Omaha daily bee., 1877-11-14

rSllroadsln New YORK City last Tues
day. We have also chronicled the sig
nal rebuke administered to these bull
dozers by the voters of the Sth New
York Senatorial district. And now
the true inwardness Of the political
horse railroad campaign has leaked
out through the New York papers.
The New York Tribune of the 9th
priats an interview with Thomas
Ecclesine, the successful candidate.
aud also with Henry A. Newell, SUI
pc 'iitendert Of the horse railway.
Each gave his own version, but Mr..
Newell's denial is within itself the
most remarkable exposure Of the In
famies OF political railroading that
has eve appeared in print.
Mr.. Ecclesine said that he had
in in his possession legal proof that
four street railroad companies, the
Second, Third, Seventh and Eighth
Avenue lines, had interfered with
the preferences Of their employees,
and had attempted to force them to
vote against him. Mr. Ecclesine
continued: al say that I have legal
proof concerning these four, and L
suspect the Sixth Avenue and the
Belt Line. They were only partially
successful, 1t is true, but 1 believe
that their action lost me altogether
1000 votes. The most systematic at
tempts to compel employees to vote
against me were made by the Sew
enth Avenee Company. They sent
their men out two by two, excusing
them from their work. A starter
went with each pair, and he Kept
the tickets in his own hands until
he had brought them before the
poll boxes. Then, when they could
not get other tickets, he put the
BiXoy tickets in their hands The
president OF the Second Avenue
Company discharged about 100
hands a short time ago, and put III
their places men who could be de-
pended on to vote against me. Now,
/ say L have proof Of these things,
and I mean by proof, legal proof,
which will hold in court. I have
already taken steps to punish these
offenders under the statute"
And now let us read the version
OF the horse railway managers.
Henry A. Newell, the Superin-
tendent, who made the arrange
ments with the men to vote, ex-
plains the action of the company to
be perfectly legitimate and honore-
BILE. To a Tribune reporter, last
evening, he said that the company
employed about 500 men. A large
proportion of them areignorant, aud
some could not read. 1t was Gus
tomary for many OF the mel every
year to ask for tickets, so that they
could vote in the interests OF the
company. They were affiliated
with no party and had no
preference for any candidate.
This year IL Wos important to the
company that EccLesine should not
be elected. In former years the
men were told that they could get
ballots IN the Office. This election
q bulletin was posted informing the
men that they must get their tickets
IN the Office before voting. On the
morning of election they were tod
the company vas in favor of Bixby
for Senator, and would like its m
ployes to vote for him. "There was
no COERCION" said Mr.. Newell.
"Every man was allowed to vote as
he pleased, and every man did vote
according to his judgment. We
thought some OF the workers for
Tammany Hall might substitute
Ecclesine's tickets for Bixby's, and
some OF the men Wotdd not Eaow the
difference. Accordingly a some
what educated man was sent to see
thst they were not cheated"
"Ail that has been said about the
me1 being compelled to vote" con-
tinued Mr.. Newell, ais absolutely
false.u
Mark Mr.. Newell's confession.
This year it was important to the
that Eccleslne should not
be elected. Why wss it important ?
Because Ecclesine was known 10 be
in favor Of relieving the City OF
New York from the Horse Railroad
Monopoly. A bulletin was posted
on the companies premises on elec-
ton day informing the men, icon
ductors and drivers, that they must
get their tickets at the office before
voting They were told the compa-
ny was in favor of B;xby for Sena.
tor and would like its employees to
vote for him. This was no coercion.
1t was only a sly hint.
Every man was allowed to vote as
he pleased, but a comewhat edu-
Gated man was sent with them to
see that they were not cheated.
About twenty of the most stupid OF
these men did not understand the
hint aud they refused to let the
somewhat educated man do their
They were promptly dis
charged and this hint had the de-
sired effect on the other men. There
wss no coercion, no intimidation
everything was honorable and le-
climate, of course.