Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-08-03

/ lated il. They made no change In the
letter but let II remain as IL was when they
first saw il. or course the different ink"
now visible covers up the original line,
and all that can now be seen is the differ
ent ink" and the different hand so much
utilized by the Hale Committee.
This defense is false. II says thafthe
downward mark which converts the c
| into q was on the return as II now
appears, when it was opened for tabu-
lation, while the testimony which we
herewith produce, shows that it was not
50.
In the Hale Report we find the follow
ing truthful statement of the case:
In the return of the town OF Hebron for
scounty officers OF oxford County, the name
| of Henry G. Walker, Fusion candidate for
Commissioner. was originally written
Henry G. Walker. but il appears that the
letter c has been changed to &, by the
addition OF curved hne or stem passing
down through the c, and below the line,
and enabling the seyenty-two votes thrown
for Henry o. Walker to be counted for
him. and they were so tabulated by the
Governor and Council. IL is evident upon
inspection that this addition has been made
by A different hand and with different ink
from the original letter. As late a. Decem-
Der Sth, 1879. the county being very close,
the returns were examined by prominent
gentlemen nom Oxford County, and IL was
discovered that the return was FOR Henry
G. Walker, and the attention OF John b.
Foster. one OF the Council, was called TO
it, Ii also appeared that soon after, the
fact was published in the oxford Democrat.
ANer this date il was changed from { TO
G. the vote tabulated for Henry G.. Walker
instead Of Henry c. Walker. The tremor
of the hand OF the person making the
change is plainly visible under the mag
niryins glass, and discloseS the agitation
which would naturally attend such glar-
ins forgery The certificate of election
was given to Henry e. Walker, the Fusion
candidate.
While Court was in session at Frye
burg in December last Mr.. Bisbee, Mr..
harrington and several other gentlemen
met in the room occupied by the publish
er Of this paper in the Oxford House.
Comics Of the returns which had been re-
ceived by MeSsrs. Bisbee and Harrington
were exhibited. and Mr.. Bisbee notes in
relation TO errors were there shown. We
remember distinctly parts of the converse
ton which then took place IN relation TO
the returns. As a result of this confer
ence. Mr.. Harrington again visited Au-
cuSta inspected the returns and made
notes Of errors. While in Augusta, or
on his way home, he wrote from his notes
communication which we worked up
into the following article, published in the
OXFORD DENocRAT, Dec. 10, 1879.
OXFORD COUNTY RETURNS.
Hon. +. c. harrington OF Fryeburg,
gave the returns for county officers from
oxford County careful examination
Monday evening. AZ the Council Chamber.
lie finds errors that IL not corrected by the
Council, will elect the whole board OF Re-
publican county officers. The town clerks
OF Buckteld aud Brownfeld omit 10 state
In the returns the name Of the town from
which they came. The town OF Hebron
gives Heary G. Walker, candidate for Com
missioner SeyeDty-twO votes, instead of
Henry q. Walker. The returns nom the
town Of Canton are atteSted hy deputy
clerk Whether this Is a duty that cannot
be entrusted to another j. = question not
vet settled. There are other errors OF 4
bad character, but these suffice 10 show the
truth OF our remarks concerning the Selec
ton of town officers.
Mr.. Bisbee Informs Us, that in addition
10 tie above informally of the return from
Buckneld, the warrant for town meeting
was defective, Ia that one member OF the
board OF SeleCtmen signed the names OF
his associates 10 the Instrument, without
special authority. In Waterford. the bal
lot box was carried from the town hall 10
the road. where ballot was received by
the town officers. While the Republicans
OF Oxford County would not suggest the
propriety OF depriVins \ town OF its vote
on account of such informalities, they pro-
pose that defects in this fusion County
shall be treated the same as they are in
COUNTIES that have Republican majority.
Therefore. 2Ir. Bisbee, ~ attorney for
our candidates, has serl cd written notice
upon Governor Garcelon, notifying him of
these defects, and asking for hearing in
the matter. II any iniormality can make
~
error ofnot stating the name of any town
in the document would be such an In
formality As such a ruling would elect
the entire board OF Republican County Of
lcers, We have no idea that it will be
given.
We learn, Monday morning, that Mr..
Pillsbury has notified the Democrats OF
Buckaeld that their returns for County Of
tx-tn 10 hist nAi a
return does not designate the town from
which il came.
1t will be noted that we put if mot
corrected by the Council in ltalic letters,
because there had been refusal to allow
corrections before this. The defect in
these towns was made public, and the
emphasis was laid on these words for the
purpose of preventing any alteration in
Fusion returns, when they were not al
lowed in Republican. Mr.. Harrington
and Mr. Bisbee both noted these errors in
the returns TO make assurance doubly
sure" They could have had no object in
selecting the Hebron return unless it was
defective as stated.
Mr.. Parrington's positive and minute
testimony before the Hale Committee is
alone sufficient to out-balance the pretend
ed ''defense" in this case but corroborat-
ed as it is BY othertestimony and docu-
ments, il can leave no doubts in the mind
of any candid thinker, that the return
was altered between the Sth day Of jan
NJ IL nd the TINA nf N mutation