St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-12-12
THE CHICAGO ELECTION.
New Developments in the Brand
Leman Election Contest.


CHICAGO, Dec. 11.-Arthur Gleason, chief
deputy in County Clerk Ryan's Office, makes
public statement this evening under his
own signature charging Henry Biehl, one of
the employees in the county clerks office,
with having distracted the envelope con-
tanning the ballots of the Second precinct of
the Eighteenth ward, and thereby allowing q
substitution Of the forged ballots found in
the envelopes when the same was opened by
the federal grand jury. Gleason relates that
the envelope in question was placed with
others in a large box in the county clerks
vault and nailed up on the day the county
canvassing board closed its labors, and when
the hrst impression had been created that
fraud had been perpetrated Mr.. Ryan sent
word TO Gleason to take good care of the
returns. On receipt Of the mes
sage Gleason says he called TO
his assistance Henry Biehl, William j.
Sweeney and William Hayer, clerks in the
Office. Search was made for the returns,
Biehl finding them in a nailed chest. Where
upon the two other searchers were directed
not 10 look any longer. Gleason then went
10 attend TO other duties. Biehl soon after
ward informed Gleason he had placed them
in one of ten drawers in the vault, num-
oered 2i4- The only person knowing the
exact drawer in which these ballots had been
placed were Biehl and Gleason. Gleason
says he did not personally make an examina-
ton Of drawer pa 10 ascertain whether Biehl
Informed him correctly or not, but took il
for granted he did. He did not go 10 the
drawer until November %, when he found
them there. Previous to that time he de-
clares he never had the envelope
in his hands. The vault in
which these ballots were kept was
locked with a combination, the combination
being known only to four persons, Henry
Biehl, John Shield, John 0iLaughlin and
Gleason. The ballots were placed in the
vault, where the combination was known
only 10 four persons, and the location to but
two, Biehl and Gleason. Gleason then, says
the evidence, shows beyond doubt that the
change in ballots was made while in the
county clerks Office. The evidence also
shows that neither Shield nor O'Laughlin
knew where they were placed, and il would
have been exceedingly difficult for any one
not knowing their exact location, to find
them. The ballots having been taken from
the vault the afternoon of Nov. 81, either
Biehl or himself is guilty. AS he declares he
did not commit the crime, it could have
been committed by no other per-
son than Biehl, and he, there
fore, charges him with its preparation.
Two persons now directly charged
with the crime are Joseph c. Maellin, secre-
tary Of the Cook county Democratic central
committee, who ordered the bogus tickets
printed, and Biehl with the abstraction of
the envelope containing the original ballots
TO allow the substitution of the bogus ones.
Henry Biehl also makes public statement
in which he traverses the charges made by
Gleason. He says the crime of removing
the envelope from the county vault was un-
doubtedly committed by Gleason or himself,
and as he knows he is not guilty be believes
Gleason to be, and is strengthened in this
view owing 10 the contradictory statement
made by Gleason before the grand jury.