The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-01-20
LOCAL POLITICS.
The Duell-Clark Contest in the Hhir-
tenth District.
A N T TIA M M A N Y.
Preparing to Form Stronger Coalition
Against the Wigwam.

As 10 we'll known, Mr. John Clark was supposed to
have been elsctcd the Assembly from the Thr-
teeuth Assembly district OF this city, his vote by
the ocial fourteen in excess Of that cast
for his opponent Mr.. Charles II. DusiL Mr. Clark
took his seat and In the regular OF events Mr.
DusI entered protest and began formal contest
OF the seat IL Is said that Mr. John /.
Davenport instigatod this movement OF Mr..
DueIrs, he seeing an opportunity 70 unseat . Tam
many member Of the Legislature Whether this b.
correct not IL Is certain that Mr. Davenport has
acted counsel to Mr.. Dues attorney, Mr.. Lewis
u Post. OF this city, in the contest. the majority 70
be overcome was small, and while NO charge Of re-
psating ballot box studug has been made II pro-
posed TO show that more than fourteen persons voted
Tor Clark whose naturalization was illegal II is a
convenient reopening the old charges Of
wholesale illegal naturalization 1868. and
mony taken yesterday pciore the Committee ON Con
tested Seats all boro the of the alleged frauds
OF that year in the Supreme and Superior courts
this CITY.
TIE SESSION OF THE COMMITTEE.
The sitting OF The committee yesterday was At the
Ashland House, In this city for simple reason. The
contest duly begun In Albany, AUS already been
reported, but CIark's counsel Mr. Matthew Hale, IN
sisted that Due should furnish list OF his Witnesses
70 the committee aud complete statement Of the al
OF the alleged fraud To this proposition Duelrs at
torney, Mr.. LOWS +. Post, objected on tho ground
that no furnished list oil his witnesses IL would be
An easy matter opponent TO spirit them away
spirited debate this point followed and It was at
length settled that q list OF certain class OF
nsmed-tha. they might w spirited away
and sitting OF The committee for The purpose OF
yesterday IN this city II began at uine A. NJ At the
Ashland House. and continued, with recess Tor din-
nsr. until hAli-past tive 7. ~ There were present
the Chairman, George L.. Terry, OF Washington
county. aud Mussrs L. B. Kern, OF Madison county;
Hamilton Fish, Jr. OF Putnam county; G. d. Pres
cot Of Oneida county, and Joseph +. otrack Of New
York. NessrA Snerburne Piper, OF Niagara county
and G. l.. Granam were both absent, leaving Mr..
Strack the only representative OF the democratic
party present Besides the members, Witnesses aud
reporters there present largo crowd OF polit
more or less directly Interested IN Inc result OF
In all twenty.three Witnesses were examined, and
the stenographers notebook we'll filled WITH the
testimony taken, much OF when WAS repetition aud
nero formal proof requisite 10 the case but OF little
interest 10 the public. -Four clerks oil the Supreme
and superior courts were first examined to
The forinalltlss OF the law in the naturalization
Of citizens those courts, and the witnesses
we're then called who were relied upon to
provo the frauds. II is understood taat the
su hs
pare sntdavis beforehand embracing the testimony
the witnesses were expected 10 give In one instance
led TO ludlcrous occurrences. John Mckeon, OF
NJ 304 West twentieth street, produced his natural
ization papers on when he had voted aud winch
alleged 10 be fraudulent, and alter this part of his
evidence had been duly recorded the entire Salts
faction Mr. Duel and his lawyers. he asked for
whom he nad voted at tho last election for the
Assembly.
"For Mr. Duen," said the witness ooey, and
storm Of laughter followed, IN which tho whole COM
mttec joined.
Mr.. davenport displayed with an air OF triumph .
paper which no said was AN affidavit OF McKeon, to
lie effect that he had voted Ivr Clark, and wanted
tnat entered on tho minutes Of the committee. 10
this ne opposing counsel naturally objected that Mr.
