till |; came back 4 before . stayed till a.;
took walk to first ward; went to two three OF
the uptown wards; election quiet; little disturb
ance; did not amount to nything; man drew a
pls.oli no one hurt saw the usual pushing at the
window; it was one of the most quiet elections he
ever knew; Is not now member of Ashland Club;
saw members of it around the polls: polls about hal
square from IL. Pryors is tailor by trade is now
an officer in the Appeal Tax Court departments was
originally member of Ashland Club quit because
he did not choose to remain.
By Mr.. Wallis.-Had no particular reason Tor
leaving; preferred not to keep up the association.
William II. Pierce, tn ward-Age As; votes
IN the 9Th ward; never voted out of it; arri-
Ted at the polls about o'clock, and remained
| nearly all day; there was a crowd when he arri-
ved seeking to get in their votes which continued
till l015 o'clock, when it dspersed till IL O'Clock
there was no one around the window but witness
| and one or two others; men who said they had not
voted could have done so if they thought proper;
acted as challenger; objected to two votes-one a
resident of the Sth ward the other because he had
no papers; there was disturbance some distance
OFF by several young men, the election was IS
peaceable as any he ever witnessed is a sweep mas
ter; does not know how the adjoining house was oc
cuped that day, does not know if arms were in the
SECOND story OF the house; knows of no liquor in the
next house; no riOting about the polls; except o
! the young men before spoken of; no obstruction
| except crowd; knows of no illegal vote taken
! or legal vote kept out, except a man named
! League; knows of no one having avis, and of nc
one stuck with them; did not hear Ned Lee whistles
his character is turbulent he was in the fight oil
| the young men before spoken of BY witness; was a
member of the Jefferson Club, two wears ago in the
! 9TH ward; it is political club Ned Lee is a mem
| Der; political clubs are no thing; about si1
years ago they were first formed, to his knowledge
>. u. Splcer, Acting Mayor on day OF election
| Votes in 9TH ward; did not get chance to vote
from press of official duties; was at Mayors office
nearly all day; had no opportunity of seeing what
was going on was at 10th ward polls; was near nc
other polls that day; cannot speak of things except
| from report of his officers; knows 4. Ii. Martin
saw him on the day of election; came to Office
| excited wanted Johq Hneslv arrested; sale
Tlinesly had beaten him; saw his lips swollen sale
| Hinesly was about to throw tickets on the floor;
did not say he threw them on the floor; said he
held them over the box, and was going to throw
them on the floor; told Martin he did not know he
had authority to have Hinesly arrested told him
| to go to magistrate and get warrant, and he
would send officers to it, he refused told him
| to go back and would send an officer to protect
him; supposed his excitement was from passion
| BY Mr.. Wallis-He had the powers of Justice
of the peace not satisfied as to his powers a
! that time; has since learned it. Was at the l0tl
| ward few minutes; heard the firing and went ou
immediately; officers had made several arrests sale
| they could not lind a magistrate, and went dOwI
to release the gentleman arrested; received no re
port relative to arms at Ras LEWIS; is most certain
he had no such report from Marshal Herring; dou
bled the police force at the 10th ward after the
firing; there were ten fifteen officers in the
neignborhood of the polls. with a reserve at tn,
staOn-hOusei believes the reserve went to the lOtI
ward; sent squad to the llth ward; the officer
reported nearly every hour that things were goinI
on quietly in all the wards; had 10 application fO
men from any except the iltn ward Hineslv hac
been rejected by the Councils on the night befor,
the election; was appointed by McPhai he ap
pointed him next morning after his rejection; heart
of his rejection about g. O. o'cock that night; had nj
official notice of his rejection till after Hnesv hat
proceeded to act; could get no one else; | knew O
Hinesly rejection from himself; he said he had hi
commission and meant to act be believed Hineslr
had been rejected, but had no official knowledg
thereof; had means of ascertaining the fact; ther
is no messenger at Mayors ofce there is a secreta
~ and janitor; satisfied of his rejection; gav
him his commission after 10, but before l2 on elec
ton day. Did not advise him not to act; made n
effort to get any else to act, because of prevou
difficulties in that matter was informed night be
fore election Of Hinesly's rejection, bv a membe
Of the Council; took no action and made no inQui
ry; know nothing of HinesYs character person
he is peaceable and quiet citizen, and did deer
him a proper person for Judge of Election; neve
said ANYTHING to Martin about bringing Hines
to justice hereafter.
Deputy Y-Marshal Manly-Had charge of the re
serve force, and had but little opportunity to be a
the polls; kept things quiet as far as able; was
18th ward few moments went, on complaint of Mr.
HambetGn, to that order was restored: me
Currill at the door, and from what Curr told hin
thought Hambleton's complaint ungrounded, an
did not go till some time afterwards, and then say
nothing of any account; at 10th ward, but tn
firing was all over when he got there; Tcnnfrmet
Spicer's statement as to Martins interview; Marti
asked Spicer, What is the law for to-day? Spice
replied, The same law all election days; Mar
tin would not return; thought his excitement wa
from liquor; heard of rites and muskets on tn
street, but made no search for any at Levys house
did not hear it at that time, but heard it subse
quently on election day; did not know arms wer
at Levy's previous to election day; heard OF arm:
not rifles and muskets; had reason TO believe ther
would be a good deal of difficulty; put ten men a
10th ward, and had some thirty or forty in reserve
never heard preparation was made at Levy
house; it is the resort of characters who vii
defend themselves, if attacked, to the bitter end
they such would attack Others without ben
attacked themselves; it is called Levy's house-wa
kept at one time by Country Thompson; some VIII
resort there violent and disorderly persons an
bad characters; others resort there who stand big
in the community; its general reputation is b ad
can see persons there from Mavor's office window
short distance-can distinguish faces; it is not
proper place for holding polls, if better could b
obtained; understand that no other place could b
had; did order Capt. Brown to recall officer Bale
from the llth ward, because Bailey was reporte
to him being drunk; satisfied himself of the fac
sent another officer in Bailey's place; belong to
club.
Both Spicer and Manly underwent a close exam