Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-01-24
O'CONNOR'S REPLY.
CARD FROM THE CITY CLERK.

The Charges of the Grand Jury--How the
Poll Lists are Reptile Has Allowed Cit
liens to Inspect and Judges to Keep them,
but Denies Anything Wrong.
TO the Public and members of the late
Grand Jury:
enter my solemn protest against being
held responsible to the charge of tanpering
with the poll lists of November 1876.
The present construction of the law is that
any citizen has the right to take said books
into his possession for the purpose of copy
ing, etc.
also, as an American citizen protest
against the language used by the Grand Jury.
1t sounds like persecution. Gentlemen, the
man who wrote that report had malice in
him. Some one has written it an honorable |
Grand Jury. | think it must have been as |
Brutus ac0s honorable. Who were your wit |
nesses, gentlemen? James Starkey and |
James w. Fisher, ex-aldermen, were your |
principle ones, both of whom were discharg-
ed from the city service with at least very
grave suspicious of their honesty.
Who ever heard such dramatic report,
heralded, as it were, by the flourish Of
trumpets and the sound of timbrels ? You
might suppose it taken from one of Beech
er's sermons, calculated to give man all
the Hell you can on earth for fear there
was none to be had hereafter. Is that the
iron hand of justice in silken glove No,
gentleman, it sounds more like the snap of
| a dragons tooth. Talk about Indictment
don't you think / would rather be indicted
| where l could meet the scoundrels face to
face who attempted to destroy my charac-
| ter
| The Grand Jury intimate that they find a
| prSna fucie case against me, but snch is not
the fact. Do the public know that that those
books were made in November 1876, and
| that those same books were in the hands of
two different sets of Judges of Election, for
| ten days at time in each case, viz: The
spring election of May, 1877, ten days; the
bond election of june 1877, ten days; and
men had the said books previous to said
elections for the purpose of making private
lists for canvassing purposes. I appeal to
any man of common sense if he would like
to be held responsible for those books or
their contents, under such circumstances.
1t is true that some of Mr.. Starkey's evil
dence is correct, but there is nothing in it to
prove that committed wrong. 1t is true
the grand jury say could hardly be wholly
ignorant; but after all, grand juries are only
men.
With the help of God, a system that tries
a man and takes witnesses from his enemies
only, will soon be abolished. The manner
of Mr.. Starkeys evidence is very incorrect
if the article in the Pioneer Press of the DIST
inst. is a fair specimen.
The fact is, [ treated Mr.. Starkey in a
civil manner, and while refusing him the
books, I told him he could find a copy in
, the County Auditors Office. 1t is not likely
| would advise him to copy books that
knew to be different from the published lists
OF the fact that advised Mr.. Starkey t.
go to the Auditors office, he maliciousl,
says nothing.
then consulted the City Attorney, and ht
informed me that had no right to prevent
citizens from copying the poll lists.
!, What the attorney said, and the fact tina
others had copied such books before, mad,
me think that had made a mistake.
then invited Mr.. Starkey to copy tn
l books.
In connection with which Mr.. Starkey i
reported to have said That the 18th ward pol
books were missing, and that they were sub
:. sequently returned. He takes care not t.
J explain that informed him that said book
s, were in the hands of gentleman to copy
: : on the written order of 18th ward alderman
AOW SOuAA CAO 04dllNA Jul 1CCOuCAO t0CIAi
selves to the assertion that there was conniv
ance at wrong in my Office, when they hav
not one iota of proof of such being the case
s If the books were tempered with, does it folio,
/ that knew anything about them, while an
) one who pleases have the RICH
y to take the poll lists at any time
: Should the City Clerk be held responsible
). the same as if said books were under seal,
Z this law is friend? Town clerks hay
reason to pray the Lord, to protect them frol
. such friend.
q I would much rather the Grand Jury ha
. indicted me, as I would then have had an OF
q portunity to place the facts in regard to tt
# matter before jury of the country-an
j with all the facts before the public have Il
IL fear for the result. Men who have know
me for nearly quarter of century will |
10th to believe that I have been guilty of an
q crime. My comrades in the army, who fl
/ four years were with me every day, in can,
y and on the battlefield, can answer as
e. whether my name was ever coupled with
q dishonorable act.
. shall demand of the Common Council
"a rigid and thorough examination into all ii
facts Of this, for my own yindication as We
a. as theirs.
g. M. J. O'CoNNoR,