Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-02-24
Prcss Hcports.)
THE SoMERvILLE FRAUD.


town clerk has been proven by his own
word To have sent In a new return under
directions of the authorities at the State
House. This clerk Is named Bowler, and
lives in SomeryiIle.
But il will be necessary 10 20 back Mt
tie and see how his deed was discovered
In looking over the tabulations 1t was found
that the town of Someryille had once been
tabulated In favor of Andrew X. q. Smith,
aud then erased, and Andrew a. X. Smith
substituted. This caused the returns To be
examined closely. and IL was ut once de-
cidcd to he a fraudulent return made out
and signed by the same person. In consc-
ouence of this decision Mr.. Bowler WAS
sent for, aud came here accompanied by an
officer. He was at once confronted with
the return and asked II the writing upon
II was his He replied that II was. This
then was the acknowledgment OF his
forgery.
Upon this he was asked his reasons for
making out this return, and replied That he
did IL in pursuance OF orders received from
the Secretary of States Office, about the
middle OF December. He was nj once
served with summons and given twenty
four hours In which 10 90 home aud Obtain
the letter in question. lie returned. how
ever. without the letter, and by his actions
gave evidence that he did not desire Ia find
IL.
The republican candidate FOR scuator IN
Lincoln county was Andrew X. Il. Smith,
and the fusion candidate Isaac i. Hobson.
The entire republican vote for senator, as
shown by the tabulation, 200, the demo
cratic vote was 2itG, giving Smith ma
jority OF les. Gov. Garcclon and council
threw out Smiths entire vote IN Noble
boro-li0 In number-because the clerks
return gave these votes 10 Andrew X. 1.
Smith. but still left Smith elected over
Hobsou by % majority. Another town
was needed To secure the election or Hob
son.
The tabulations show that rs at first
made up Andrew X. G.. Smith was credited
with - votes from Somcrvillc and Isaac 7.
Uob.on with 81. But the - has been
erased, leaving blank and the - votes
are carried out in another column aud given
To Andrew \. X. Smith and this would
elect Mr. Hobson by i3 majority, and uu-
der this he was certidcatcd, took his seat
and acted In the fusion senate.
The original return OF the senatorial vote
in Somcr,illc was made up in open town
meeting by the clerk and II gave the >cr-
eniy.two votes cast for Andrew X. u.
smith. which is the proper name oil the re-
publican candidate. The CLERK himself 81
testified. and another witness testified that
he saw the return made up aud called at
tent ion 10 the fact that DR.. Smiths name
was correctly returned. The clerk tcNti-
fled that he delivered this return with that
OF the other officers voted for IN the town
on the day succeeding the September clcc-
ton, into the office OF the Secretary of
State In person. The return upon which
the governor and council acted shows
clearly that the votes were cast Tor Andrew
r. e. smith. This return !, entirely Ia
the handwrltn. of Bowler the town clerk.
The page OF the town record which was
omen before him, rs he SAYS, when he made
out the second return, show, plainly that
the - republican votes were for Andrew
r. G. Smith. but the return 80 made up AT
the time and In the manner in the hand
writing of Bowler shows with equal plain
ness that the - votes were given FOR An
drew 4. X. Smith. and IL Is upon this re-
turn that the count WAS finally made up and
the certificate given To Isaac T. uobson.
| The appcarauce or the witness was bal.
Both the republican and fusion members Of
the committee were convinced that he sub
stitutcd the name OF Andrew \. X. Smith
for that OF Andrew X. G.. Smith in accord
ance with the letter of instructions re-
celyed by him from Augusta, which ac-
compauied the blank, aud that the plot
originated there and not with Bowler.
lie i man whose politics have been
..mixed," voting sometime, one way some
-. 4. fntin nj
| and business friend OF the notorious Cap
tain Black, who headed the armed fusion
guard at the State House. He testified
when confronted with the substituted re-
turn that IL was in his own handwriting
and that the signatures of all the selectnen
were made by him without authority. This
| was confirmed by the selectmen themselves,
who also testified To the facts. Bowler was
an unwilling witness, but on being pushed
by both republican aud fusion members OF
the committee, confessed.
AUGUSTA, 10.
Among the discovered letters from
agents Of the counting out conspirators, TO
Gov. Garcelon and Council, are several re-
lating TO
FRANKLIN COUNTY.
Below are letters from b. Emery Pratt
of Pennington, showing that he and Pills.
bury were fully advised Of the contents OF
the Franklin county returns, when no re-
publican could see them, and was engaged
in frauduently correcting fusion returns,
and getting up secret affldayits to reject
republican returns -
FARMINGToN, Me-, Nov. 10, 1879.
/ Hon. Aionzo Garcelon and the Eeecutire
Council -
Enclosed please fiud afiidavits OF clerk
OF the towns of Rangeley and JAY, show
Ing that their record was not made up in
open town meeting, as required by law.
have consulted <. +. Pillsbury and he
Is of the same opinion THAT the clerk
must make his record in open town meet
ing or IL is fatal" !. shall forward other
testimony soon as can get it from Range
| ly and Dallas Plantation; please 10 hold
back on the Franklin county returns until
get In the remainder of our testimony if
possible.
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) b. EMERY PRATT.
NEW SHARON, Nov. 18th, 1879.
have been 10 Dallas Plantation, Frank
| lin County, and arranged for those returns
to be amended, and they will be forwarded
soon as received Dy ule. aiso eApcSt
an affidavit from Clerk Of Greenvale Plan
tation, same as from Rangeiy-also others.
Don't declare the County any other than
fusion for want of testimony, for that you
will have.
In haste,
(Signed) B. EMERY PRATT.
Ii will be remembered that the returns
were not declared open by the council till
Nov. 18th, and no republican was allowed
to see them for two weeks thereafter. Nov.
18th Gov. Garcelon informed the republic
can '.mob" OF three, that the returns were
not opened, and he knew nothing Of what