New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-03-15
BROOKLYN REFORM.
MASS MEETING AT THE ACADEMY or MUsfC-PI-
NAL REPORTS OF THE COMMITTEE OF SEW
ENTY-fPEECHEs or FRANKLIN WOODRUFF,
GEN. WOODFORD, AND OTHERS

held at the Academy OF Music last evening. the
reports Of the Committees appointed investigate the
frauds committed at the last election and TO devise
legislative measures fox securing honest elections and
local administration In the future. Franklin Woodruff
Chairman OF the Committee OF seventydve, presided.
and among those upon the platform were Gen. Wood
ford samasl Booth, A. A Low, J. >. T. Stranahau. the
Hon Thomas KIsella, W. W. Goodrich, T. j. Whitlock,
ami r. N. Whiting. Dir. Woodruff on taking the chair
spoke "a follows
FELLOW CITIZENS: At the great and enthusiastic mass
meeting held VI this building Nov. TO- you appointed
COMMITTEE OF Forty, with power tO increase Their
number. to Investigate the frsuds that had been com
M tted against the ballOtbOX, at the election st aah
and 10 take such measures ~ might DC heces,
sary to bring the perpetrators To justice ah1
prevent repetition Of similar frauds IN the thtre' aug
thus to their dearest and most sacred
rights. Your Committee promptly organized, selected
their officers and appointed subcommittee, rom wheA
you will have full reports tonight. After careful
investigation and canvass OF the Western District OF
Brooklyn, we have found that not less than 1920 Illegal
votes were polled az tho annual election In November
last Some Of these volatOrs OF the Law have been con,
victed and punished. Others have been indicted. aud
vinoed that some stringent measures were
frauds, your Committee. after full consideration.
have reported new Registry law but to give force To
IT, provisions L is necessary to amend the City Charter
Both these bills, with others OF scarcely less import
ance are now before the Legislature and trust
VIII soon be passed Your Committee have gwen
much time and labor to this work and have now
come come before you 70 report what 81, thes
forward with this noble work OF reform with renewed
determination and not To- cease IN your efforts until the
measures now before the Legislature carried and the
Government OF Brooklyn given back to the people.
GApplause.l
THE REPORTS.
The following report OF tAe Executive Committee was
submitted:
10 ~ Ctrl' n Brooty- The Committee Of sereu,y6vr ap
fraud. in e reeSst eIeetop !. mint he coraa.i1 % IL @ cear,
he ia,es1 ballot, pesea' any eaaa
da;o n fairly eee from prolLn By frauds appeal
legislature for such speedy relief as might he 10 grant, 70
ends Of usace as might be f5uad neelfi, respectful,
report That IL prosecuting the duties assaei TO them LEY
legislative Committee Executive COMMITTEES. Financial Com
cations sufficient rui4 committed at tie last election developed
I11 se T ss u naI-5 se e.Ps-1ei.' Tor TIE p1rpo Of
me irantge.t vote est aud ~ ~" oiaAits The perltl
press Of las. Mouday, furnishes IN detail account
Of fraud by voters in,ueor c.nTsse AID cer.;
ey'Hees m ,.9ls alton 1Aa sa been .ee' possible,
rrgsi'y law e1 Hh saa s1oT ,molf p,oe.a The honest
fsu4 have been :ol,c aa paaa The Informed Tia.
inr-acaton Of fraG slope bad been the osc. Of the
Committee the they can claim to have unear.lei
enolsh = arouse every h9oe't voter Of whatever party
Law. or tn ballot VII be SIMPLY in Gaas corrupt
lsPe AIRED and forr a S09 an F s ua ia
fsPSras % the geoPli Of ~; s . from whom 1o5 "a, 49,
favor Of the passage Of that law The Committee haze a' e tat
such amendments ~ e City Cart a. shall abol al special ia
E s o hen .s - T. go, y ,-, ' ,s- H. g
Zee aesi that thorough ersn alton 0 che provisions try have
Your Committee hit thef 4oos have cot been vain. bat in
closing tbs brief review they e' u y 'ha =aca - hs eial
datv 70 perform from ~teh h. cannot be- abso 10 ant bun
self via pubic ataTs "a -O1 pu,c servants a. stnc, sonaOi ~
"u.s Of Pablo r.. a. an os,rigc .sG aert $50 e the
offender IL a The s-1s q hs :, Eer h@ 15' q sfus' far
by witch determined people can secure and mai ta their
The report Of the Prosecuting Committee was read |
giving detail IL abOr~ in collecting testimony prose
mine the extent Of the election frauds The Legislative
Committee submiteda report recounting Us proceed
amended Charter. John ". Hunter, Treasurer, pre-.
