New-York tribune., 1868-06-13
THE PENNSYLVANIA FRA UDS.

Center, Mifflin, Perry, and Juniata, and Is en-
titled to two Senators.
An election was held in this district on the
second Tuesday of October, 1867, and Chas. j.
| II. McIntire. Democrat, was returned az elected
by 233 majority and Samuel j. Shugart by %
majority. John X Robinson contested the
election of Shugart
The Senate, after full investigation by q
Select Committee and the examination of large
number of witnesses, declared Robinson duly
elected, and admitted him to the seat occupied
by Shugart The whole testimony in the case
is published in the Legislative Record for the
session of 1868, from page 1897 to LAO inclu-
sive.
| 1t is proven conclusvely that the leaders of
| the Democratic party not only planned and
| perpetrated deliberate fraud upon the ballot
| box in this district, but that they prearranged
system of fraudulent naturalization papers,
| extending through other counties of the State.
A railroad sixteen miles long was being built
| during the Summer and Fall of 1867, III Clear
field and Center Counties. From forty to
sixty rods only of the road was in Center
| County. About 400 Irishmen were employed
on the road, and boarded in shantes along the
line, except during the time they were taken
into Center County in order to carry the cleo
ton in that Senate District. Senators were to
be elected in the Center District, but not in
the Cearield. The following testimony, copied
| from the official records of the Legislature,
shows how the fraud was perpetrated, and who
did it, ,,
| IN the Senate of the state Of Pennsylvania.
X Samuel T. Shugar'-XX' Senatorial District
| Legislative Record Session 1863 pages 14O6-7
| JANUARY p, ls6s-Committee met all the members
= M G'uear1 sworn-I was working for Mr. Collins, rail
road contractor. on the railroad was pit boss; had
| from 10 10 ~ men under at times Patrick
| German was walking boss; was working four miles
from Clearteld east, twelve miles from the ne when
| lanes Collins aud Patrick German came to me and said
they wanted to 20 Center County for ten days saying
their object To carry the election they sad II wac
| Republican hole and they intended running Ia enough
votes carry IT, took the men to Center county Col
Skeys gang also all that at work went the
Of me went; IN ana around fhlnPsDulB thele
were about the day Of election; they were quar-
tered at Mr.. kcplar's, Mr. Grays, MT Harrss ana nr
DOnehucs; In PhlpsbuTg all day most OF tue tlle
at the polls: the polls are IN the same building gave
two men Democratic tickets shern Perks ana MI lde
distributed tickets Lede was walking boss on the road;
rowed sheet of tickets from me TO have others pIlned
the tickets all Democratic; about all that were on
the ground voted; all had naturalization papers; 90
tanned them, as was said III LhLere Couly ts Dno % J
the table similar to those used they were cOlOred the
miles out Of Glearicd ON saturday evening before the
election in shanty kept by Mrs Lynch; they said two
|
sworn ede took possession OF the papers and that he
colored them with coffee the day of the election the men
were handed the papers Mr. Lede at the same time nr
nsed the tax receipt receipt shown witness and iden
tincd u. similar TO those used; did nothing while III
Phnpsburg did not vote saw all vote that named
| had no Republican tickets
| Repubcau side never said for 500 would do 80; re-
ceyed money the day sefore and day after OF Mr Crs
SO: received Of Rcv Father Tracy $500. The
500 given me two weeks ago last Tuesday & 70 pre- pre-
told me that my evidence would be hard against the
Democratic party aud that he had $500 he would give
take my family go FOR $1,000; Father Tracy told mo
he would let me know m few day & ana wnen % we ns
and that Wallace throught that floo per month was
lawyer; | told the priest would take $500 The
voted IN borough and township Michael Falon and
told me that Lede the two lawyers TO Tyrone the
men went back TO Cearheid county, after the eiecion
the road is In Center County; all the voters were chai'
| lengcd at the polls ,.,
| r. Hunter sworn-I am Assessor OF Phillpsbarg
list fourteen days before the day OF eecton done so at
FraHE Fleming sworn-I live in Phlipsburg; lived
there October 1867 bartender for John ii. Gray;
about the 25th 3Oth Of september some twenty or
twenty Irsmen brought there 60 board. have
the men before along the Clearhed Rairoad afew
days after more were brought Just before the election
the October. 1867, elections saw Mark Lede bring
squad, 1fty sixty, up To vote; some OF them voted
while was there; there lrshnen at Keplars and
Loyds that know worked along the road my brother
|
the men left our tavern and in short time were DacK III
| Clearfleld County.
| j. H. williams swOrn-I live in Philipsburg, | know
that brought two weeks before the election
Cleared County, and set To work IN Center County
they quartered AZ Loyds, Keplars, Gray's. and
Riddles think some Of the men were quartered In the
| townships; seventy five 10 eighty were the number
brought counted by seycra was AT the polls
the greater part OF the day the men were brought TO the
polls by Mr. Lede generally; they came In two different
directions; he always went To meet thein the two polls
are IN the building and room; most Of the votes
xNer nh igetn ID
ing they all had naturalization papers; MT lede youched
for them; Lede worked while In Center County before
tho election; or two naturalization papers they
coloed had on revenue stamps that were not col
said they obtained the papers from Mr. Collins; Mr. Lede
would then say that Sir Collins had always kept the
mems papers the road In Cearfeld County was graded
cleared In the SPRING that in Center County was not
commenced until a short time before the eecton did
not any at the polls active meeting the men, but
Lede; did not see Mr. OeaTa acting So or distributing
| tickets
O. H. Zieger. sworn-I was inspector at the October,
1867. election In Phipsburg; live there. and am well
gnalned know few OF the irshmen ON the Clearlled
five rishmen were brought into the borough boarded at
fore the election thirty thrtyve ofthem voted In the
borough: Mr. Lede brought nearly all the men 10 vote;
voting on them ali but two or three OF them were sworn;
tr the that my challenge was not sustained by
the judge and the Inspector toward evening thought
useless as the votes would be taken, and there
swearing any OF them told one man he could not
he went and back. saying he mistaken ana
that he understood to ask how long he had been in
another said he 10 years old; handed him back his
naturalization papers and tax receipt and he left he did
vote; the papers all dated September %, 1866,
| Luzerne County, issued by Mr.; Phllbn.
JANUARY "a, 1868, a. m.-The Committee met members
| all present.
| W. Crisimdn, sworn i was clerk at the October
nsG election In Phpsburg about 10 or ~ days before
| the election number of Irishmen were brought TO
Lloyd Gray's and Keplars they came from the branch
road al Cearfeld majority OF them voted at the bor-
ough election Mr. Lede aud Mr.. O'Meara brought them;
they naturalization papers, they said they came
from LuZerne County they dated September 1866,
at least a majority OF them were; this coored on the
"a sf,,ia listp pf