, 1879-04-04
THE KINGSTON RASCAL1TY.
Democratic Frhud and Intimidation Proved
-1scpors OF tho Legislative Investigating
Committee.

-Repor& Of tho Legislative Investigating
Committee.
DtspascA to 1tp rork 7Ymts.
ALnANT, N. T., April 1.-The Special Com
mitsee Of the Assembly, which met ut Kingston
on March g, to make an Investigation into the
election held on March 4, and to report the farts
concerning tho turbulent md 1tsgraccfu1 per.
formanges which occurred there, w1ll tomorrow
make report to the Assembly. The report
was written By Chatr1nau Gl!dden. and will
be signed without any doubt by every tnem-
bcr Of the Committee. Tic report rccites
tnt tlpre appeared before the Committee
committee Of taxpayers, with ,ta counsel, NJ.
schoonmskcr aud s. L. 6tebbfns, md that n care
tul md. thorough examination OF twenty-five
witnesses established the facts tint tic people
Of Kingston had been subjected to burdcnsome
tu1ation on account Of fraudulent and cxtraya-
Eunt BILLS rendered by town and county officers,
and enormous expenses far the SUPPORT Of tho
poor. Tic rate OF taxation, exclusive Of tho
school tux. for the Inst year, WAS orcr per cent
on the assessed valuation on the property. The
ueop!c, under the belief tilat the whole matter
Of expenditure md taxation was controlled by
few officers, determined, II possible, TO throw
oil this yoke OK oppression. They therefore
organ[zed what was designated as the "Ta1pay-
ers' ticket" 70 be supported ut the election for
tue result Of combination Of taxpayers VI both
the eadlnE political parties, u'ad vas in no sense
party movement.
Ia opposition was ticket whercon vcre most
continuing large bilis md heavy II taxation. Tnis
ticket was called the Democratic, or more gcu-
orally known ns the "RIng" ticket. The COM
mittcu then 20 on to describe the election, In
wlict tue justices .l orsanze4 as Board Of II.
polls. Before twenty votes had been cast q
!lrge nInlhcr Of 1rtshtncIl, Of tho roughcr Glass;
from stony Hollow md Jockey nlll, combined
IN front OF tic pofllng-place, and began antl
Ranszat1on to keep away voters for the Tax
payers ticket and to help tho voters
Of The Ring ticket. The process Of passtng
tho ballots through the open window Is de-
outside, from the line Of Irish bul!es who sur
rounded tho window, md passed to the ballot
box, With the name Of some person, not sng1e
member Of the Hoard having MI opportunity to
presented ty the .pcrson named or not. No voter
could get through unless he was known to bo
friend Of the Ring ticket. THIS WIS protested
nEasnst to no purpose. The candidate for Bu-
polliug-placc, and was allowed Immediate access
to The polling -psace, and he seemed to have ex-
elusive privileges denied to prominent members
OF tho ta1pa5crs' party.
cn4n sns Of H h. oss ta1payess were
gnntkcd roughs: Many Of them, litter repeated
efforts, after calling upon tlc Sheriff aid hs
deputies to help them open passage to the
polItng-place, and after receiving blows tn re-
sisting tho outrageous action Of the "eanR,"
we're, compelled to 70 AWAY without voting.
Nearly B00 voters Were thus prevented from
voting. The peop!o anu tho officers were In the
60 power OF lawlcss mob, which wna under tho
direction and control Of the leaders OF thu
King ticket and Its supporters. Tho high.
banded outra9es against tho Inspectors
are fully denounced, and tho abandonment Ut
tic polls dwolt upon. The report says that tho
sner!tt aud his duuutlcs d not by any oarnest
opeu way to the polls. Either tho officers
we're IN league With the managers Of the Ring
ticket. or they were afrntd tn attack tlo band Of
desperadoes who wcrc controlling the elcc4nn.
Il!e canyasslng Of the Hoto by two Justtccs who
remained aud tho stgning oi. tho certificate by
theln and the Sheriff, as witness, nt the1cqu
ot tho JUSTICES, to characterized u an anomalous
methoa Of authcnttcatmg the rcsult OF au cleo
Rlng Ticket nnl ITO for the taxpayers ticket.
The COMMITTEES regtcts that IN election such
as this, conducted ly cung Of irresponsible
dcspcrndoca, where tic respectable class wera
md which does not IN auy Sense reflect the sel-
ts1ucnts Of tho people 0f thu town, cntnot bo
sunmasily set as!le, and new election, pro-
tocted by tile strong arm Ut the law, cannot ba
expressed without fcar or restraint. II would
10 better that tl1e town NeEe blotted out by an-
nexation to adjoining towus tllan that tic pres
ent state Of thlngs should continue. The Con-
mittco recommend that such legislation nay bo
llad as Will remedy thu evil tn ll,o future,
aud Us practical remedy, TINT tho amount tha
town may bu peEalittcd to raise for tic oxpepscs
Of tho poor, or for roais md bridges, nni for
nll othcr town expenses, In any ono year, b.
public officers be fixed at o reasonable standard
by tho Legislature, alltl That no fees or allow
auccs be permitted to public olllcars aside from
their salary. Tho Committee conclude lhcir ro-
port BY expressing the hopc that the Grand
Jury and tho Court at the naxt circuit, to tla
rsaR n III H.,x =