Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-22

hne AVtu Sclooef, 1910, Up. I2o), Two men,
named Arthur j. White and E. P. Webster,
entered into contract with the st. Paul d
Pacific railroad company, which vas then
constructing railroad through said county,
to get cord-wood for the use of the railroad
company. Between the dates named they
collected together some eighty or ninety
wood choppers IN the city of Minneapolis.
and proceeded TO Kittson county to cut this
cord-wood. Tie asn SO hired were princi-
paily harvest hands and tramps who had not
been IN the State long enough TO vote, they
were In Kittson county for temporary pur-
pose, and were therefore not entitled under
the laws of Minnesota, lsee Rev. Stat. Mimi,
sec. 65, p. 66,l the county was unorganized
and the election precincts were established
in the county ten days before the election,
By the governor, without authority of law,
and We're therefore legally not election pre-
cincts, there were no registration lists at the
polling placss; the voting took place In rail
road depots or in railrosd cars; there were
no proper ballot-boxes, [cigar boxes and
candle boxes without locks and keys, as re-
quired by law, being used as ballot-boxesl;
the judges were not sworn, and, in short, al
most all the requirements OF the laws of the
| State for the holding Of eleotiong we're ig-
nored.
| At one OF these precincts, to-wit, Tama-
rack River, these eighty or ninety wood
choppers, hired by Webster and White,
voted. TheIe were only four actua! settlers,
| lp. la5,l In tie precinct; end these alone
were presumably entitled to vote. The vote
cast was 109 for Washburp and fer Don
nelly. The testimony OF George Q. Morton
| Up. l25), John Mulvey Up. l20), Arthur j.
White (p. S05), and L. ?. Webster %. 297)
shows that theae eighty or ninety wood
choppers were urged and requested by Web
ster and White, the wood contractors, to vote
for Wsshbnrr% they we're told that if they
voted for M;.shburn they would be paid, 10.
1859 from S1.65 to $500 each for their
votes: they did vote and they voted for
Washburn, ard they were go paid; G3aa Mey
refused to cote at al unEsSs they acre paid,
! (p. 297). The total sum paid by Webster
aud White to these men for their votes was
$3.50 or $40, tp. 8O7). 1t further appears,
5y the admission of Webster, that the con-
tractors expected to be repaid this money
(p. 297) SO paid ont for these votes.
1t also appears (see p. 12D that in sddi.
tion to the eighty or ninety wood choppers
so bribed to vots for Washburn, the con-
tractors Webster end White gave two trap
pers their board for week, on condition
that they vote for Washburn and they did
30 vote.
George G. Morton testifes (p. 1860 that
White told him in the presence of Webster
that they, Webster and White, were to get
5000 for their services at the election, In
behalf of WGahburn. The money paid out
by them for votes was repaid TO White, one
of the firm, (see P. l2T by Major Hale, of
Minneapolis, the business manager of the
contestee, Washburp, eight days after the
election, by a check for $1s2; and the
ohssk was cashed for White by one George
s. Webster, the paymaster of the Mime,
apolis & st. Louis Railroad company, of
which the contestee, Washburn, was and is
president. White admits (p. 500 that he
was repaid the sum OF Sl69 or $172, being
the money SO paid for these 30 or 80 votes,
by said George B. Webster, paymaster OF
contestee's railroad company. There was no
connection between tho Saint Paul & Pacific
railroad, for which the wood was cut, and
the Minneapolis & st. Louis railroad, of
which contestee Is president the one runs
from Saint Paul northwesswardy to British
America or Manitoba the other runs from
Minneapolis southwardiy towards Saint
Louis; and the place where the wood was
cut was between 400 and 500 miles distant
from Minneapolis.
Here. then, is case of bribery BY the
wholesale, and it clearly appears that the
money that vas paid for the brioed votes
was repaid ia Wdsh1erais office By his 5usS-
ness manager, by check which is cashed by
ths paymastsr of bis railroad company
saAGREN's swAa.
Emil Shagren. Swede {. Greenbackar, a
laboring man, resided at the date Of the eco
tion in question at Minneapolis, Minn. (page
15). He was an active supporter of the con-
testant, Dcnnelly, and had been delegate
to the Greenbaek Congressional convention.
About the 10Th October, 1873, friend of
Washburn, named William Chase, urged
him TO 90 to Wash5urn's Office 10 see Major
Hale, his business manager, (the same per
son who paid for so or so hribed votes at
Tamaraek river, because Major Hale would
convince" him that he should vote for
Washburn. Shagren declined to 90. The
Invitation was eeveral times repeated. At
length S1agren vent to Washburn's Office.
he was met by Major Hale, who was evi
IDENTIFY prepared by Chase for the interview.
Hale commenced by asking him if he want
ed greenbacks. He, Hale, then referred to
the fact that Sha2ren had been deleg,ta to
the Greenback convention aud was q sup
porter of contestant, DonnelIy. Hale told
him that he would see that be- Shagreu,
voted for Washburn. This ended the first
interview with Hale. Soon after Sbaeren
got out of work. Chase again urged him to
60 70 see Hale and he, Hale. would give him
'1ob;" and he gave him a sealed letter to
Hale. On the 18Th of October Shagren
went to Washburn's Office again. He gave
the letter to Hale; Hale read 1t and went
into another room and conferred in whis-
pers, which the witness overheard, with
O. @. Washburn, BROTHER OF THE SITTING
MEMBER and ex-governor Of Wisconsin.
Hale then came odt of this room
with rs bank note folded between
his fingers; sat down beside Shasren,
put his hand on his lap, and said "Emi,,
Will tell you what l want of you; I want
you to vote for W. D. Washburn, 0he site
ting member.) and use your lnfusnce
end work among your friends for
the election of Governor Washburn,
(;he sitting Member,) and will
pay you $2a day from now till the close Of
tie election; aud she figured it up sud said
it would be S56, besides my expenses and
money to spend among the boys "He told
NE to bring my bill there to MIR. Wsshburn's
Office the day after election sad I would get
my pay Shagren made 40 answer. Then
Hale took the S5 bank note, which be had
brought out of the room where he conferred
With the brother of the sitting member, and
delivered it to Shagren, saying: Emil,
here Is So; go and uss this among the toys.
and drop IN occasionally and will give you
more" It is true that Shagren voted,
worked and made speeches for Donneily sub
| sequent to this interview; and in one of
these speeches and before the election, be
stated publicly the particulars of this attempt
to corrupt him and secure His vote; but the
crime of bribery was complete when Wash
burn, il his own office, through his business
manager, and in the presence Of bis brother,
! lid Shagren S5 and promised him $50
nore; and Shasren accepted the IS. Ii is