Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1884-11-21
The Last Hours Of the Presidential Coun

THE ANNOUNCEMENT WHICH BL1eHrED THE HOPES
OF BLAINE.
The canvass of the vote of New York city,
which was to decide the Electoral Vote of the
State, which in turn decided the fate of the
Presidential candidates closed Saturday. Its
closing hours are thus described
The board of county canvassers of New York
city and county resumed their labors Saturday
morning, and without special incident COM
plete the count of the electoral vote. with the
exception of the first election district of the
eighteenth assembly district. In this district
the Blaine vote was returned as 81 when it
should have been 81. The correctness of the
latter count had been conceded by the counsel
on both sides, but owing to the absence of the
inspectors it had not been canvassed. In that
district formal corrections are to be made by
the inspectors of elections on Monday, although
he result to be declared by them is not ques-
toned by any one. The work was facilitated
by the adoption of the suggestion to count
the electoral returns first and the vote on 10.
cal Offices afterwards
At two o'clock with the exception noted,
the canvass of the electoral vote was finished,
and Accountant Outwater the lightning
Calculator" who has for years totted up the
returns in this city, took the sheets to the
county clerks Office and began his tedious Ia
bors. He did not finish until about seven
o'clock, when he returned to the common
council room. and handed over the result ia
Supervisor Kirk.
Supervisor O'Connor was rapidly reading
off the county ticket vote of the seventeenth
Assembly district when Supervisor Kirk rap
ped on the table. At this deep silence ensued,
for the long expected announcement which
would settle beyond all doubt the presidency of
the United States was coming. Mr. A. J.
Vanderpool leaned upon one of the pillars, a
smile of satisfaction beaming upon his face
Nielsen j. Waterbury and his son and Allen
Lee Smith stood near him. all the other law
yers having departed, while the aldermen
focked about the chairman, Messers Duffy
and O'Neil taking seats on either side of Mr.
Kirk. Around the desk stood Aldermen Reilly,
Cleary, Sayle, McCabe, Jaehne, Demsey and
Wendell. In front of the Presidents seat sat
Alderman O'Connor, County Clerk Keenan,
and his assistant Christopher MCGEE. In the
hall also sat the tabulators and four police
men. with hats on, guarding the entrance,
while in the seats at the rear were four tired
and weary looking spectators one an old
white haired gentleman of sixty, who, through
out all that followed plaeidly read an eve
ening newspaper. At 1885 Mr. Kirk arose and
said:
''The clerk will now read the figures on the
electoral ticket, with the exception of one cleo
ton district, first election district OF the eigh-
teenth assembly district believe that the Of
ticials count will come out exactly the same
as the result which the clerk will now read, y
Deputy County Clerk Reattie then stepped
up to the desk. and amid a profound silence
re ID from half sheet of legal cap the fol-
lowing:
The board of canvaSsers have completed
the canvass Of the 712 election districts in the
city of New York AS to one district it is
necessary that the inspectors be required to
correct the return, as to an error supposed to
be apparent on the face of the return That
return gives to the Blaine electors 81 votes,
while from other statements in the returns it
ought to be 81 This can make a. difference of 27
votes, no more, no less. If these ~ votes are al
lowed to Blaine, the result will be for the lowest
elector on the Cleveland ticket 1873, 157, and the
highest on the Blaine ticket 80, 093. Plurality
for lowest Cleveland elector 43, O64
The announcement was received with hearty
cheers, which Alderman Kirk permitted for a
moment. Then bringing down the mallet
with bang he ordered the canvass to proceed,
and Alderman O Conner resumed his reading
of the county figures of the seventeenth assem-.
bly, district The formal and official announce
ment will be made to morrow as soon as the
canvass for the other officers voted for shall
have been completed. The figures given are
those for Mr.. Ottendorfer, on the democratic
ticket and for Mr.. Rlakeman, on the republi-
can, who are respectively the lowest and high
est on their tickets. MIR Ottendorfer was ent
in many Of the districts, and his vote aseom-
pared with that of his associates, will be fully
100 less the actual plurality for Cleveland in
the city being in the vicinity of 43, ITS.
An amusing scene occurred yesterday morn
ing before the committee on the correcti on of
inspectors returns. When the sixth election
district of the seventh assembly district was
reached it was found that the following was the
vote returned blaine ices, Cleveland $500,
putler $50; ST. John ~, giving each elector on
the ticket 36 times as many votes as he had re-
ceived. Mr.. Lewis, who was Watching the
count, at once arose and said: There is the
explanation Of the hpbbub throughout the
country for the past week, as this is evidently
what the republican national and State COM
mittees were basing their claims upon If it
is allowed Blaine will have the Staten
Col. George Bliss then arose, and. with mock
gravity, addressed the committee, saying II
must insist, gentleman, that you apply the
rule which has hitherto guided you, viz That
you cannot go behind the face of the returns y
The returns were duly corrected, giving
Blaine 2l3, Cleveland LIS, Butler 8, st. John 3.