Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-05-05

come around aifer dark and CAL me
out to speak to PC they wonld pass
me on the street without speaking,
and they told me, two or three differ.
ent ones, that II was coming near Win.
ter, and they did not wish 10 lose their
jobs still they wished TO- vote for
Butler" vr t frr
The corporation owned the only ball
in town in which public meetings were
held. 1t was uscd for minstrel shows
and dances freqnently. Mr.. Thayer,
the Democratic candidate for Congress,
and Mr.. Mellen, desired to speak in it,
but its use was refused by Mr.. Near.
thur, the agent. The witness describes
the refusal thus; I'D
~ then went TO Mr.. Macarthur and
applied for the ball, and told Mr.. Nc
Arthur that as Mr.. Rice, tho Repuli-
can candidatet had complmented our
town by making ms opening speech OF
the canvass there, ] thought It would
be very good send,off and a compli.
mont TO the place if Mr. Thayer would
make the second speech Of his canvass
in our town, and that all parties would
then have an opportunity 10 hear their
candidates in the opening Of the can
vass. Mr.. Macarthur replied that bo
could not let the hall, and remarked to
me, 'You know how our people are.
supposed that by our people he
meant the owners He went on TO
say, you know how our people are,
and they are not Of that way Of polti,
cal thought, and do not belong to that
political party II you owned hall,
you would not let in the opposition to
speak, either. / replied, 'Mr. Near.
thur, on the contrary, | should GER
tainly do that very thing and if you
people are intending to suppress free.
dom OF discussion oipolitical questions,
our community want to know it, lie
said, Well, | think cannot let you
have the ball"
That Democratic meeting was held
in a barn.
The selectmen Of the town have
charge OF the ballotbox on election
day. Macarthur, an employe Of the
company, was in charge as such in
1878 Chase and Knox, two other
employees Of the company, were in at.
tendance. The workmon were pro.
vded with Republican tickets at the
works-hauled in wagons TO the poll
ing-place, and voted under the direct
supervision Of Macarthur, Chase and
Knox. A witness describes the pro.
cess thus
any attention was called to the pc,
culiar way they had Of managing the
voters there. | stepped up to tho lit
tie railing that they had there to 90
around and up to the polls, and | saw
two men stationed at the entrance
where the voters went in. One was
Mr. Chase, the other was Mr.
Knox. saw that the help of the vii
lage Il was acquainted with a great
portion Of them) came along in sort
Of rotation. Mr.. Chase was on one
side and this Mr.. Knox was on the
other, and as each man came up they
would take hold of the ticket that the
man had, and say That is right, pass
on. Another would como up, and
they would say. That is right, pass
on Another would come up, and
they would say, Hold on, that is not
the vote you want to cast. why, yes
it is the vote want to cast No, il
is not. 'Why, certainly, that is my
vote. 'Oh, no. and he got it out Of
the mans hand, tore it up and threw
it on the floor. He said, You do moi
want to vote such damned vote as
that. He then handed the voter an
other one. The man then remarked
u don't want TO cast this vote The
reply was, GO right along that is The
vote you want. The man went right
along and put it in the box. Mr.
Hastings, the constable, stood right op
posite, and | stood, perhaps, four fee
from this Mr.. Knox .
Another instance is given thus:
Q. Who was at tho polls to reeeiv,
the employees in November last2 A
Mr.. chase. H
@. IL he connected with the corpor
ation2 A. He is the book .keepel
there.
@. Who takes them from the mill
to the polls Z A. The teams Of th,
corporation take them.
Q. What have you seen in regart
to tickets when they have got to tb,
polls Z A. have seen Mr.. Chas,
change their tickets. lie generally
stands at one side where there is
small place to 60 through, and, as thel
come along, he always has tho ballot
there, and have seen him chang,
them, and have seen them get ticket
from him and carry them in. aou
q. The specific tickets you speak Of
did they examine thosc2 A. do no
know whether they could or not
Pretty nearly all OF those who worl
: there are French, and do not know
: whether they could examine them.
Q DO you know whether thos
tickets were in envelopes or open 2 A
, | have seen Mr. Chase give 10 then
} that were open.
Q. Did you sec this occur in No
vember 1872 A Yes, sir.
@. Specify an instance and describ
, how this occurred, il you can. A. A
| they pass along hewas standing thcr
, on this side, and % they would com
up to the polls h. would stop then
hand them one ofthc tickets, and say
, Here, carry 1t in They might hav
had an envelope o. something OF tina
E kind. | have seen them have enye
; opes. have seenthat occur
The ballot-boxea were open boxe
/ and those in charge could see tho forr
and appearance Of the ballot voteC
and they were easily distinguished
Q apart
! The result Of tbs close superyso
of the votes Of the operatives by thei
! employers and tn, fears which pr,
| vailed among themlest they should !
l. discharged, very naturally affected th
t result in the distiict in which the
G voted, and gave TO the candidate f
}. vored by the employer large numbc
I, Of votes they would not have receive
D If perfect freedom Of action had bee
. allowed to the workmen.
! Your Committee examined q nun
9 Der Of witnesses in regard to the maj
8 agement and manner Of voting at Wei
Q ster, in Worcester county, by the en-
= ployes Of the Slater Manuiacturin
+. Company, wbcro several hundred me
o are employed a majority Of who
were Irlshmen, and the proof shove
; about the same state Of facts as cxis
y ed in Manchaug.