Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-12-03
LEMAN GIVEN THE SEAT.
GOV. HAMILTON MAKES THE
ILLINOIS SENATE A TIE.

a RumOr that a Republican Friend
will Cast the Vote Which will Make
Morrison LOgan's SuccessOr-The AL
legged Frauds to be vigorously Prose
cuted.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL, Dec. 2.-Gov. Ham
ilton has rendered a decision in the Le-
man-Brand case. After an elaborate re-
view of the evidence and a citation of
authorities, he awards the certificate of
election to Leman, the Republican candi-
date for State Senator in the Sixth dis
trict. The decision of Coy. Hamilton is
a very long one.
1t recites at length the circumstances sur
rounding the return of the election judges in
the Second precinct of the Eighteenth ward,
and the manner in which fraud was per-
petrated as set forth by conclusive evidence,
written and oral, before the State canvassing
board. The Governor also used as the basis
for his decision the Second precinct tally
sheet and poll book. He expressed the
opinion that the signature of Shields, one of
the judges, to the tally sheet was forged, as
well as that of DR.. Strausser, which was cor
robOrated by expert testimony in the latter
case. He declared from this evidence thet the
changes could not have been made for the
correction of clerical errors for manifest
reasons.
BOLD FORGERY COMMITTED.
His conclusion was that bold forgery had
been committed to cheat the people of the
district out of their just rights, and that the
object of the erasures was to change the ma
jOrity in the State LEGISLATURE and thereby
control the election of United States Senator.
He said that he could not in his judgment
and conscience find that Randolph Brand was
duly elected" in just or lawful manner. or
that he was elected at all. He finds that Mr..
Leman received majority of S94 votes and is
therefore elected. He said that the case was
in oT,d hot hn
based his opinion upon the right and duty of
canvassing boards to canvass genuine re-
turns.
WORK OF THE GRAND JURY.
The Federal grand jury this after
noon returned a formal report COW
ering the investigation thus far made by
them with respect to the alleged frauds in
the Sixth Senatorial district.
The report declares that the eXamina-
ton of the poll book and tally sheet shows
und0ubted evidence OF forgery and fraud.
From the examination of the ballots, In
connection with the returns, the report
says:
1t became at once apparent to us that a
crime, whose bOldness and wickedness was
only equalled by It's grossness, had been COM
mitted. In other words, there had been alb
stracted over 200 ballots cast at said election
and bearing the name of a candidate for Rep
resentatlVe IN Congress from the envelope in
which the ballots east in said precinct were
enclosed after and on the night of the election,
and there had been substituted in their place
an equal number of spurious and false ballots
which were never voted.
Mr.. Leman makes public tonight his
reply to the open letter sent last night by
Rudolph Brand, his Democratic OppO-
nent, proposing a recount of the votes
throughout the entire district, and final
determination of the contest by the testi-
mony Of the voters. Mr.. Leman declines
the proposition, claiming that the pro-
ceedings proposed is illegal and would be
void if carried out, and concludes by say
ing that inasmuch as the Governor has
declared HIM legally elected, and will
issue certificate to him, he (Leman)
will submit to no tribunal except the
State Senate.
NO INDICTMENTS PRESENTED.
1t is reported tonight that none of the
indictments returned by the grand Jury
to-day had any connection with the al
legged election frauds, that thus far no
such indictment has been presented to
the court, and that the investigations of
yesterday and to-day have gone far to
convince the grand jury that indictments
against certain judges and clerks of the
election are not warranted, and will be
annulled unless they are further impli-
Gated by subsequent testimony.
The Times will say tomorrow that s.
b. Wright, of the printing firm of Hans
com ~ Co., testified before the grand jury
to-day that j. G. Mackin, Secretary of the
Democratic County Committee, gave the
order for the bogus Eighteenth ward bal
lots, that they were printed in Hanscom
IL Co.'s establishment and delivered to
Mr.. Mackn in his room at the Palmer
House at 10 O'Clock at night on Nov. 81,
At a meeting of the committee of 80
citizens this afternoon, appointed to
prosecute inquiries into the alleged ballot
stufing in the Second precinct of the
Eighteenth ward, it was resolved to in
crease the number to 80, to raise a fund
of $4,000 for the pursuit of it's work, and
to offer a reward of not less than $1,000
for information leading to the conviction
of the guilty parties.
j. &. Mackin being interviewed regard
ing his supposed testimony before the
Federal grand jury that he ordered the
printing of the bogus Eighteenth ward
ballots, neither affirmed or denied it's
truth, but said that it would give him
great pleasure to be called on by the
grand jury to testify on that point.
MORRISON TO SUCCEED LOGAN.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 2.-Friends of Will
liam r. Morrison claim that he will be
elected LOgan's successor through
friendship with a Republican State SEN
atOr