The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-02-28


mote from the thicky settled part of the ward, in
house from the top of which foated the flag of
the "Bood Tubs" and which the Judges of election
deemed so unsafe that they did not venture to
count the ballots there after the poll was COM
pleted. (See testimony of Edw Horney, pp II, II,
and VIM. Hunt, p. %.
In the second ward they were placed upon the
Causeway, within hundred feet ofthe headquarters
of the CROUCH Skins" and where they were COM
manded by muskets from the windows of the rooms
of that club. (See testimony of ex Mayor Elijah
otansbury, p %; VIM. Bartlett, p 81; S. D. Well
slayer, p. Al, and John G. Krantz, p. So
Similar in kind was the reputation of localitie
near the polls of the third and fourth wards (See
testimony of Jas. I. Randolph, p. So, and George
Evans, p. SO.
The citizens of the sixth ward were compelled to
vote in the vicinity of the headquarters, and as
some of them at least believed, of the arsenal of
the "Ashland Club" Testimony of DR.. Charles
t. Bradford, p. "a; Il. j. Morrison, p. 1O1, and
Dr. A. N. Taylor, p. ll0.)
In the ninth ward the location of the polls was
such as to beget apprehension and alarm. (Testi-
mony of Louis Muller, p. l34, and DR.. F. e. B.
Hintze, p. 14l.
The tenth ward polls were placed beside the
headquarters and under the supervision of the
Regulators" and their infamous leaders. (Testi-
mony of Geo. VIM. Brown, p. 154, S. T. Wallis, p.
165 &c.
Of similar character was the locality of the polls
OF the 18th ward, (R. Il. Gushing, 2O6 and J. H.
Beam, 20S;) 18th ward, (W. G. Fosbenner, p. 277;)
18th ward, (Wm. Swindell, p. 254;) 18th ward,
Edward Moon, p. 263; L. L. Ballard. 265, and J.
r Brotherton, 1881 and Goth ward, IS. Levy, p.
But the brutality and outrage which reigned su-
preme and unchecked on the day ofthe election
the open display and use of deadly weapons of eve
ry descr iption-the slaughter and manning stab
bling with avis. aud beating of many citizens of all
classes, who dared to assert the right of voting,
under the very nose of the police, and in some ca
ses within stones cast of the Mayors office is not
only conclusive proof of premedtated violence,
but sufficiently establishes the character of the So
called election on the I'd of November. But very
few pages of the whole volume of testimony does not
contain some record of this violence and but one
ward is untainted.
Assaults in the first ward are proven on pages
ii, l3, Is, 20, %, &c, 80 and 222; in the I'd ward
on pages 20, 81 40, 43 and As; in the Sd ward, on
pages Az so and SO; in the 4th ward, on pages 81,
62, Ga, &c and 6S; in the 9Th ward, on pages 49, 49,
~ and los; in the 9th ward, on pages 81, so and
l27 and iSi; in the 9th ward, on pages 1874, al
l47 and l49; in the 10th ward, ON pages Isl, 100,
1861 i66, &c; in the llth ward, on pages lS9, l9i
and 1877; in the 18th ward, on pages 200 and 3l9;
IN the 18th ward, on pages 205, 20S, 2l2 and 2l7;
IN the I4th ward, on pages 22l, 223, 224 and 232;
In the 10Th ward, on pages 235, 236, 23s and 277;
in the 18th ward, on pages 239, 257, 243 246 and
1903; in the 18th ward on pages Isl and 1852; in the
18th ward, on pages 259, 260, 262 and 269; in the
18th ward on pages PIP, 275, 2S3, 2S5 and 1885, and
in the 10th ward, on pages 2s7, 29O, 292 and 299.
This violence prevailed throughout the city,
der cover OF it, were perpetrated frauds and lille
gal voting, of which your committee will venture
the assertion there is parallel in the history of
the republic and perhaps its parallel cannot be
found in the history of the elections of any modern
tree government. As a specimen of these frauds
your committee refer to the testimony of S. T.
Wallis, Esq, q gentleman of the highest repute
throughout the State, in which it APPEARS that in
the 10th ward he observed:
"Erasmus Levy take his station by the door of
his house, from which there came out party of
men, headed by one OF the persons who had been
engaged IN the previous rioting and firing the
party was composed of wretched set of crea-
lures, filthy, stupefed with drink, some of them
In sailors clothes some of them without anv shirts
one observed without any shoes, some without
mats they were marched up to the polls in charge
OF the man have referred to, in Indian fe where
they voted as rapidly as Mr.. Hinesly, the chief
judge, could take their tickets the man who bad
| them in charge, cried out, "clear the way m AXE
room for the voters" and pushed everybody else
| ASIDE as the party voted, and l suppose there
were twenty or thirty of them at least they
marched back into Levy's house, and out again,
then voted again, and back to Lewis house, then
| out and again voted, then back and out again. and
| voted suppose saw the process repeated, from
SIX to dozen times myself, by the party, that
is to say do not wish to be understood as identi
tying every individual in the gang, but did iden-
| THY particular individuals among them, who came
In and went out, and voted, as | have stated and.
