Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-12-09
THE COUNTING OUT
CONSPIRACY.

Many Petitions Presented TO the Governor
and Council Urging Investigation of the
Charges made by County Attorney
Misunderstanding I'm the Mandamus Case
Begins To-MorrOw.
Petitions from various cities and towns in
the State were presented to the Governor and
Council yesterday, urging the necessity OF
investigating the charges made by Charles b..
Rounds.
The petition from Somerset county is head
ed by Ex-Governor Abner Coburn, and signed
by about fifty prominent citizens Of Skowhe-
gan and vicinity.
A petition from the city Of Hallowell,
signed by James Atkins, Jr., and some TWEEN
ty-five Others, makes the following statement !:
''If the charges made by Charles b. Rounds
are true, you should take steps to punish the
persons who have tempered with the official
returns. If the charges are untrue, you
should make it clear to the people of Maine,
that they may have faith in your official
count"
The petition from Augusta strongly urges
the necessity of the investigation, is signed
by fifty leading citizens, with ex-Governors
A. L. Morrill, and Selden Conner at the head,
with five ministers Of the gospel of the lead
ing churches of the city among the petition
ers.
The Bangor petition is headed by Joseph
S. Wheelwright and is signed by many lead
ing citizens. The petition says
SIT cannot be possible that your Honora-
BILE Board will disregard such u charge made
by responsible man, alleging corruption
and official malfeasance up to the very door
of the Council chamber. The good name of
our State demands that its Governor and
Council shall expose the guilty men in such
a transaction, in order to vindicate their own
integrity"
The petition from Bowdoinham is headed
by Chas Z. Quint and X. z. Carr, and strong
ly urges the propriety Of investigation.
The petition from Richmond is headed by
Col. j. w. Spauldng and Levi Whitney,
signed by all the principal republicans in the
town, and urges the expediency, necessity
and justice of such Investigation.
The petition from Waterville headed by
X. b. Dunn and L. f. Webb, and signed by
the principal republicans of the town, de-
clares that the honor and good name of the
State demands an Investigation.
The petition from Freeport is headed by
S. A. Holbrook and numerously signed by
prominent republicans, demanding investiga-
ton of charges against certain State officers,
Of collision and connivance with fraud.
The Gardiner petition is signed by seventy
six of the neutrality-suspicious., and declares
official returns were surreptitiously opened,
as Mr.. Rounds charges, and the result of the
election tempered with. If this be true the
office of the Secretary of State has been
conducted dishonesty and corruptly, and the
people Of Maine will not be content without
a fair investigation" The petition further
declares that the Governor and Council can
not attempt to shield the authors of the Grim
inal act without assuming the guilt thereof
Every one Of the foregoing petitions states
that the investigation prayed for should be
accomplished before the certificates are is
sued to senators and representatives elect
hibSA that 10 dohc luNSstlSdtlOu
cure the fraud complained of.
The parties interested in the mandamus
case, having agreed upon Augusta as the
place for the hearing it will take place to-
morrow. "wednesday, Dec. 10. Judge Vir-
gin presides, but he will probably invite
other justices to hear the case with him.
The room in which to hold the court had not
been decided upon last night. None of the
judges were in the city last evening. A. p.
Gould, Esq. of Thomaston, and Attorney
General Mcclellan, counsel for Secretary of
State Cove, were here yesterday.
Most of the Council were here yesterday,
but Gov. Garcelon did not come till eight
o'clock last evening.
fV Al ~