Davenport should not be allowed to discredi his own
Witness. The affidavit was, however, admitted,
though McKeon attempted TO explsin 1t by saying
that Two men had gwen hm paper sigp, and that
he had signed IT without knowing what It was, The
inference beng that It was this sfldaviL
several the witness sworc tney could neither
read write. anu that they asked Al the polls for
''straght Tammany ticket" and eiven tickets by
mon whom they know us Tammany men. Several OF
them over twenty-one years old when they came
70 this country, but 1t appeared from their papers
that they had used the 'minor certificate blanks"
aud IN majority OF these cases it WIS claimed Oy
Dueli that the adavits both tho witnesses and OF
the applicants Ivr naturalization wore made by
the parties whose names are signed, put by other
II claimed that the whole paper is written by the
persons VINO hlled out The blanks In quite number
OF II appeared that the whose state
ments appeared the uppl certifying the
facts required by The Naturalization law not the
witnesses taken to the Court ny tho applicants who
testified yesterday that their votes helped elect
Ciark), and some the papers wore without
tho statements Oi such witnesses. Some Of the
nesses sw0re that they did not remember having
sworn TO n Remuneration oil their allegiance to a
foreign Power, and somc lid not remember having
sworn AZ all.
SOME IRREGULARITIES.
An irreguariy Is also claimed that the afidavits
not taken before the County Clerk but
to be IN his name, whereas Ia reality they SAID
have been taken IN his name by clerks In hts ONCE
who had right to act IN his stead Dir. Duell
claims that the County Clerk had right appoint
more than one general deputy and that nc could
mot depuiIze or authorzs any SPECIAL deputy
~ take the affidavit, aud that any NATURALIZATION
tounoed on illegal papers Is a nuity., He further
claims that in cases where tho FIRST application
tho subject going court and conforming with the
formalities required BY law. These iormalitios
that the applicant shall testify In court that he
has duly declared his intention TO become citizen,
aud That he has been a resilient oil the
try Tor AZ least three years before the umo
oil his application, ana that he Is resident OF the
state in which he applies aud renoupces all allegiance
to any foreign Power aud especially to hat sovereignty
to which he formerly owed allegiance. He must then
produce who shall testify that he has known
the applicant Tor i've years a reputable citizen On
the Court being satisfied OF those naturaliza-
tion papers issued.
All tho witnesses produced their naturalization
papers under tho regular seal Of the Court except
Pairick Mulvey who mad lost his but mad COPIES.
II was asserted Incidentally IN tue testim ony That
IN september and October, 1868 manly IN Ociober)
Court and that between October and October 70 OF
Inc same year TO- 900 persons were naturazed the
Supreme Court.
Mr. Duelrs case will DO continued before tho com.
mitto tomorrow morning.
TIE ANrI-rAMMANY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
The Executive Committee OF the anti-Tammany or
ganzaton met last evening al No I'll Fourth avenue
Emanuel b. Hart, the Chairman, presiding Ex-Sena-
tor Bxby offered resolution that tho charmcn oil the
General and Executive committees DO requested to
order election OF members OF the General Commit
toe the New YORK County Democracy for tho present
year, ana untn their duly elected that
the chairman designate three persons act super
visors OF kuch election in each Assembly district
Judge Murray moved TO table the resolution, add
ing that he thought would nrst be advisable to ap
point committee, whose duty It would DO 10 make
an honest effort to unite all conflicting democratic eie-
msnts against Tanmany Hail. He did not he said,
mean any offence by moving to table tho resolution,
but thought IL was better 6rst 10 consult with all de.
cent democrats TO further tho formation OF organ-
xuton winch could ut the proper time present ticket
that would com mand the conndonce OF the people.
Alter some further remarks by Mr. Bixby, Timothy
She's. DR.. Mcrson AID other members OF tho COM