Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-07-27
The Purchase OF Voters.
POLITICAL PLANS IN CLEARFIELD.
Special Dispatch to The Times.
CLEARFIELD, July 20.


are engaged in an important movement
in which this county is for the present
the theatre of operations. How far
success will attend the efforts is proble-
matical, though judging from the char.
acter of the emissaries employed and
the tireless energy Infused into their
efforts 1T is safe to assume that they in
tend to deserve success. However, the
magnitude of the enterprise is sufficient
to commend it to the attention of the
most skiltul managers, and it is not sur.
prlsing that scheme that involves the
transfer of the votes of the Knights of
Labor bodily to the Republican candi-
dates should enlist the best efforts of
the most skilled manipulators. Early
in the campaign it was the boast of the
most trusted Cameron lieutenants that
gains through the medium of the
Knights of Labor organization would
more than compensate for the diversion
of Independent Republicans, but until
recently the movement to consummate
this undertaking was so carefully mask
ed that the utmost vigilance failed to
disclose it. Even now, while the object
is so clear to those who have had oppor.
tunities to witness the mannuvres of
the managers, it is only by carefully
analyzing the various movements and
joining together the isolated links in
the chain of circumstances that the
plot is fully disclosed.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLOT.
How long the plot has been incubat.
ing it is not possible to conjecture, ex-
cept in so far as it is remembered that
Mr. Cooper made allusion to such a
scheme more than a month ago. The
first tangible evidence of its develop
ment in this section occurred last
Saturday, when suspicious framed them.
selves into street gossip and were dis.
cussed on the streets OF this town. Last
Wednesday Miles McPadden was ar
rested at Phllipsburg, charged with
conspiracy to prevent willing workmen
from pursuing their avocation. He was
bound over in the sum of 81 600 to
appear for trial. Subsequently Con.
Cotter, John Catherwood and man
named Paisley were arrested and in de.
fault of bail were committed to iail.
This occurred on Friday. On Saturday
Colonel ID. II. Hastings arrived here.
The labor organization has always here.
totore been represented by Barret &
Son. 1t was reasonable to expect that
any legal proceedings would be inaugu.
rated by this firm. Colonel Hastings
had never previously appeared in court
here, and his legal reputation is not
such as to make his employment in any
way necessary. But in this case Messrs.
Barret X Son, the senior of which firm
has occupied a seat on the bench, and
both are distinguished for legal acumen,
were not consulted.
Upon the arrival of Colonel Hastings
the Knights of Labor surrendered the
management of their case to him. He
employed Mr.. T. II. Murry, who is a
Republican and personal friend of Gen.
Beaver. Under the counsel of these
gentlemen writ of habeas corpus was
applied for. Upon the hearing on the
motion for the writ after argument the
Court held the accused to bail in the
sum of $500 each, and they were re.
manded to custody until the bail was
entered.
THE AMBASSADORS DELICATE DUTIES.
At this point the peculiar services of
General Beavers neighbor and Chair.
man COoper's ambassador, Colonel Hast.
ings, were developed. He canvassed
the town, soliciting bondsmen. TO the
active Republicans he pleaded eloquent.
ly in behalf of his pet scheme. TO the
personal friends OF General Beaver he
emphasized the value of such a service
in such an emergency. Finally DR..
Hartwick yielded to his opportunities
and consented, out of love for the Stal.
wart candidate, to sign the bond. Mr..
Murray when apprised of the triumph
and the three visited the Jail to execute
the bond in the presence of the prison
ers. When the doctor saw them, how
ever, he relented. Timidity got the
upper hand OF patriotism and he beg.
ged off. Then Colonel Hastings was
driven to another expedient. He sum.
moned the leading partlSans to caucus
and commanded in the name of the
party that they jointly make up the
bail. Among those who attended this
caucus was Samuel j. Row, who was
yesterday appointed Postmaster. To
him the Colonel addressed himself. He
dilated upon the fact that as prospec.
tive party beneficiary it was his duty to
help the organization. But the ex.
pectant Postmaster was adamant. The
others were equally Inexpensive and
the caucus adjourned, The Bellefonte
ambassador was in despair. Hope was
oozing out and he turned to his col.
league, Mr.. Murray, with a plaintive
plea to throw himself into the breach.
Murray demurred and alluded feellngly
to his lifelong practice of refusing to
bail anyone. He cited the record of a
long professional career in testimony of
this fact, but it only inspired Hastings
to greater eloquence and more fervid
importunity. At last Mr.. Murray sue.
cunbed and, under the assurance that
it would secure the votes of the knights
of Labor to General Beaver, he signed
the bond and the prisoners were re,
leased.
THE TERMS OF THE CONTRACT.
1t is an open secret here that an un-
derstanding has been arrived at between