Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-03-02


AuGusrA Feb. %, 1880.
Tuesday afternoon another chapter in
the history Of the Returning Board was
completed
CHANGES IN OXFORD RETURNS.
The town clerk and selectmen of the
town OF Buckfeld were present and test
flied to changes having been made upon
the returns since they left their hands on
the evening Of election day. The exam
ination opened in the Senate Chamber at
S o'clock. Mr.. Albion P. Bonney, the
FIRST witness, testified as follows:
TESTIMONY OF A sELEcTNAN OF BUcKfIELD
Was chairman of the selectmen of Buck
field last year. and was present at the an
nual election and assisted in making up
the returns. On examining this return
for county officers find the body of the
return and the signatures are in my writ
ing saw the other selectmen sign 1t.
The name OF the town and county Is not
written in. Some one has commenced
the letter So in the space for the coun-
" at the head Of the blank, but it Is not
the writing OF any Of the signers. The
name Of the town of Buckfeld is written
opposite the sclectmen's names, also by
some other person than the signers. There
was nothing on the face of the return to
show from what town II was sent. The
fling on the back IS in my handwriting.
Asoriginallv made out the town and coun-
" were left blank. and no one to my
knowledge was authorized 20 write the
name OF the town opposite the selectmen
Am Republican in politics
TESTIMONY or CLERK or BUcKFIELD.
c. {. Spaulding testified; Twas clerk
Of The town Of Buckfeld last year. The
signature on the return for county officers
W., signed by myself. The word Buck
field opposite the selectmen's names IS
not in my handwriting or any Of the town
officers. and must have been added since
the return left my hands. sent the re-
turn 20 the Secretary OF State office my
self, properly sealed up in open town
meeting. No one had access 20 them af-
Ter tue town meeting. for they remained
in nv possession till forwarded them.
The other returns were also sealed up and
forwarded by me. In the return for coun-
" officers find an 20" in space for the
county in writing Of some one unknown
to me. Am 4 Democrat. have no
doubt the word Buckfeld was written
opposite the selcctmen's names since the
return LETT my hands.
TESTIMONY OF GEo. u. BISBEE, ESo.
Geo. d. Bisbee testified: Am an at
tornv at law in Buckheld, but am now
acting as clerk of this committee. After
the September election was employed by
portion of the county officers and the
candidates for Senator and Representa-
tive TO come 20 Augusta and examine the
returns. came Dec /, to the Council
chamber and saw MeSSrS. Foster, Moody
and Fogg. They told me ii would come
in the morning should see the returns
for Oxford County l did so and was
shown returns for county officers from
such towns as had certified copies OF the
records with me. Nowhere upon the re-
turn for county officers did the name OF
town or county appear. | noticed this
fact particularly and remember !, distinct
~ from the fact that at trst ! set out no,
to call the attention OF the Council TO tins
omission: but on consultation with Mr..
Wing in the anteroom. returned and
showed it TO the Council. They made nc
remark in regard to it that | remember Of.
They allowed me to do the most OF the
talking.
On Dec. 3, | went to Fryeburg where
our court was in session, and told Enoch
c. Harrington about the defective eondi-
ton of the return. "Buckheld'' has been
written in since Dec. ?. The first time
| was in the Council Chamber | did not
notice the fling on the back of the re-
turn and had some curiosity TO know how
they knew which was the Buckfeld re-
turn, and 50 when | went the second time
! observed the Council selected it by the
filing. About the first week in January
was here and desired 10 see the returns
but was refused. In December | exam
med the clerk return: the others were
refused. When came here as clerk o.
the committee, the town was written up
on the return. If this return alone haC
been rejected the Republican candidate:
for Judge Of Probate and County Commits.
sioner would have been elected. Since
coming into possession of the papers | have
kept them in a safe obtained for that pur.
pose.
About the 18th of December sent L
the Governor and Council written state.
ment of errors found, which has beer
found among the papers turned over &c
me, as clerk of this committee. On thu
tabulation for county officers the Hebron
return of - votes was tabulated anC
counted for Henry q. Walker; the Brown
field return tabulated for both Republican
and Fusion county officers, same as Buck
| field, as If it were correct.
TESTIMONY OF HON. L. c. HARRINGTON
Hon. E. c. Harrington testified Ire
side at Fryeburg and came to Augusta
Dec. Sth, to examine returns from OxforC
County. | first saw members of th'
Council at the Augusta House. Mr.. Eos
ter told me if would 90 to the Council
Chamber he would show ne the returns
for county officers which he did lean