The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-12-24

ried about six months.
Convictions for Election Assaults.
Judge Pinkney's remarks in the
Criminal Court of Baltimore Thurs.
of last week, in passing sentenceupon
the four men convicted of an cleo
ton. day assault, were as valuable a
contribution to the maintenance of
law and order and the protection of
good citizens from the ruffianism of
shoulder hltters in the employ of par
tisan cliques as was the term Of inn
prisonment which he imposed. The
facts of the case we're that on the day
of the municipal election, in October
last, Joseph G. Mulligan was a chaI.
lenger for the Old Line Democratic
Council candidates at the polls of the
fourth precinct of the Fifteenth ward.
While in the discharge of his legiti.
mate duty, he was brutality assaulted
by a gang of sympathizers with the
regulars" and was refused by JUS
tice Davis, the then committing mag
trate at the Southern District Police
Station, warrants for their arrest.
Mr.. Davis conduct in this matter
led to his punishment at the hands of
Gov. Hamilton by removal from
office. AS Mr.. Mulligan was return
ing from the police station to the
polls he was again assailed by the
same party, and with even more vio-
lence than previously. AS he was
very active and efficient as challen-
ger of repeaters and other fraudulent
voters, it was evident that the design
of the rutfians was to put him out
of the way tor the day. 1t was per-
fectly well known that with fair
vote and count it would be absolute
Iy impossible for the REGULARS" to
carry the ward, and the sole resource
upon which they could base hope
was that of terrorism and knayery.
Shey succeeded. but four of their I'M
lucky tools are compelled to pay the
penalty.
Judge Pinkney. in passing sem
tence, said:
at now becomes my duty to pass
sentence on the defendants The
offence charged is what is known as
common assault. Some years ago
in lS60-the legislature of the state
passed law providing for the pros
ecutinn of offences committed at the
polls on election days. 1t had, how
ever, since become pretty much
dead letter. 1t was passed during
period of great excitement, and at a
time when the right of suffrage in
Baltimore appeared to have been alb
s0iuttly stricken down.. This was
in the 'Nnow-Nothing' days, ST. well
remembered by many. The best
citizens were assaulted and beaten,
and some killed by men of the then
dominant party. TIE law has gone
into disuse on account of it's extreme
severity. But the offence remains.
The poet has said. we may call
spirits from he vastly deep; but they
cannot always be as readily laid.
When political parties allow and use
rutfiansm on election day to suit and
and promote present purposes, they
should know that the time will come
when respectable people will forsake
that party-though they may agree
with its principleS-and take meas
ures to put such proceedings down.
In those days to which | have allud.
ed, respectable citizens found that the
prosperity and most valuable inter-
ests Of the city were being seriously
affected, and at last the people aroused
themselves and put an end to the
great evil. These men have been in
dicted for and found guilty of com
mon assault 1t is not so serious as
many Others which are brought be-
fore the court every week but under
! the circumstances attending it the
court would fail in the performance
of its duty if it did not infiict severe
penalty. This is my duty in order
to deter others from the commission
of such Outrages and to prevent the
possibility Of the existence of such a
state of things as / have portrayed.
l sentence each of the defendants to
Jail for one year."