New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-06
spRAGUE AGAINST BLISS.
THE CONTEST IN THE xIlIrH DISTRICT.

THE CONTEST IN me Aiiiiii oi"A
WITNESSES HEARD on BOTH siDEs-"As '"h"A
CLERICAL ERRoRf
Parlors G and ii of the Filth Avenue ho.ei
.re hacked with people yesterday morning when inc
Assembly Committee on Privileges ana Iecuohs oes""
q, take testimony in the contested eecuon case III '
win Assembly District Of this city Henry L. sprague
,bo Repubcan contestant sat at ono taoo Win h'e
counsel r. L. stetson, and the respondent, Ihaes
pI,ss with his two lawyers Nelson ]. Waterbury ana
yb,,n Malone occupied seats another table facing
tia chairman of the committee, AssempiyInah rioe' ~
Ontario County. All OF the committeeman were P'e'e
except Mr.. Erwin who was sick The case .ooA up -
entire day The ludicrous answers OF the witness 49,
yokcd much merriment at times. United states sup sup,
, q, rlacttons Jobn I Davenport attended the early
part of the session. ,,
AIR. waterbury opened the proceedings by reauins
denial of the charges made In the conpla'n' Vi
and averred that Mr. Bliss had been
Tho returns and that rested with the contestant
d,rontIv Mr. Waterbury in behalf OF his ehen'' ae-
MED any sympathy with the published reports a' 'no
o,,ri,toe was 4" packed" and that it was trying 10
r.,Ioad the contested cases through without fuii
and fair trial ,,h,. ho nod
Mr. stetson in his opening remarks saiu 'i'' no ''
M doubt that these statements dld not cnia''o nun
bis onnonents The question they would consoer was
one of great simplicity. IL was question Vi ns NV
NJ fraud and he proposed to prove that the ohcla re-
,rr. from the Fourteenth Election District OF the
xIIJtb Assembly Cist let wrong that by trans
postion Of figures clerical error on the part oil the po
clerk had given l73 votes to Mt Bliss ana lZo VOTES "
Mr. sprague when the original tally-sheet OF the po
clerk showed that Mr. Sprague had received 40 NoVos
and Mr. Bliss 100. On the total vote In the Assembly,
District of 1850 Mr. Bliss had been apparently eiece
by 90 majority but correction OF the returns wouu
give the seat TO Mr. Sprague by liza mario"
msjority" said Mr. Stetson, but one that snouu NC
guarded as sscredy If 1t were 16oO" ihe couhset
then claimed that copying the figures from the original
tally sheet kept by him, the Republican pocerR maue
the clerical error.
The first witness called was Stephen b wamsley. He
testified that the shown him by the counsel were
Tho same returns that were taken by hun from the poll
ing place to the Mayors office These were the returns
made out the original kept by the TWO
polcerks Those who made up the canvass OF the votes
were two poclsrks Democrat aud one Republican,
and four OF At the CLOSE of the can
yass the result on the different tallyshees was an
nounced in loud voice. If the figures compared cor
reetlv the returns were delivered TO messengers who
took them to their various destinations One SET called
the police returns" went to Police Headquarters one
set 10 the Board Of County Canvassers one set TO the
Board of Aldermen and set to the Mayors ONCE In
addition, United states Supervisor VINO was
present also took copy OF the returns to the office OF
Mr.. Davenport.
John Rocket the Democratic poclerk, was the next
witness He stated that he kept taysh during the
polling At the close of the canvass, Mr. Crockett the
Republican pOo-cerk, Mr.. Knoll, the United states
Supervisor and himself compared their tay-shests they
were found to alike. Mr.. Crockett then announced
the vote On the vote for Assembly the announcement
WAS 173 for sprague and 100 for Bliss with some few
scattering Mr. Rocket then subjected to severe
cross-examination by Mr.. Waterbury, which
dered his answers unintelhgble
Edgar Vanderbilt teacher in Grammar School No. 55,
testified that he was present when the announcements
rraAa In fba mill p.nt nf fhp
Fourteenth Election District and the vote for
Assembly as announced by both Crockett,
the pollclerk and Mr.. Hull, the chairman OF the in
spectors 173 votes for sprague and 120 for Bliss.
The witness had kept record, which was produced In
George T. wflers, man with q heavy nustache,
ssd that he employed by the Garfield Club 10 take
charge OF the Garfield Republican boxes in that district
and TO watch the count at the He beard
They each proclaimed that sprague had l73 votes and
that he was present at the polling place, and kept a
tally sheet II correspondent with the announcements of
Mr. Davenport here produced the tally sheet kept by
RS Mr. 4aveO the AFTER
C. L. Crockett the polclerk VINO Ia alleged TO be the
all ae OF %ai f BACK IN the aa
Keeping his eyes half closed and giving his answers IN
He said that he Kept taysheei as polI-cierk in the
Fourteenth Election District OF the xIiith Assembly
foolscap After the canvass ne announced tne result
1t 173 for Sprague and 100 for Bliss In TRANSCRIPT
printed form he made the error lie was not aware OF
the until nearly two weeks afterward when he saw
the lie had made out opened IN tue Mayors office
His announcement tailed with Mr.. Hulrs.
What became of your original tally ON the fooscapp
:" I lost it," said the witness composedly.
Did you not know that you rendered yourself liable
10 indictment for not Mug your original tally !"
aid not ." lac answered coolly.
Charles Hull chairman OF the inspectors at this
polling place. stated that he kept the tally
spectOr This tally went to the Board OF County Can
vassers He made the encouragement FROM It was to
the effect that sprague had 173 votes and Bliss 100
Mr.. Waterbury cross-exanination raised the ques
tiOn of the wtaes s9oreiy on the nghlthe votes were
canvassed lie denied that he had drank any liquor.
Wasn't there bottle OF whiskey about the prem
Inere was such a story but II was not true"
- How do you know II was not true T.
Because we hunted for IT and couldn't ind It."
The credbiuty of Mr.. Hulrs evidence was shaken by
production Of affidavit made by him stating that
Bliss In his opinion, had carried the district by
than 40 votes
and half. AT the afternoon session Mr.. Waterbury
called as witnesses Henry f. Metz and Charles T. Bald
question They stouty TO hearing Numerically
opposite OF what Mr. spragues witnesses testi
every announcement gave Bliss 173 and Sprsgue
j. Hvan wyck deputy collector of Internal revenue,
Henry Uln and William Meiser that they heard
Baldwin say III Uns tobaccOstore IN 6eventhaye soon
after the election that Sprague was elected.
The lawyers the Chairman ana the steDOgIapher then
timony OF Policeman Ambrose II. Cole, who was too iii
10 attend the session CT tue committee Cole the
patroman stationed at the polling place aud took
The returns TO Police Headquarters he said that he
heard tue announcements made by Mr. Hull ana Mr.. |
Crocket be not posi- i've. but he believed that 1t
stood l73 for Bliss and 100 for Sprague. lie did
HUI drink, but that he had been drinking, and
spoke to hIIn and told him % be careful.
When Coles testimony brought back 20 the com
mttee the hotel IL adjourned The counsel Will
up the evidence in this before committee In
Albany Thursday next. rIis morning The committee
Will the evidence i'll the Connolly Lindsay in
the With Brooklyn District