Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-11-09

word combats, and in some instances fist
were levelled and heads punched in the goot
old fashion so dear to democracy. Many mei
deposited their ballots for the first time since
the war, and it may fairly be said that Sc
large vote from the best classes of the city
was never brought out before. The store.
were closed and the masters plainly told theil
men it was their duty to vote. Prominent
among those that remained open were the
downtown and uptown stores of A. T. Stew
art & Co. Several employees of this and
other stores declared that the amount of bust
ness transacted was miserably below the mark
of running expenses. Scarcely any of the
usual style of trade was touched at all. The
day generally throughout the city was very
quiet and but slight disturbances occurred.
In the fifth senatorial district Norton's sup
porters evidently dreaded fair vote. They
knew that with fair play Benedict, the reform
candidate, would be successful, and accord
ingly instructions went forth to nullify Mr..
Benedicts votes by increasing Nortons ap-
parent majority, as follows: Norton had
his ballots printed on very thin paper, SO that
three or more folded together would appear
as one ballot, and the voter having been pre-
viously supplied with these handed them to
the inspector, who no doubt was well aware of
the trick resorted to. As the ballots were
made twice the ordinary length on presenta-
ton to the inspectors they were at once re-
cognized as Norton's and deposited in the
box. In one case a voter was detected in the
act of folding three ballots together and then
handing them to the inspector. In another
case ballot was discovered containing six of
Norton's tickets. In the face of these facts
it is safe to assume that large proportion of
the ballots cast for Norton are fraudulent.
Early in the day the ring dropped Ledwith,
and by eleven o'clock every Tammany man
was busy distributing Barrett posters in the
18th ward.
The only disturbance that occurred took
place in the 25th election district. John
Reilly, the ring candidate for assistant alder
man, coolly walked up to a gentleman hold
ing reform tickets and dealt him powerful
blow in the face. A general scrimmage en-
sued in which the rufian Reilly's brother,
Barney Reilly, made himself conspicuous by
dealing blows with a heavy club. The police
being in collision with the rowdies of course
made no arrests. very large party of well =
dressed Philadelphia fighters arrived early
and were distributed along the districts.
They were actively engaged in soliciting
votes and drinking New York rum, but were
too closely watched, both by the reform
ers and Philadelphia detectives, for them to
even attempt to vote. The gin-mills were in
full blast during the entire day, not the
slightest observance being paid in any part of
the district to the excise law. Indeed it was
no uncommon sight to see one or two Tam
many policemen joining their ring friends in
repeated libations at a neighboring bar.
The German vote, which in this election
has been heavier than on any previous &C.
casion, was as expected cast for the reform
ticket, with the exception of small clique
of Tammany otfice-holders, led by Magnus,
Gross, DR.. Merkle and others, who, by their
perfdious attempt to commit the German de-
mocracy to the Tammany ring, were spoken
of with contempt by all classes OF German,
throughout the city. The French citizens
| numbering about 2500 voters, gave full
vote, and concentrated the same on the re.
form ticket, with the exception that in the
presence of the action of the French Demo-
cratic Central club they voted for Alker as
judge of the marine court in place of the re-
form candidate, Spauldng.