Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-08-17
Pillsbury's "Private" Letter.

menting on Mr.. Blaine's Pennington tele-
grams, to which we have referred. Mr..
Pillsbury alluded to the fact that one of his
own private" letters to b. Emery Pratt of
Pennington, had been ''stolen" by the re-
publcans and published by the contingent
investigating committee; but youchsafed no
explanation of its meaning. Inasmuch as Mr..
p is making so much noise over republican
kilograms which relate to the creditable
measures to defeat the contingent. we de-
sire to call attention to this published letter,
and the circumstances under which it was
written.
On the eth of November, in response to
letter from B. Emery Pratt. a fusion LAWYER
of Pennington. Mr.. Pillsbury wrote the fol-
lowing letter
AUGUSTA, Now :, 1879.
Bro. Pratt:
Yours re cived. / think il the clerk does not
make his record in open town town meeting is
fatal Let know what town it is. so that n can
calculate upon the results. Have you found any
other irregularities?
In Haste,
f. F. PILLsBURY.
On the 18th of November, Pratt wrote to
Governor Garcelon and council, inclosing
affidavits to invalidate republican returns in
Rangely and Jay, saving he should forward
more testimony, and closing with the injunc-
ton to the Governor; ''Hoid back on the
Franklin county returns until get in the
remainder of the testimony" Two days
later Pratt wrote again to Governor Garcelon
as follows:
NEW SHARON, Nov. l., 1879.
have been to Dallas, and arranged for those
turns 10 be amended, and they will be forwarded
received by me. | also expect an affidavit
from clerk of Greenvale Fl, and one from Rangeley
also Don't declare the county any other than fusion
for want of testimony, for that you will have.
nfiaste, b. EMERY PRATT.
In addition to these letters, an affidavit of
the clerk of Rangeley, dated November Is,
1879, was found in the office of the Secretary
of State. stating that he had accidentally re-
turned the vote of that town for Roldolphus
p. Thompson CUSTOM when it ought to have
been Rodolphus. Obviously the clerk could
not have known what was in the return I'M
less somebody had seen it after it was opened,
and informed him.
These letters were found in the public
offices at Augusta when the legal State
government came into possession, and as
they all related to the counting out pro-
ceedings which the legislative COMMITTEE
were investigating, they were put in as evil
dence before that committee-just as the let
tiers and tools of fleeing burglars would be
seized and be used as links in the evidence
needed to fasten upon them the crime
which they had committed.
Ii will be observed that these letters are
important links in the evidence against the
conspirators. November 18th. the attorneys
and representatives of republican candidates
applied to Gov. Garcelon and council to in
spect the returns, in order that they might
know whether there were any errors in re-
publican returns. and take measures to cor
rect them regularly as provided by law; and
were told by Gov. Garcelon that the returns
rere not opened, and nobody outside of the
council committee kner their contents. For
two weeks thereafter the republicans contin-
ued to apply for permission to inspect the
returns. and were refused. and were finally
notified December sth. by vote of the coun-
Gil. that the Legislature returns could not be
inspected, as no defects IN them could be cor
rected.
Now. it seems from Mr.. Pllsbury's ''pri-
vate" letter to "Bro. Pratt" that as early as
Nov. 1th-ten days before the republicans
were told the returns were not opened and
could not be nspected-Pillsbury was aware
that Pratt knew enough about their contents
tn be able to go to the right places in Frank
lin county to secure material to fortify the
fusion and assault the republican returns
Pratt's letter to the governor and conn
Gil betray entire familiarity with the
contents of the returns. Mr.. Pilsburys let
ter indicates that he. too. had information of
the contents of these returns, for on Novem-
Der 9TH, when the republicans had no idea of
their contents, Mr. p was calculating the
results" from data furnished him. When the
republicans were refused any information of
a.. Nf 81,
Mr.. Pilsbury could but have known that
fusionists were being secretly posted, and
were surreptiously correcting their returns.
The testimony of Hon. James II. Talbot.
fusion candidate for Senator from Washing
ton. is conclusive on this point. Mr. Talbot
testified (see p. 3l5-l6 of investigating com
mittees report) that about the Sth of Novem-
ber-ten davs before the republicans applied
and were refused-he received a letter from
AdjutaHt General Leavitt. informing him of
errors in several fusion returns. and request
ing him to secure new returns on blanks for
warded; and that he CTalbot) procured these
corrected returns. and forwarded them to the
Secretary of State at Augusta. And these cor
rected returns were counted, and fusion
senator thus counted in.
Mr.. Pillsbury's appearance, therefore. in
the Maine canvass at this time is peculiarly
timely. as his speeches aid In bringing out
more clearly some of the disgraceful facts
connected with the count-out which otherwise
would have been overlooked Ler,stoa
Journal.
To the above may be added the testi-
mony in the Cherryfield case. The vote
of that town was thrown out by the Gov
ernor and Council on the ground that one
of the selectmen who signed the return
was an alien. Cherryfield cast majority
of PIC votes for the republican candidate
for the legislature. II the vote of Cher
ryfield were counted the republican can
didafe would be elected in the district by so |
but if the vote of Cherryfield |