The daily gazette., 1879-08-18
SECOND EDITION
ELECTION ABUSES.

HOW MONEY Is USED IN RHODE ISLAND
-FEpERAL OFFICERS ACTIVE POLL
TIciANs.
NEWPORT, r. l., August 16, 1879.
The third day Of the investigation oy
the Butler Committee into the alleged
corrupt pracrises in the Providence Gus
tom House and the interference py Ied-
eral Off Gers at elections opened with the
Testimony of Major Il. G. Pomeroy' a
Custom Il ouse Inspector, who stated thst
In addition to his duties as inspector ne
was a clerk in q coal office, where ne
received Sl7 per week for his services;
bus In this respect he followed ths eN-
am ole Of his predecessor, who' pes'ues
being government off1c-r, was on tne
police force. Witness had,iakeh no par
Iicuiar part in politics since he was ap-
mi inted to a government position.
William Foster, Jr., told the commit
tee that in 1865 he visited the Seventh
ward room, and after voting was taken,
with several Others, into barn, where
he received an envelope through a trap
door and, upon opening 1t, found It con
tanned $40. Did not know who gave II
to him: knew money wa useu al eiec-
tons. He had been editor of newspa-
per in Providence and a greenback can
dIdate for Governor. He had seen cards
and cheeks used at elections and upon
returning them to headquarters voters
recei we'd the ir nay. The federal officers,
General Brayton. Mr.. Burroughs and
others, bad always been more or less &C
tive at elections.
VOTES BOUGHT AND SOLD.
hat n n u I'm had
not seen money used at all elections in
Rhode Island must bs blind. Witness
said 1t was used legtimately, as he called
1t. A man sold his vote, took the money
openly and went of about his business.
Ia the Spragne- Padeltord campaign 1t
cost Sprague Sl30,000 and Padelford
$44, 600 1t was an open thing that votes
were bought and sold. He had never
been bought himself, but refused to say
whether he has bought voters. Federal
officers-referring TO Postmaster Bray
ton and Custom House otficers-were al
ways electloneering and always at the
polls on election days. He supposed all
federal officers were political workers
The democrats were so strong that they
were always in the market and always
bought up.
Edwin r. Dawley, formerly chairman
of the City Republican Committee, had
been very active politician. He knew
that Brayton, the Posrmast aud Bur.
roughs, q customs officer, were always
engaged in the electors. He has moi
seen these officers use money, but he be
lieved that money had been used. Mr.
Burroughs was also clothing dealer; wa.
not mucn In the Custom House.
Charles G. Heath had seen and giveI
out checks to voters, who upon present
ing them IN dark hall and rum shops
received S5 and SO for votes; in thu
Eighth ward, in 1875, 81 900 were Il e,
at one election. Federal officers wer'
very active and participated IN this elec
ton, but he had never received an,
money from them. Saw Mr.. BuIrough
promise a voter $40 for voting.
FEDERAL OFFICERS DOING PoLITIcA
WORK.
Judge Irwin T. Case stated that fedora
officers at Providence took an active par
in politics; did not know II at they bough
votes; had seen General Bravtou at I'll
Legislature and in the ward room doin
political work; did not know about th
use of money.
William N Brown said he had bee
engaged iu politics for twenty ffve yeal
and had never seen General Brayto
take more than ordinary interest III tn
voting on election days. Witness w
always dt tDC WdIu IObln Ou -nOSt udA
and had never seen government office
interfering at elections.
AN Ex OFFICERS TESTIMONY.
William n. Richardson, former clrl
in the Post Otiice un1er General IRA
ton, said that The Post Office was the p
litical headquarters, and that worker
wirepullers and poht.clans came at q
times to see the Postmaster and plan Il
campaign. Drunkenness was "A comm,
thing in the Post Office. III had seen II
Postmaster and two or three clerks drir
repeatedly in the office. He knew tn
General Brayton was engaged. in poiu
as he had done political work for hi
while clerk in the Post Office. Repub
can tickets were arranged at the +,
Office and carried out by the carrit
while the mails were allowed to wa
Clerks were taken Off with the Postm
ter togo to Warwick, twenty miles ire
the city, to do election work and vote
caucus meetings aud on election da
He was a soldier, and had been III
Post Office thirteen years when he "
removed by General Brayton.
Other witnesses testified, but Il
knew nothing about interference by z
ernment officials at elections.
BOSTON, August 16.-The Wall
Committee examined several witn"s
to-day. There was no evidence to sll
intimidation a. the poll', but some
those ON the stand testified that tn III
ufacturers had coerced their employ,
using Arguments as whip with W
to drive their men to voc toplease tn