The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-12

Progress Of the Oacial Canvass-Charses OF
Corruption and Chicauery-Dccp Scratching
and Tall Swearing.
The chamber OF the Board OF Aldermen during the
oficial canvass OF the charter election is queer
place to lOiter in. Queer because there one may
meet people to whom the ambiguous, highly expires.
sve and now expressive word ''queer' might be
applied with safety, and people to whom the profes.
sion OF ''snoving che qucerr might be supposed to
with natural grace. But these are seen chiefly
on the outside OF the railing, crowding the benches
assigned to the third house and looking with eyes
and ears and mouths wide open to catch the sound
OF the figures which the City Fathers call or with all
due solennty and monotony, and to which the Clerk
OF the Board answers with rotundity peculiarly
his own.
days since, when Messrs. Neil Bryant and Chris
OC0nn0r appeared and protested against the action
them for Mayor and Corporation Counsel in various
parts Of the city Their cases were referred to the
for the nonce. IL was ended few dav s1 sinoe
protest was received from James T.. Mcveaney
against counting the vote OF the Eleventh and Four
teenh districts OF the Ninth ward. The protest In
regard to the latter district is for the following
reasons, as stated by Mr.. Mcveaney:-
the M ceeae con Il
ling TOR Mayor received isS votes. Peter cnkin
Ss votes Oakley Hail received for Mayor, si5 votes After
prepared prove the The agas.
gives me but votes 100 stolen from me are given to
Mayor sseTeras demo-
cratic vote for Assistant Alderman los more than Mayor
A large amount OF testimony was taken, which
showed to say the least that the supposed precau-
lions for the prevention OF frauds by giving the ap
lice Commissioners were decidedly fruitless Where
fraud was needed to secure an end
In the Eleventh district OF the Ninth ward It was
charged that the letter "y was scratched out the
return in the vote given for Mr.. McVeaney, making
"one hundred and eight" instead Of zone hundred
and eighty" Some OF the witnesses testified to hav
Ing seen the canvassers take OF Mcveaney's tickets
and substitute Culkinis, while young gentleman
election saw McyeaneV tcsets sns,inea
for Culkin. Nobody saw any scratching OF the off,
cia returns. and yet counsel for Mcveaney claimed
that the scratching was so bunglingy done be
perceptible at once-that the paper was nearly
scratched through
The law obliges the canvassers and poll clerks TO
return list TO the Police Commissioners, another,
sealed, to the Clerk OF the Common Council and
third TO the Alderman OF the district. The three
copies thus kept apart; yet IN this case II Is
claimed they had been reached somehow and altered.
The Alderman OF the district in question Is a repub-
lican. The copy left with HIM he placed in drawer
In friends Office. When he next the return
1t had been opened and altered that which had been
given Culkin's vote 800 was altered to the
rect figure t270. In district referred to Mr. Hall
received for Mayor 3l5 votes Mr.. Conkling 130 II
the vote given for Mr.. Haviiand for Assistant Alder
man be added to that said to be given for Culkin
will found that Cnlkin would have received los
votes than the democratic candidate for Mayor
On this point the counsel for Mr. MCVeaney laid great
stress arguing that II would be very difficult to
understand now Mr.. Culkin has run seventy or
eighty ahead OF gentleman so unexceptionabe. so
pure and SO popular az the democratic candidate
for Mayor. That was paradox on the face or It,
The canvassers OF the district were summoned to
appear before the Board but they did not obey the
summons, and the case was closed the chairman
announcing that the committee would report at
early day.
protest was received from james Mahon against
the canvassng Of the votes OF the Fourth and Fifth
districts OF the Thirteenth ward for School Trustee,
charging that the votes cast for Mahon credited
to Joseph J. Eery. The protestant did not adduce
any evidence to substanate his claim and the
was closed.
| Valentine Mack and Bernard K. Murphy protested
severaly against the canvassing OF the vote IN the
Twenty-si district OF the Twentieth ward on the
ground that the ballot boxes had been removed from
the polling place, and both asserted that they could
prove they had received much larger vote In that
district than the returns gave them credit for and
that gross frauds were committed IN that district al
the election Mr. Mack was candidate for School
Trustee and Mr.. Murphy for Assistant Alderman.
The committee decided to reject afidavits offered
| AZ testimony, and insisted on having the witness
presented for oral and cross-examnation. Further
proceedings In the matter were adjourned until noon