The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-03-25
81 sfEONESE EEsECTEOgS
Thc Contested Case OF DOnncIIy VS..
WASH burn.

The COntcst ted Case OF DOnneIIy vs..
Wushburn.
The report of the Committee on
Elections in the House of Representa-
tivcs of Congress was printed and
placed in the hands Of the members OH
the 18th inst. 1t finds in favor of un-
seating Washburn and Donnelly. IL
cites 2yl cases on the part of Wash
burne where money was paid by the
clerks of his business, the secretary of
his political party or his political
agents. Over 100 cases are traced di-
rectly to Washburne's Office, money
in some cases being paid in his pres
ence or in the presence OF his brother,
Governor &. G. Washburne. In one
case the Democratic postmaster of a
village wrote directly TO Washburne,
offering 10 sell his vote for fifty dol
lars. Mr.. Wasbburne, through friend,
answered the letter, thanking him for
his offer aud sent the friend to him to
pay the money. In another case nine
ty wood choppers, who were not lc-
gal voters, were paid two dollars each
to vote for Washburne's business man
speaker who had been advocating
Donnclly was announced to make
Democratic speech tlie night before
election, and he made speech for
WasSburne, and told the next day
that he had received one hundred and
fifty dollars of Washburne's money
for doing so. AT the town OF Crooks
ton there were but eighty-fivc legal
voters, but there were two hundred
and fi!ty-eight votes cast, the greater
part OF these being by nonresident
railroad hands, which were each paid
tor voting. a Democratic newspa-
per at Little Falls was bought to sup
port Washburne for two hundred and
fifty dollars. A United States Laod
Officer at ST. Cloud was sent out by
Washburne to canvass for him. He
bribed a number OF parties, and admits
that he may haye bribed a hundred.
Great numbers of labOrers were en-
plOyed in building a railroad through
thesunsettied northwestern part of the
district, where there was no county
organizations, no precincts, and no
order. The population voted in box
cars, with cigars boxes for ballot boxes.
They were not residents of that coun-
ty, but lived in boarding car. They
all voted for Washbure. Every one
of them were paid for voting, and all
their votes were counted for Wash
burne. These briberies extended
through a region of country half as
large as the State of New York, and
they all radiated from the city OF Min
neapolis, where Washburne resided.
In that city one man was paid fifty
dollars for his vote and influence.
Another was promised thirtytwo dol
lars and was paid five dollars, another
was paid twenty-1iv dollars. Work
men were brought into their employ
ers' offices the night before election,
and paid five dollars to work and vote
for Washbnrne; another got an over.
coat, another q sack of flour. Saloon
Keepers were paid thirty five dollars
for voting their boarders. Besides
these there were many cases where
parties paid money to vote tor Wash
burne but swear they voted for Don
nelly. In many other cases money
was offered and declined.
In addition to this the sub. commit
tee find that the working men of Min
nesoia were intimidated by employers
and great many of them either or
dered to vote for Washburne, or pre-
vented from voting at all. Although
The mast pYcItinO
and the Republicans polled their full
vote, nearly three thousand Demo-
Gratis failed to vote in the city of Min
neapois. The committee find this
was caused by the fear OF the work
ing men that they would lose their
situations if they voted for Donnelly.
The Republican ma ority rose from
355 for Hayes in 1876 to $3.50 for
Washburne in 1873, as IL part of this
system OF intimidation. Ballots were
numbered in nearly one half the pre-
cincts OF Minneapolis. with the num-
Der corresponding with the number
of votes on the poll list, so that en-
ploycrs might know how their men
voted. This was done under the law
which had been decided unconsiitu-
tional by the District Court and after
wards by the Supreme Court, and in
The face OF the advice of the City At
torney and the Attorney General Of
the State not TO number them, and
despite the advice even of the auor-
ney who defended the law in the
courts, and also after the Judges of
election had in a public meeting re-
solved not to number them, the num-
bering took place in seven precincts
having twenty-one judges of election,
BY law fourteen OF these should have
been friends of Donnelly, as he was
the candidate OF both The Democrats
and Nationals, but out of twenty one
judges he had but one friend. Two
of these precincts did not return the
vote for Congressman until eight days
after the election, and i'm one of these
Washburne claimed 1873 majority,
while the tally sheet Kept by one of
the clerks, showed he had but % ma
joriiy. Washburne's attorney gave
notice that he would count the bollots
in these precincts, but, when the day
arrived, for some unknown reason, be
refused TO do SO. Donnelly carried
the district outside Of Minneapolis
by 167 majority, counting the bribe
votes. bogus railroad votes, and all.
In Minneapolis there were between
LOCO and 5000 workingmen. They
mad society with = 200 mem bers, and
they had placed Donnelly in nomina-
tion as their candidate by unanimous
vote, and supported him up to the
day of election. In seven precincts
where the ballots were numbered the
Democrats had in April, 1876, 525
majority. Washburne carried them
by I,760 majority, change of 2,2S5
votes, in total vote of about $500, in
two years. -
The committee reject the votes of
these seven precincts, not because the
ballots were numbered, but because
such numbering was q part of gener
al conspiracy OF corruption and irtim-
and because all evidence
shows that if no unfair means had |
been used Donnelly would have car |