Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-11-24

GARDINER, Nov %.
Mr.. Blaine's home and hopes are buried
beneath the following statement of Globe
Correspondent of the l9th
kennebec county, the home of Mr.. Blaine was as
may be imagined, not entirely exempt from the
methods employed in other portions Of the state.
We present part of the report from one Of the men
who travelled through that region shortly after the
election. Told briefly, the plain story is "a follows !;
X. a. Goodwin of Pittston was greenback candidate
for councillor. He Is authority for the statement
hat L. VI. Goodspeed, trial justice, induced Henry
j. q. Jacknan, youth of nineteen, 10 register and
vote. This Jackuan did, but subsequently, fearing
trouble, he left town. Jackman hada brotherin.law
by the name of Gray also of the age of nineteen Sim
liar inducements were tried to obtain his vote, but
they failed Edgar james OF Pittston, "A greenback-
err was arrested tor stealing watch and fined TO the
amount of $l3, including costs Some friends of his
and members of the greenback party were asked to
pay his fine but they declined However, the fine
paid in some mysterious way. and he got out of his
trouble and voted the republican ticket. Mr.. J. II.
Crowel OF Pitston is said to have been threatened
with foreclosure OF mortgage upon his place II he
did not vote the republican ticket This fact is stated
by I. Fred Gould OF North tison, who stood by and
heard the conversation. Wesley Gordon of the same
town declares that he was offered money for his vote
by the republicans. and Lewis H. Dudley is said to
nave actually received &2.s, for his from whose
name Is given by responsible parties.
Hiram Coy of Gardiner. Is ready to swear that
republican offered him els TO vote as he wanted him
to. Howard Norton offered ton of hay and -,
and his brother, Sam Norton, offered sl0 and
n situation at the state house for his ballot.
Fred Norton had an equally magnanimous proposal
made him of SIS. John POLAND, William Hanson,
Alexander Hanson and a Mr. Blake were actually
paid $5 each to stay away from the polls altogether
A man by the name of Hall was threatened that he
would be turned of the place which he hired Ii he did
not vote the republican ticket. 1t l. related that
Henry Tyler received go from one man and d from
another AS an incentive ovote the republican ticket;
and the stalwart papers may now have chance to
howl over the fact that Tyler went back on both Of
them and voted the greenback ticket.
debt of u man named Paige, in south China, was
en- nsii pf 40 yat
and his son boasts freely of how easily the debt
discharged In China two men named Keller and
Farris were also paid ~ each TO absent themselves
from the polls. Joseph Quincy mas declared, and
will acknowledge 10 any one, that he was offered ~
If he would not vote at all, and he also says that
another man offered him half AN acre of land IL he
would vote with the corrupt crowd of radicals but he
refused.
Mucn more remains to be recorded of this county
which will appear in due season.
The truth was ascertained by your cores
pendent to be as follows:
The Jackman here spoken of, represented
to Mr. Goodspeed that he was legal voter,
and, when asked, joinedthe Republican club;
further than this Mr.. C had nothing to do
with him. This simple statement supported
by II. A. Goodwin's aforementioned above
as the authority for the whole statement
that he did not tell the Globe reporter that
Goo1speed induced Jackman to vote, should
be sufficient. Here it might be well TO say
that Mr.. Goodspeed, in company with the
writer, visited Mr.. Goodwin, and showing
him the article quoted from the Globe, asked
him if he was correctly reported as the au-
thority for the statements At first he denied
that il was a fair repres entation Of what he
said; but later stated that he and Mr.. Dunton,
the greenback candidate for representative,
were interviewed shortly after the election,
but only told the stories that were currently
reported ON the street. a." he said, STATED
nothing as a fact, excepting that James asked
me to help him pay his fine" To the ques-
ton whether James promised to vote the
greenback ticket, provided he would pay the
fine, Goodwin answered mo" But thought
that was what he wanted, since l wasn't be-
helden to him in any way Now as regards
this James, whose fine was SO mysteriousy
paid, the facts are these: His trial was held
before Judge Palmer of Gardiner, and not
before Goodspeed, as the article would lead
the reader to suppose. Judge Palmer gave
the prisoner his liberty, but placed in the
hands of City Marshal Berry mittamus TO
collect the fine. Mr.. Berry says he threat
ened to arrest James if he did not pay, and
should have done so had not Capt. Linscott
stood surety for the criminal. The fine has
not get been paid, and riH moi. be nntii the
Capt. retarns. Mr.. Goodspeed does hold a
mortgage on J. H. Crowelfs farm, but the
affidavits of which give you copy will dis
prove the Globes statements Of any threats
used by the mortgage:
Afhdavit of ]. II. CrOwell.
To rhom ii may concern: |, James H.
CrOwell of Pittston, in the county of Kenne-
bee State of Maine, do declare on oath to the
following. viz that no person or persons at
tempted to influence or induce me. directly or
indirectly, by bribery, menace, willf1l false
hood, or any other corrupt means, to disturb
or hinder me in the free exercise of the right
of suffrage at the election held in Pittston, in
said County of Kennebec, on the eighth of
September, A. ID. 1879, and further declare
on oath, that L. W. Goodspeed, Trial Justice
of Pittston, in said county did not threaten
in any way whatever, to foreclose on mort
gage that be holds on my property if did not
vote the republican ticket at said election.
(Signed,) j. II. CRowELL.
Kennebec SIS. Pittston, Nov. 81, 1879.
d. Personally appeared the above named