The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1874-11-21
SUSPICIOUS.

nection with the election returns
from St. James and Ascension par.
ishes, which demands the fullest in
vestigation and indubitable evidence
of clean intentions from the parties
concerned to clear their skirts of the
imputation of attempting to falsify
the vote of the people of this Sena-
torial District.
Last Monday the Supervisor OF
Registration and Clerk of the Court
of st. James parish were arrested in
q house on Rampant street, under
peculiar circumstances, by virtue of
warrants issued by U. S. Commits
sioner Craig. When the gentleman
intrusted with the execution of the
warrants entered the room occupied
by the officials named, those persons
were busily engaged in making out
a statement of the result of the St.
James election. On the table at
which they sat were tally sheets, re-
turn blanks, the seal of the Clerks
Eotfice, ETC., and several thousand of
what were known as the "Bovee
tickets" being the same kind as
those voted by the adherents of the
Bovee faction in our neighboring
parish. 1t is said that when the ar
rest was made the parties showed
great CONSERVATION, but shortly
avowed that they were simply en-
gagged in preparing duplicate copy
of the consolidated statement
which the law requires shall be re-
tanned by the Supervisor, and which,
under misrepresentation of the stat
ute, had not been previously made.
The presence of the seal was explained
by the assertion that it had been
brought to the city for repairs, and
the tickets in the room were said to
be portion of a large lot ordered by
MIR. Bovee but not delivered by the
printer in time to be shipped to St.
James. While it is not clear that the
original return of the Supervisor was
In the hands of these parties-we be-
lieve receipt was produced to show
that it had been placed in the pos
session OF the Returning Board-and |
while we do not venture to make the
assertion that fraud was being per
petrated, yet it can not be denied
that the matter has a strange look
and that a less suspicious mode of
procedure might have been adopted
II it was only sought to repair an in
advertent dereliction of official duty
which no harm could have accul ed
from and no serious blame been at
tached to even if generally known
by the public.
we have been assured by parties
and indirectly interested that
no foul play was intended by the Off
Gals arrested, and we were ready to
believe in their innocence despite. the
singular aspect Of the transaction. es-
,ecially when the Canvassing Board
the st. James package of
'eturns and found that they had not
'een tempered with; but rumor
zones to us which, if true, will firmly
us and the people that there !
5 a foul conspiracy on foot to subvert l
he popular will as expressed through
he ballot-box. The CHIEF is not l
rome to jump at conclusions without J
aving at least plausible suppositions !
pom which to base them, and we |
imp at no conclusion now but when
lwyer Whitaker expresses an inten- \
ion of asking an inspection of the {
scension package, because he has =
cen informed its contents has been T
| the possession Of the same parties r
no were accused of doctoring the K
'turns from st. James, we suggest s.
inquiry into the affair-one ,,
lat will either demonstrate to a GER 81
lnty that dirty work is on the tapis s.
effectually exulpate the accused 81
'rties from the damaging suspicious St
at have attached to their deport- r.
ent. 1t is of the greatest Importance T.
the Republican party that the per- ',
tration of such outrages as those y, y
eyed to have been attempted with W
e st. James and Ascension returns '"
d acctually committed in the case
the Carroll parish returns, should
ren6eral i,nnnc,;ll> ol A.. IL