The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-02-26
BY TELEGRAPH.
GARCELON'S FRAUDS.
How Fusion Returns Were
Fixed in Washington County.
A DEMOCRATIC EDITOR SERI-
OUSLY IMPLICATED.
How the Returns of the Vote of
Jonesboro were Manipulated.
Especial Despatch to the PRESS.


AUGUSTA, Feb. 25.-The evidence of the
fraudulent count becomes more conclusive and
damaging as the investigating committee pro-
coed in their labors. A good deal of curiosity is
manifested as to what Gov. Garcelon will have
to say when he appears before the committee.
1t is intimated in some quarters that he will
disregard the summons and refuse to appear,
but this seems hardly probable. The "second
Jackson" will not only be required to testify
on those fatally defective" returns, but will
be asked for an explanation about the war
rants that he and his Council gave on the
treasury for thousands of dollars for printing,
binding, the "public defence and himself,
without any vouchers. 1t is thought his ex-
animation will occupy several hearings of the
committee. 1t will be thorough and exhaust
i've. Some of the fusionists who are troubled
by the developments, have ceased to defend
Garcelon.
Edward S. Morris of Biddeford, State Su-
perintendent of Schools, and the last fusion
official in the State House, has unceremon-
iously departed. He failed to remove certain
papers from his desk which mixes him up in
the counting out rascality, and among which
intended for Gov. Garcelon, in which he urges
him to issue stirring address to the people
against bulldozing.
A. S. Kimball of Waterford, the present
fusion county attorney of Oxford, has repeat
eddy declared that he was not in the city dur
ing the canvassing of the returns by the Gov
ernor and Council, or had anything to do with
the counting out business. but the register of
Augusta House shows that he was here Dec.
9, and his presence is otherwise known. There
are also certain affidavits which Hale's inves-
tigating committee have in his handwriting,
and several alterations and corrections in re-
turns also bear remarkable similarity to his
chirography, Here is an excellent opportun-
ity for Kimball to rise and explain.
ITO the Associated Press.l
AUGUSTA, Feb. 25.-Mr. Hale's investigating
committee had meeting this evening, in
Representatives Hall. The evidence in the
Brownfield case was completed. Eli Bean,
first selectman of Brownfeld, examined the
returns for county officers from that town
thrown in September. He had written the
body of the return and it had been sealed up
in open town meeting, but he had not written
the words "Brownfeld" and "Oxford'' in the
beginning of the return indicating where it
was from. He had no doubt these names had
been added since the return had left his hands.
He had put it in the postoffice. This return
was from heavy Greenback town and was
counted Notwithstanding the omission on his
part which had proved fatal in Republican
returns. In regard to Alfred S. Kimball in
stead of Afford, he might have made the cor
rection himself.
The Washington county returns were taken
up. Edward A. Austin, town clerk of Addi-
son, testified to being present at the September
meeting and assisted in making up the returns.
He examined the return for Senators. The
body was written by himself. He knew the
handwriting of the selectmen and the return
was signed by them. He made out the return,
giving the whole number of votes at 467 when
it should have been $780, The mistake was
made by adding the votes of the two candi-
dates. On the 8th of November Talbot,
Greenbacker on the board of selectmen, came
to him and said that mistake had been made
in the return and wanted it amended. He
brought new return precisely like the one
sent, only in blank, which he said had come
from the Secretary of States office. He had
received it from Geo. w. Drisko, editor of the
Machias Union, a Democratic paper. He told
Talbot he knew of no law whereby they had a
right to make a new return, and witness re-
fused to do SO. Monday he came again and
threatened if the return was not made out he
would lose his Office next year. The Demo-
cratic majority in the town was 66 and the re-
f11r, xuoco 4 x,1o %I,o hal
notwithstanding this irregularity.
Asa W. Trickey, Greenbacker and town
clerk of Jonesboro, testified that he was pres
ent at town meeting and made up the return
of that town at the hall where the meeting
was held The return was shown him and he
identified it. He wrote the body of the return
and it was signed by the selectmen and him
self, addressed to the Secretary of State and
deposited in the postofice. About the 18th of
November lothian Merrill came with another
blank and envelope, similar to the one he had
filled out, which he said he had got from
Drisko, and said there was an error in the sem
atorial return we had sent and Drisko had said
we had twenty days by law to make out a new
return. Trickey asked if it was legal to do so,
and Merrill said it was In the first return
there were ditto marks instead of votes spelled
out in words So witness made out new re-
turn, spelling out all the votes thrown instead
of putting ditto as in the first return. The
second return was shown him which he identi-
fed as being in his handwriting. In the case
of this town, Jonesboro, blank return was
substituted and neither of the written returns
used, and the return of the town was not
counted in the tabulation. The reason for this
appeared from the testimony of S. j. Gala
CHER, who had ascertained that the second re-
turn had been received by the Governor and
Council, and they dared not count it because
the fraud had been detected.
H. NJ Heath, counsel for the Washington
county cases, testified that after making sever
al unsuccessful attempts to examine the re-
turns from that county, he was at last admit
ted to Gov. Garcelon's room and the returns
shown him. When they came to Jonesboro
the Governor took the blank return from the
first envelope sent by the town clerk, and held
it up facing Heath, and without looking at it
himself asked, eff we have two returns from
town which shall we count?" Although two
other returns had been sent in from Jonesboro
the blank return was the only one exhibited.
This was pronounced fatally defective and the
town was thrown out entirely. The evidence
was conclusive that two returns had been sent
from Jonesboro and tn at the blank must have
been substituted.
The return from Addison gave an erroneous
statement of the whole number of votes and
yet this was counted. The return from Kossuth
was pronounced poor by Garcelon, who said
it should be thrown out but this gave Fusion
majority and was counted, though the num-
Der of votes was recorded between the names
of candidates with no indication for which
candidate they were intended. The Governor
said afterwards that the intention of the voters
should govern in the case. The name of the
Fusion candidates for senator, James R. Tai
bot, was put James R. Talbort, yet the re-
turn twas counted. The return from Tai
madge was defective butt gave fusion ma
iority and was counted.
MAINE.
Suit Begun Against Barron's Estate. Z.
Especial Despatch to the Press.
AUGUSTA, Feb. 25.-Josiah Crosby is au-
thority for the statement that suit has been