The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-03-28

Zens'' Reform Committee, to investig ate
the matter, the parties under whose aus
piccs it was committed being, at the
time, the chief sponsors OF the regular
Democratic nominee Tor the mayoraliy
(Mr Latrube) and of the candidates for
local and municipal Offices to which only
the citizens movement extended. YER
flied the confession of Keys by an inter
view with Judge Stewart and was iurulSh-
ed by Mai. Richard I. Allison, then clerk
of the court, with the names of several
of his deputy clerks, who had confessed
their personal participation Ill the fraud
and had given him the details and the
names OF the parties who had committed
it. including the name of Eugene Zig
gins All the parties agreed i'll the state
ment that they had been permitted by
Robinson, the then clerk, to enter the
basement of the Record office, at night,
for the purpose of fixing the ballots
aud had taken out the Reform ballots
and burned them in the stove, substitut
inc the regular Democrat tickets fol them
the process was necessarily Il tedious one,
so as if possible not to interfere with the
tallies, and Lad occupied them Saturday
night, all day Sunday, and, | think SIM
tlav night. As to this last, however. my
recollection is not precise.
Provost and Robinson being dead, |
was anxious to put the facts beyond per
adventure. it possible, before giving them
to the public, and having heard from
several sources that Mr.. Robert I. Bald
win, Of this Glty, the president of the
National Mechanics Bank and now one
of the commissioners of finance, mas re-
ceived IA statement from Eugene Higgins
himself as 10 his participation III the af.
fair. called specially on Mr.. baldwin to
ascertain whether such was the fact.
Mr.. Bald win very frankly told me that
it was. aud that Elgena Higgins had
communicated to him all the details,
which he (Mr. Baldwin, repeated pre-
ciScly as they had come to me from the
other parties aud as stated above. He
said that Higgins had confessed haviNg
assisted with his own hands, il destroy
ing the one set of ballots aud substituting
the others. My recollection further is,
that Mr. Baldwin said that he had asked
Higgins how he could possibly be guilty
of such an act, and the latter had re-
piled, that of course it was all wrong.
but he thought it was for the good of
the Democratic party, or words OF tina,
import.
pom Tie Idil!l u! an tlc CfibtlCf tLuS
obtained charged publicly upon the
hastings, over and over. during the cam
paign, that the fraud in question had
been perpetrated in the manner aud at
the time which | have described. | chal-
lenged contradiction, aud rendered my
self ready to prove the charge if denied.
and to name the parties who committed
the olfense and were privy to it. There
was no attempt at denial, and the charge
passed into the conceded facts of the
canvass
ought to add that Mr.. Baldwin. for
reasons which he stated and the force of
which recognized, expressed a desire
that his name should not be introduced
into the canvass il it colld be avoided.
| cheeriully promised to respect his
wishes. and did so. | told him, how
ever, explicitly that had taken leave TO
visit HIM, not only for the purpose OF
satisfying my own mind as to the truth
OF the charge before undertook to make
it, uut in order to know precisely upon
what evidence could rely i'll case my
statement should be challenged. Mr..
Baldwin replied that he would always be
ready. when called on, TO testify to what
he had told me.
As rnu have to some extent relied, in
your official action, upon my public
declarations in the matter. | have ielt
bound 10 give ycu, in detail. the ground
! on which made them. Very respect
fully yours. ). |. WALLIS.