The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-12
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1874.
TEE CHECK LssT.

Ts5E CslEC< LsSI'.
1t is stated that the check list OF voters.
used on the day of the general election in
September, shows that the names OF twelve
hundred and forty-six (2iG) voters had
been checked "before the polls closed at
three oclocN--that is, of course, before or
at the time that the polls for town repre-
sentative were first closed, the other boxes
remaining open until five o'clock. We do
not see very well how this could be So
We do not pretend TO doubt the statement
that the check list appears so Ho'c, but tce
are sure snch acos net Tie case at or ABOUT
fee minutes after tire 0'cloch IN the dtte''-
noon Of the first Tuesday Of September, that
is five minutes after the ''boX was turned
and the counting Of votes for town repre-
sentative commenced. In the way in
which the names of voters were checked,
it would seem impossible to tell, the next
day, whether votes were polled before or
after three O'Clock. We are sure, how
ever. that at three o'clock, or iice minutes.
or ,hcreabou,s thereafter. on that after
noon, being just about the time the opera
zion Of counting the votes for town repre-
sentative was commenced only e'ecen Ian
6re1 names icere checIe1 oa Me cheek
-rt state of facts-and we again say that
We have no reason to doubt the truth of u @
statement, save only tie ''miXed' way II
which ua,ios were ci,eckcd-thc altcrati
must have been made or additional names
checked since that time. We will briefly
state the reasons why we are 50 sure that
VuW eley.a hiandFed nan had been check
cd at the time named. when the "hoX
was Uimcd,' number It gentlemen were
discussing 'b. que Ill, or, rather, guess
iur' rs to tae nun.lei OF votes actually
,.t. As he highest ana lowest number
OF these "gut .ses" were some four or five
hunlred yotes apart. we determined 20 OBJ
,riu accara,e information. We approach
ed one Of the boxes aud obtained f'oln the
officer there guts.' cr csiinSt,. Upon
going TO the.box in charge Of JOHN A,Shcl-
don, first seleoimnn. lie informed u taal
lie had counted Tie lanes checked on the
list in his charge since three ocl0cG, and
that there were exactly flee hundred and
ftty Names Checked lie, or someone stand
lag near asked how many persons bed
voted at the other polling place to which
we gave The estimate there received. It
was said that there must he some mistake,
and We. tLcreupOn, volunteered 10 obtain
the exact number. We Immediately re-
paired TO the other polling place, where the
box was then in charge of o. L. Robbins,
and the names checked We're counted by
him and some other person whose name we
10 Ne. recall in our presence, and the re-
suit showed that exactly .Roe hnadrcl and
fHy names had been, also, there ch ckod
prior to three o'clock the same nu'uuer in
both places, or eifrea AuaGrCd In al. We
conyerscd with several gentlemen John
A. Sheldon and j. Grafton Griggs being
among me nuinOer-Iel''iNe W viz IT,
markable coincidence there was in the fact
of the same number of voters voting al
each place. We think that we mentioned
the fact to our friend Mr.. Pettengill, editor
of the Herald, but We are not sure in re-
ference thereto. Soon thereafter, we took
seat on the stage, near the place where
the votes were being counted, and in The
course of conversation with several gen.
tlemen we stated to them that only eleven
hundred votes had been polled, as appear
ed by the check list. While thus en-
gagged in conversation, someone approach
ed us, from the direction OF the table
where the votes were being counted, ant
gave the number OF votes j. J. II. Randall
n. F. Page and those called scattering
the counting of those Tor Governo
Page, as We understood, not having beer
completed. Upon adding up the number
it was remarked by ourself or some o
those with whom we were conyersing tina
if the statement of the opposition vote wa
correct, there was no choice and secon
ballot would be necessary and sue
proved to be the case. There is no dout
about these facts, but what object anyon
should have TO tamper with the cheek lis
after election, we cannot see. The onl
explanation of the larger number of name
checked we can think of, is that in th
hurry and excitement of the second an
third ballots, voters names were checked
the wrong place. We know that the la
was not complied with in other respects
checking the names OF voters ms they vote
and il mistakes should occur in one r.
-peci, the probabilities are that they woul
in subsequently, when excitement W,
Mt fever heat in some quarters.