as they all went in and came out together, and the
| general aspect of the whole gang was the same at
each repeated voting, with the same individuals
whom did identify repeating the same process, in
the same way, did not, and cannot doubt that the
whole gang took part in the repeated voting"
This case is one of the most fragrant proved, but
there are many others of greater or less degre OF
enormity established beyond controversy-(see ties
tlmony, printed pages, "a, SO, &c. 10, AL 259
277, 2s7 1872, LOG, lis, 1873, 142, ia 1885, 3d. 800
DC These frauds were not covertly perpetrated
but in the most open and public manner, in the face
of the police and the judges of election, many OF
whom, from some cause, of which your committee
will leave the House to sit in Judgment manifested lit
tie or no concern how often the same persons voted
| The contestants have not undertaken to prove
| definitely the extent or number of the fraudulent
votes cast, could it well be DONE for the reason
that the greater wrong of violence which drove
peaceaole and honest men from the polls, prevented
the complete ascertainment of the frauds.
In connection with the matters of fraud and VIC
lence and illegal voting, your committee begs
leave to call the attention of the House to the hor
rors and atrocities connected with the system o
cooping voters during the several DAYS prior to thu
eee1 IN the The esWo gn pn1n this noSt GEsy9
$50, 1872 24S and 3l3.) Scores and hundreds o
unoifending men of the humber classes were kid
mapped from the streets, or decoyed into rooms OF
cellars, commonly termed "coops," where they
were treated with cruel barbarity. If thew offered
the slightest resistance to their captors they wer
brought to their knees by blows from "billies ant
"clubs"-they were robbed of every portable arti
Gle on their persons-they were forced pom threat
and Supplying liquors-they were denied in som
instances even the conveniences of nature excep
in most disgusting form-they were taken from
the coops on the day of election and driven abou
to the different wards of the city, and voted TIM
and again, without any seeming recognition or re
monstrance from the judges of election.
We submit to the House, as the grand inquest O
the State, and to the public whom this report ma
reach, whether such state of things has ever bee
equalled, and whether it does plead with loude
tongue than that of many trumpets, for our inter
position. All the outrages were perpetrated il
the heart of great city, in the face of the cit,
government, which was either powerless to pre-
vent, or in the hope of perpetuating the dynast
which force and fraud has fastened upon the PEG
pie, openly connived at them. This completely Of
the part OF the authorities. which is abundantl
proved by testimony of VIM: Hunt, p. 20; T. j
Z. Meyer, Al; P. Sherwood, 60; J. R. Diggs, &c
G. Evans, 20; G. W. Mowbray, 10; j. Clarkson
IS; j. Vansant 81; DR.. C. H. Bradford, 95; DR.
NJ N. Taylor, Ill; F. S. Austin, 1875; DR.. W. G
Tappan, l27; L. Muller, 1875; DR.. F. C. B. Hintze
142; S. 7. Wallis, l67; G. w. Squires, 300; G. H
L. Bailey, 3l9. and other witnesses, your commit
tee regard as the most lamentable, as well as tn
most potent cause of the crimes and outrages an
frauds, which were perpetrated on the day of tn
last election in Baltimore, nor would there be an,
hope for the redemption of the city from the deg
radiation into which she has been plunged by band
OF rowdies and corrupt officials, but for the remeda
, laws which the General Assembly of Maryland ha
at this session passed for her relief
Your committee have thus reviewed the law an
the facts applicable to this contest so far as GU
other abors and the short time allowed us BY tn
, Constitution, would permit and we think it ipdis
putabe that the freedom of the election was vic
lated to such degree In nineteen wards of tn
clty-in all except the eigbth-that the so-calle
election of the I'd of November last is an utter an
complete nullty. Upon this ground alone, an
without reference to other points raised in tn
memorial, your committee of opinion, that i
the said nineteen wards there cannot be SAID t
have been, either in the legal, equitable or mora
sense of the term, any election whatever.
9 In the eighth ward, according to the allegation
and proofs in this contest there fair and peace
able election. So far as your committee ar
aware, the sitting members have not denied tn
fact, nor have they produced any proof to the con
, trary, and the only remaining question is whethe
, upon the vote of the eighth ward, majority
more than 400 votes having been cast for the
testants, they 1.-THE contestants,) enitle to tn
seats OF the sitting members, Your committee ar
OF opinion that they are not so entitled. The la,
as before stated is that riot or tumult, or di:
play of numerical strength accompanied wit
: threats, even though actual violence take
, place, or conduct of parties engaged being such
to strike terror into the mind of man of ordinar
aee dst N PIG eP not of &c 81 et !"
, will be declared Void Com. Jour, TX, 63l
Hey, 546. "And where the proceedings at a
election are interrupted by riots, the election vii
be held void without reference to the number G
votes affected thereby."-Rog on Eec., 243)
strict and rigid construction of the law, whic
pronounces all elections void where riot prevails t
the extent therein stated, would perhaps justify
in pronouncing the election at every poll excer
: in the eighth ward to be void, and therefore
Il Il + -