New-York tribune., 1880-02-28
Nrwv YORK DAILY TRIBUNE, SATURDAY FEBRUARY D. 1889

is shown however by the returns that
such corrections were made whenever
they were necessary to elect FusIonist.
For example. in the town of Buckfield there
was a Fusion majority of 1872. The Town
Clerk and Selectmen all acknowledged that In
making I'D the returns they forgot to fill the
blanks for the names of the town and county,
and when the document reached Augusta there
was nothing to show whence it came.
The defect was supplied, however, by
some person unknown, and the votes were
counted The same thing was done with the
returns from the Greenbacl town of Brown
field. But whenever similar errors were com
mitted in Republican towns, Governor Garce-
Ion pronounced the returns fatally detect
"iyer In the same way mistakes in the spell
ing of name, or the use of wrong middle
letter, were corrected after the returns reached
Augusta when the change was necessary to
elect a FusiOnist, but the most rigid technical
accuracy was exacted in Republican towns.
The use of ditto marks instead of figures was
one of the defects upon which Republican re-
turns were thrown out but 1t appears from
the testimony that when the same irregularlty
was found in the returns from the Fusion town or
JonesbOro the papers were sent to the Town
Clerk, and he was instructed to make out
fresh ones. Mistakes in adding up the total
number of votes were held to be fatal when
there was a Republican majority; but IN
the Democratic town OF Addison the
Clerk testiies that he made the blum
der of adding together the votes of two cln-
dates on the same ticket, so that the total
number of ballots appeared to be 467 when
it should have been 299, and he was after
ward required to make new return under
threat of losing his Office If he refused.
But besides these evidences of unfairness
there are disclosures of positive fraud. In
one case IL blank return appears to have been
substituted for the paper actually sent. In
Lincoln County, Andrew II. g. Smith, Repubh-
can, was elected by. majority of 1853 over
Isaac T.. IIobson Democrat. whole town
was thrown out. but after tabulating the re-
turns it was found that Smith still
had % majority. A letter Of instructions, ac
companied 10y blank return, was thereupon
sent from the Office of the Secretary OF State
to the Town Clerk of Somcryie, man named
Bowler and he confcsses that he made ont
new return, and signed to it the names of all
the Selectmen, none of whom were present or
knew anything of the transaction. In this
fraudulent return the name of the Republ can
candidate was purposcy miswritten, Andrew
A. Il. Smith, ana his votes were consequently
thrown out, the tabuation being changed to
correspond The testimony OF the Select
men who signed the original and genuine
returns shows that 'the ballots were
correctly east and counted Cor Andrew
81 Of ff,n
candidate; the town records show the same
thing; and the alterations in the-frst tabula
ton are plainly visible. 1t would not be sur
prising if criminal prosecutions OF some of the
Fu.ionist politicians should follow the Legis
htve inquiry.
One of the most active persons in the plot
was Frank NJ. Fogg, of the Governors
Council. and some interesting letters addressed
10 him were among the documents recently
discovered at Augusta. 1t has always been
suspected that the Maine conspiracy
was organized with the aid of persons outside
the State, and Fogg is now shown 70 have
been in correspondence with Denis Kearney
The Sand Lots agitator writes from san
Francisco, November 3, to his Maine ally to
ask what is to be done"
Maine Ike California seems 10 he organized 1880 Il
fast approaching. California VIII not 20 Republican
next time. The Republican party il in "a minority by
over 80 900 The Democrats willing 10 indOrse Ogr
electors next year Wpo 90 be the mani Il is time
10 be moving. We tn California have sent the d mo-
Gratis to the DEVIL and next year Will send Re
| uublcan party 20 hell, whe-e they belong Whlt is
Thurman's chaucesl Can We force him 10 the Demo
| Gratis by nominating him IN National con
| yentonl OK course yon know that cannot
/ elect "a President without the mach merry OF
| the Democratic paIty The Labor party has
the balance OF power. and can dictate terms. Tho
Greeuhlcller8 must not ndorse Democrats the Dem
o.. rats must indor-e Grccnbacker Let put our men
IN the Ted first, aud let the democrats nominate the
ainc men, There Will be- usual three parties, and
can be tho party. having the first am m cor
respondcnce with great many Grcenback leaders, who
talk of conference Send me your views about the
outlook There il no Grccnbock party IN State. but
we are with yon to capture the White House. I'VE
must an pool our issues" against sherman. shylock
sydcate& CO. Your, truly, DESIs KEARSEY.
This will make very entertaining reading
for numerous politicians, both in Maine and
elsewhere Upon the whole, WE must recOg-
ME the practical common sense of the
counted-in Fusionist, Bradbury, of Norway,
who wrote to Mr.. FoFg: Go on If you
" fail now TO give MS the State we might as
"well move ont first IA last, as social ostra-
"cism. prescription for opinions sake, and
d" acts of like nature. will complete the work
" so thoroughly begun"
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pbiInoCical SOcety I'm the ureDarat ion of their