The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1884-11-01

the vacancies. As Registration is
matter of vital Importance and is espe-
cially conducive to an honest election
Messrs. Cavanagh and Traynor living
respectively upon sections IA and IL.
township Ia, range 81, were upon n
motion, being made and seconded by
Commissioners Carr and Eakin. APP
pointed to fill the vacancies caused by
the absence of Messrs. Walworth and
Pemberton. On Tuesday, October 2s,
1884, | went with Cavanagh and
Traynor to the place Of registration as
l considered it favorable opportunity
to see the voters in Precinct No. II.
and forward my own candidacy for the
office for which have the honor to be
the Republican nominee.
As lawyer | was asked my opinion
IN regard to the legality of registering
persons whose residences were un-
known. Acting upon my advice or
rather upon their own good judgment
Cavanagh and Traynor objected to the
registration of the names of any per-
sons whose place of living was not
known or whose residence could not be
proven by testimony of known resi-
dent. Mr.. Roberts, in spite of the pro-
test of his two associates and ignoring
the fact that their appointment was as
regular and legal as his own, registered
the names of 22 persons without stat
ing their residence Mr.. Roberts left
about noon, and, after an absence of a
few hours returned, followettsoon after
by two gentlemen from Fairbank,
Messrs. Young and Walker One of
these gentlemen presented a paper
bearing the heading, fort Sully Trad
ing Post" upon which were the names
of 22 persons to be registered; no place
of residence being mentioned Cavanagh |
and Traynor objected to their registra-
ton. Another paper containing "a |!
names was presented and notwith- |
standing the objections OF two members
of the board, 20 of them were regis
tered.
| headed no brace Of cut -throats.
came to the polling place with no in
structions from j. A. Meloon, and de-
manded no books. The building was
not forcibly entered while Roberts was
gone to dinner, as Mr.. Traynor remain
ed at the polling place while Mr. Rob
erts went down to take dinner with Mr..
Cavanagh, at the invitation OF the lat
ter gentleman.
Before going home Mr.. Roberts said
that he would take one of the Regis
tration books himself and would leave
the other book at the house of Carl ID.
Sweet Mr., Traynor suggested that it
would be well to leave it mt his house
or at the house of Mr. Cavanagh. Mr..
Roberts did not propose to do any such
thing, whereupon Mr.. Traynor inform
eel him that he guessed he would take
the book home and post himself on the
Registration and Election laws printed
upon the cover.
lmust characterize the charge of hav-
ing taken possession of the book and |
delivering it to Joseph A. Meloon as a
mean, contemplate falsehood, having
no foundation in fact. Mr.. Meloon
never gave any instructions in the
matter and the whole statement is an |
abuse of the freedom of the press for
which hope to settle with the Tribune
later in the season.
To vote as | see fit and to refuse to |
be dictated to are my high privileges
as an American citizen. A failure to
state how | stand in regard to County |
Seat matters or whether am favorably |
disposed towards the candidacy of par
ticular persons does not justify the
publication Of such an infamous libel |
as appeared in the Fairbank Tribune
of October Goth, 1884
Why the parties who advocated and
secured my appointment as orator to |
deliver the Grafton on July 18th at FAIR
bank, should now misrepresent me is
something that | cannot understand. |
In regard to my character and antece-
dents | would respectfully refer the Gu
rious and inquisitive to Charles Elliott,
President of Harvard University, and
Theodore Dwight, warden of the Col
umbia College Law School, from both
of which institutions | have the good
fortune to be graduate.
Sorry to abuse the patience of my
readers and hoping to see an honest
election, | am, very respectfully, the
public's we'll wisher.
MICHAEL J. McCANN,
Republican Candidate for Probate Judge.