Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-03-17
pailp Aennebsf s0urnal.
Augusta, Wednesday Morning. March II.
Garceion on the stand.


The testimony Of Gov. Garcelon before
the Hale committee has given darker
shade If possible % the great contingent
conspiracy and fraud attempted upon the
people Of the State 1t is a maze Of con
tradictiops, absurdities and revelations Of
wrong -doing, at which men in their sober
senses and with every purpose to judge
candidly are completely astounded-
Take for instance the statement Of ex-
Gov. Garcelon at the first hearings in
which he appeared. concerning his utter
lack Of knowledge that there was any eI-
element in regard to the counting Of the
election returns. and compare it with his
testimony on Monday when asked to ex-
plain some Of his extraordinary transa =
tons with the funds Of the Treasury. At
the early hearings he stated under oath
that he knew oi no solieitade in the State
about the count. had seen very little about
it in the papers. and regarded the rdmor'
a. Of no more consequence than the pas
sing Of the Idle wind. This blissiul state
OF ignorance continued down to the latter
DAYS Of November. when the visiting com.
mittee appeared to him ut the State House
and requested the privilege Of examining
the official returns. Then an order was
passed BY the Council declaring (or sup
posed to declare) that those who desired
To see the returns should have an
opportunity to do so. This served in some
degree to quiet the public soleitude, and
certainly If Garccl0n h1d not been dis
turbed before there should have been no
occasion for it after that time. if the order
Of the Council was fair and honest, and
intended to guarantee republican claim
ants that they should have their rights in
the count. Sc it went ON until about the
10Th OF December. when the official count
was declared. If he can be believed on
his OATH be then had 50 little knowledge
or appreciation Of any serious difficulty
or contest over the count, that he even did
not know when the list WAS made uu and
the count declared whether majority OF
republicans or ftisionists were counted in
as members of the House and Senate
Now let Us turn to another page in Gar
celsn's testimony Last Monday after
noon he was again upon the stand, this
time in regard TO some extraordinary
financial operations in which he figured in
the last days of his administration Hold
ing up warrant for $1,000 drawn hv the
Governor on the 9th at December, 10 be
expended Tor the protection of the public
property, Mr. Hale stated that no vOuch-
ers could be found for the use to which this
money was put. and asked Governor Gar
cclon to explain why the money was
drawn. what became of it. and why no
vouchers were to he found, Then Garcelon
began to speak about the excited condition
of the State. the danger OF an attack upon
the State House. Of riots and mobs. and
gave this disturbed state of affairs as the
cause for his unexamplcd demand upon
the Treasury. lie also recollectcd thai
measures were taken rs early rs Nov. Il.
to guard the State House. and that the
force kept there was increased from time
to time rs appeared necessary. II also
was dvulged that he had detectives per-
ambulaling the State and that he not only
had the best legal advice he could get in
Maine. but went to Massachusetts, and
counseled with able LAWYERS there. Indeed
the Governor seems to have been most
thoroughly aroused and prepared for de
fence. with men. guns. ammunition. legal
advice. and with his arms in the Treasury
up to the shoulders. distributing money to
the Adiutant General. TO his corps of de-
tectives and lawyers. and even extending
donations to the State Binder and State
Printers to assist them in the great aud crit
ical emergency which 4vas upon the State.
The sum of $1,000 went ont of the Treas
ury in this way. under the alarming
state of affairs which existed And vet
we must not forget that the same man who
testified to this fearful condition OF things
in the State on Monday. is the same
Garcelon who few days before testified
that he knew of no public excite
ment down to the latter days of Novem-
Der. and gave SO little heed to the official
count in December that he did not even
know which party had a majority on the
list rs declared.