Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-08-10

Question. Where do You resideg An
sWer. Buckfleld.
I O. Whether or not during the year eight
cen hundred and seventy-nine, you were
Town Clerk of the town Of Buckhelds A..
Yes.
o.sPlease examine the return for County
Officers from the town OF Buckheld. mark
ed "Erhibit II, G.. d. b., Clerk Of Com
mifee." and state whether or not the sig
nature therein as Town Clerk is your own
A.. Yes, It Is. a.
o. Were youpresent when that return
was made up? A. l was.
o. Where was II made upH A. Made up
at the Town House in our town.
Q. And signed by oil the Selectmens A.
@. Did you see their signatures A.
o. now call your attention to the
word "Buckfelf written opposite the sig
nature of the three Selectmen, and ask you
if that is in your hand writings A. No,
sir
o. Is il in the hand writing of either Of
the Town Officers OF the town or Buck
field? A. | should say not
Q. Is il in any hand writing with which
q. Please examine that return and state,
from your knowledge of the several hand
writings that appear there, whether or nor
the word "Bucideld' was written upon IL
by any officer of the town of Buckheld,
when il was sent forward to the once OF
the Secretary OF State! A. should say
not.
.. Whether or not il has been added
4. IA. -, 10 A II
pose il had Il shows there.
O. State whether you sent forward the
returns, Yourself? A. | did.
q. Were they sealed up in open town
mectingy 4. Yes.
q. They were sealed up and forwarded
TO the Secretary OF States oIiice9 A. les.
q. After those returns were sealed up III
open town meeting did any person open
them again? A. Not To my knowledge.
O. Did they remain In your possession
till YOU deposited them IN the mail A.
ICES.
Q. Was there any opportunity to tanper
with the returns after they were sealed up
by the town officers before they were de-
liver,d into the Secretary OF States office.
\. No. ~
O. | call your attention TO the other re-
that time; were those returns also seated
M aud sen, forward by you? \. Yes.
q Do YOU recognize them A. the orig
inal returns. \. Yes, do.
O. You nnd that those returns have the
town AMI county properly written H. III
the heading: \. Yes.
q. Whether or not this return with the
word "Buckfcir' written of against the
l.fts... q ltus s.tf
Is usual in making up your returns! n
Yes.
q. | call your attention. to the trst re-
turn shown you, for County oihcers, 10 III
attempt 10 nh one of the blanks; what do
you ind there: \. find part OF an
''O;" ] should say some one began to write
"l.'
U. Commenced 10 write and then gave
it up; \. Yes.
q. Is that your writing: 4. No, sir
q. l. II the hand writing OF any OF the
Town Officers in your town! A. should
say not; cannot tell, but should say
not.
O. What are your politics? \. | am
Democrat.
o. And the gentleman VINO last teStihedt
4. lie calls himself a Republican.
=. Have you any doubt that the return
last shown YOU has been changed, by adding
the word "Buckield," after 1t lcft your
hands rs Town Clerk OF Buckiield! \.
| should say 1t had; | should say that that
word had been written 70 since II lelt my
hands. 9.
They also summoned Mr.. Albion p.
Bonney, Chairman of the Selectmen OF
Buckheld. 1t seems tina, Mr.. Bonney
made up most Of this return himself.
Here is his testimony, 50 far as it relates
to the forgery.
Question. Whether or not you assisted
in making up the returns! Answer. | did.
y. Please examine the return that Is
shown you and marked Exhibit i, g. ID.
b.. clerk Of Committee, and state whether
or not II is the return for county officers
from the town of Buckfields 4. should
say had seen that before; and 1t is the
return, | should call II.
O. Whether or not any part OF 1t Is In
your handwriting: A. The most of 1t Is
in my handwriting, and there is my sigma
ture.
u. DO you mean the body Of the retnrns
A. Yes; the body OF the return Is IN my
handwriting.
a. That was made out by your 4. Yes,
it Is my writing.
o. The signature "Albion T.. Bonncy" is
your signature? A. Yes.
o. Whether or not the signatures OF the
remaining Selectmen are original sigma
lures. 4 Yes; ! saw them sign.
Q. Where was the return made up! ~
,ba Tny, Unusc m Ruc kflgll
O. call your attention 10 the heading
OF the return, and ask you To state whether
or not you md the name OF the town and
the county therein yrittenI A. No, 1t is
not written
Q. Whether or not you find any attempt
to write any part of the name OF the town
or county, and IL SO state what u Isl A.
In the place for coanty here 1t seems that
some one commenced and made an "O
but II Is not my doings.
o. Whether or not that is either in your
handwriting or any one of the Selectmen
of Buckfeld for that year! a. i should
say i was not.
o. now call your attention TO the sig
natures of the Selectmen and of the Town
Clerk, &C. c. Spaulding. and the word
"BacifelG' which is written under the
printed word "Selectmen," by which the
return would read, as signed, "AIJion p.
Bonney, Merritt Fdrrdr, 4. +. Mason,
Selectmen Of Buckfeld." call your atten-
ton TO the word Buckield written there!
Witness examines return. A. That /
should say was not put IN there.
O. That was not put In at the time the
return was made up? A. No, it was not.
O. Is that in your handwriting! A. 1t
is not.
y. Is it in the handwriting of c. c.
Spaulding, Town Clerk? \. / should say
it was not.
@. Is IL In the handwriting Of Merritt