sented financial statement, showing that 5000 mad
been contributed, and $3.50 SO expended, leaving
balance OF $40 Ga The various reports we're approved
by the meeting and series of strong resolutions were
adopted:
The Hon. Demas Barnes and Col. A. G. Davis made
brief addresses after which Gen. Stewart L. WoOdford
was introduced He spoke "a follows:
SPEECH OF GIN. wOoDFORD.
At this late hour sh-u b. very brief but wish to
call your attention 10 ono or two significant facts
First, the OF the city has demonstrated that
nearly 1900 fraudulent votes were put INTO the
baotboxs at election last November but that does
not begin 70 measure The raIds IL does not estimate
the votes that changed after they went into the
balotbOxes or the attentions ia the returns made by
the Inspectors and ClHya'sets aIter tie boxes had
votes than to poll them. In this way it took
less money with fewer corrupt election officers TO make
Your city to-day IS bound hand and f0oJ;
You do not own yourselves; three or four
secondary positions few hundred in tie third rank,
and then these poor fellows 10 are bought for glass
OF whisky u DO the terrible work that men living III
brown-st0Ee houses either Organize, or wink at,
and are morally responsible for You have
Bro or the County Of Kings elected at The last
election whose majority eqIaed TIE fraudulent votes
were either changed falsely returned. You do not
to-day whether there city Qrcounty oihclal who
is Ia Office by the voice Of the people, wisn 70 cal
the District Attorneys attention % the fact that there
ar 80 indicted nearly two years ago TOR frauds on
the ballot box who to-day untied and that several
Of them hold official positions either In the
city or county and more than t thati there there
the balotbox last Autumn who are not yet tried II
Dis'rict-Atorney Brtton shall pursue these men to
sce and conviction, the ctzens u Brooklyn VIII say
God bless yOu and 1. h. does not 60 IT, the inevitable
deduction must remain with him during the balance Of
his off ia Ire This theft OF woes more Terrible than
Won can realize. When look back through th, years
that are gone and think what has been sutered'or tns
nation; when think Of the comrades VINO were with
me in the snow, comrades OF both political parties
who died that We might remain a nation; and
inc oii- Government | almost wonder that the light
min - Heaven 10 not fall and strike them IN their very
have the certificates which they obtained BY fraud, and
me commtiee Of seventydve though it has been
abe to unelrtn some OF their frauds does not seem
You must bury party. "hen man coIrupts
a ballo'-bOx IN primary eectIon you must
drive hm from Your political associa,ioL; Ian, ana rom
political place and power IOu canhot auord 70 pun
men ia your general committees or either party VINO
are branded as having violated the election
laws lkpplausel The old Republican party 10 which
I belong founded upon right and liberty,
appau-c and In its holy name no such crime should
b. committed, and ia representatives, should scGurge
from their midst any man who !ays ms pointed
hand upon the bgllotbOX For the other
marty / am not entitled To speak, but
believe the honest men In my own party have deter
mined to make 1t pure and II We cannot purify It, We
will march ont, bag and baggage, and organize party
that snail be pure tApplause.I .
Dis,ricAttOrney Briton, In response to loud calls
made . short address denOuucing the election frauds
and promising II the citizens would join In crushing out
irlnd aud wrong the balOt-box he would cooperate
with them IN correcting the cvils.
A resolution adopted asking the Committee 10 con
time t. organization behalf OF the citizens. Col. A.
Low ami Samuel McLeOn also addressed the meeting,
%. I.r.n alalnMce gIaGML.LY AlspeIa.l;