Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-03-13

70 PoDlc scrutiuy, tney we're 10 De examined
BY myself and council and we we're to se
whether they we're correct or not. H. N
Heath was allowed to examine the returns
This permission vas given to no other gentle
man. The reason Mr.. Heath was allowed Il
examine the returns. was that he behaved il
. gentlemanly manner. Mr.. Pishon mads
the tabulation; have no doubt that Mr.. Har.
den assisted Mr.. Pishon in doing clerical
work. Don't remember that any one outside
vas allowed 70 examine returns from Novem
Der 18th to Dec. lst. If changes were made
they we're made without my knowledge Of
participation. Looked over the tabulations
alter they we're completed; my attention was
called to some doubtful cases list OF
members elected was made up, and approved
By me. Know Of but one list having been
made. Don't know Of any list having been
made up, having on it republican majority.
Didn't know which party had . majority.
Am willing to swear that when approved
the list Of representatives did not know that
it contained . majority Of the names of flu
sionists. Was acting according to my inter-
pretation of constitutional Law when signed
the certificates, and did not stop to inquire
the politics of the persons affected.
ANernoon Session.
After an intermission of an hour and half
for dinner. Gov. Garcelon resumed his tesli-
mony. The Attorney Generals room was
packed % closely ~ . herring box, with hu-
manity. So great was the interest manifested
that it was decided to adjourn to the Repre-
sentatives' Hall. wild scramble up stairs
began, and it was some fifteen minutes be-
fore the examination could proceed.
Governor Garcelon continues.-In making
out certificates for the senators and repre-
sentatives, l went BY the list that the COM
mittee on election returns made out. At this
time the list was incomplete. There were
several doubtful cases,-one of these was that
of Senator Smith of Lincoln, and the other
in which the name Alfred was spelled 'Al-
ford" This list was approved by me. 1t
was the one from which the certificates were
drawn.
The Governor examined the list of repre-
sentatives, as tabulated by the committee,
and stated that he found certain erasures
made, and pen marks drawn through names,
and other names written above. Opposite
certain names in the list, the letter &c" is
marked with a lead pencil, indicating that
the party was a greenbacker. When l APP
proved the list did not know whether or not
the men to whom l sent certificates were
greenbackers or republicans.
Did not know that we had given certificates
to 7s fusionists, and 81 republicans, and
thrown out IL towns.
Heard talk that we had enough fusionists
to make quorum. Several days after the
certificates were issued picked up q piece
of paper on the table in the council chamber,
which shove there would be 20 on one side and
about the same number on the other. 1t was
a little surprise, and rather pleasing one,
when learned by the papers that there
would be 7s fusionists in the house. l en-
deavored to decide each case according to
its merits, the constitution and the law, and
believe that acted rightly.
Don't understand that anybody was count
ed out. When the returns were improperly
made, l supposed was doing perfectly
right in throwing them out. Did not
examine every case; supposed that my coun-
Gil were reliable men. l supposed that
was acting honestly and intelligently, al
though have been called natural born
fool" by the opposition papers. 1t was my
endeavor in every instance to treat both sides
precisely alike. DO not remember a single
instance where republican or democrat was
allowed to correct the returns. Where a
mans name was returned differently, in two
returns, we counted the votes for two par
ties. These rules were intended to cut clear
through, let them hit whom they might.
We allowed corrections to be made by the
record; but cannot recall any case where this
was availed of. In the senatorial returns
from the town OF Robbinston, 60 votes for
John T. Wallace are tabulated for John +.
Wallace, Jr. l can't say whether this was q
mistake or design. The town of Deblois
exhibited similar case. This was wrong
fully done and without my knowledge. 1t
was in rank opposition to my rule of action.
The town of Kossuth was wrongfully tabula-
ted The return from Lincoln plantation
should have been tabulated for Charles Rank
ms, although written "Rankin." Don't re-
member Of any case where n republican was
thrown out because an '.e' was added to the
name. In the town of Hanover Francis W.
Redlon lost IS votes because his name was
spelled "Redlond." You must call upon the
committee for an explanation Of this matter.
Would not have believed that such things
had been done, if had not seen them. De-
cided not to count the votes of the towns for
'sBurnam' and Durham as for the same
man. If Mr.. Burnam's vote had been tabu-
lated for himself, instead of for ''Burnham, y
separately. he would have been elected. Knew
that the court had decided that when the
names we're sdem sonons, or sounded alike.
they shsuld be tabulated for one individual.
In the Newcastle, Alma, Nobleboro', and
Somerville class, James W. Clark name was
written .Clark" in the return from the first
two towns, and s-Clsrke" in the two latter
This should not have been counted for one