New-York tribune., 1876-12-30
THE OREGON STORY WILDLY TOLD.


,ourt made a call of courtesy on the President.
THE OREGON STORY VIVIDLY TOLD.
INSCRIPTION BY MR. oDELL, A REPUBLICAN ELECroR,
OF THE SCENES AT The MEETING OF THE
ELECTORAL COLLEGE.
TBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, Dec. 29-The Senate Committee on
Privileges and Elections began the examination OF
witnesses in the Oregon case to-day. Watts, Odell
and Cartwright, the Republican electors of that
State; Benjamin Simpson, SurveyOr-General of
Oregon; George Steele, chairman of the Oregon
State Republican Committee, and Stephen Chad
wick Secretary of State, arrived here yesterday
morning. Chadwick and Odell were partially ex-
smned to-day. Odel testified substantially as fol-
lows. his statement being the best connected his
tory of the Oregon case that has yet been given
Dr. Watts one Of the Republican candidates on the
electoral ticket Of Oregon, the 9TH OF November
last postmaster Of Lafayette Oregon and for few days
Afterwards; bat before Nov Is his resignation was ac-
eepted. About the middle Of last month Watts and
Clen two OF the Republican electors, called upon MI
Chadwick Secretary Of State, and asked him When ne
intended TO the vote OF the State requesting a
the same time that the Republican electors might be
present and witness it. Mr. Chadwick nader objection
70 this and subsequently informed them that the can
yass would be made Dec. A. az D. m AT that tne tne
Republican electors present. with about hty other
the presence OF Gov Grover and che vote announced as
follows Odell, 15,2O6; Cartwright, 1924; Watts,
152O6; Laswe 14,149; Klippel, 14,136, and Cronin'
14157 The Cooper ticket had about $40 votes.
After the result had been announced Gov. Grover said
that protest had filed against issuing cert1eate
10 Mr. Watts and that he proposed to hear an argument
upon that question: and would sit in the supreme
Court room at 1890 the next day for that purpose
AT that time Senator Kelly appeared with Others pre-
ped to argue the case at great length on the paIto vi
The Democrats. The Republicans made no argument
but filed protest against the assumption by the Gov
ernor OF judicial powers in attempting to pass upon MT
Watss eligibility In the protest they cited the law ana
the nreeedents as they understood them which their
objections were based Senator Kelly and the other
attorneys continued their argument from 1o3O iii the
morning until IL O'Clock at night
A PRECONCBRTED PLAN.
On the day the canvass was made, and Immediately
after Gov Grover announced that lie would hear argu
ments the Republicans prepared written demand CIT
,ng the statute OF Oregon authority and asserting
that the Secretary Of state should make out at once two
certificates of election and deliver them to the Repub-
cans about whose success there no question: attach
ing TO them his signature and the seal Of the State and
that he should present them to Gov Grover for his sig
nature This request was handed to the Secretary OF
State at his residence on the same evening" and ne agreed
70 furnish the certificates the next morning. When
called upon the next day he still declined, giving rs
reason that the Ind the tabulated statement IN
his Office promised to do IL as soon as ne coud pro-
cure copy OF the statement which he thought would be
by noon Of that day At noon he still postponed
making ont the certificates for the same reasons
given in the morning In the evening he promised that
be would certainly furnish the certificates by 10 O'Clock
the next morning At about IL o'clock on the morning
OF the 9Th the Republican candidates for electors called
at the executive office the purpose Of having an in
teryew with the Governor. Gov. Grover replied that
his office was occupied, but that he would find room
for them and showed them to a committee room open
De out of the Senate ChaDber In the Capitol building
When asked when and where he would furnish the
electors their certificates, he replied In this room at
The hour of IL to-day" The Republican electors did not
leave the place They discovered evidences OF pre-
concerted action Of some sort between Gov Grover ana
The Secretary of State and Patrick Cronln About hall
past IL the Secretary State formally delivered the
room in which they TO the Republican electors
saying that it was their room and that the Key
was in the door. He said it was customary
for the electors TO have room to themselves
and that they had right TO control IL in their own way
Before noon Laswell, Klppel, and Cronin came into
the room, and the doOr-there being only ODe-was
closed Just as clock struck IL some KIND OF
signal was given on the outside Of the door, 1t consisted
Of short, quick rap. The Republican electors had
observed that Cronin watched the town clock which
could be plainly seen from the room and that moment
before 12 he went toward the door, leaned his back
against the wall beside it, and placed his hand upon the
knob On hearing the signal he opened the door few
inches and received the hands Of the Secretary OF
State through small crack envelope closing the door
Cronn retired few steps into the room, took slip Of
paper ont OF the envelope and read substantially as
follows: This is certify that at election for the
Office of Presidential electors held IN the State OF
Oregon Nov z 1876 W. II. Odel received 15,2O6 votes
&c Cartwright 1924 votes, and f. A. Cronin l4,loI
yoe1 He there stopped short in the reading ana ana
not resume Mr.. Watts requested CrOnin to read the
statement again in order that he might make note OF
the votes CrOnin pnt the paper INTO MS inner coat
pocket Cronin has asserted that Cartwright approached
him with the intention OF snatcng the paper from his
hands This denied by the witness Cronn IS said TO
have held paper very tightly with both hands while
reading it, IL to guard against 1t being laNen Iom
him .
The Repubcan electors then asked Cronin If those
were the certificates from the Governor He said that
vnsy were lie was then requested TO exhibit thcm 10
TIE members OF the college, as they were te properly
OF the college, and that 1t was necessary To produce
them in order that the college should know how to act
: Iis he repeatedly refused to do. Cartwright then
moved that the Republican electors organize the coege
and nominated Mr. Odell as chairman. Mr. Odeli, as
President, then appointed Cartwright as secretary
TIE members OF the college then seated themselves at
table in the center of the room, Cartwright ana Oue
being upon opposite sides, and Cronin at the nght o
Ode aud Watts at odells left. Cronin was aSain re-
ouesed both by the president and ecTetary OF the col
Ige place the certificates the table for Their IN
specuon bat he declined peremptoriiy to do So Cart
wright then moved that be be required by the president
Of the college 10 produce the certificates lhe mouoh
was agreed to- whereupOn the president demanded OF
Cronin that the certificates be handed to tue secretary
Of the college, that they might be read for information
Crouin again peremptOry declined TO produce thein'
and said that he never would
DR. Watts then asked the privilege Of making state
neut 10 the college, which he did substantially as ioi
lows: II was present at the oce oil tine sesetaLy ~ ~