New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-26
A JUDGE SPEAKS OUT IN MARYLAND
oENoUNciNG FRAUD AT THE PoLLs-uNKIND AL
IusIoys TO TRIED AND CONVICTED DEMOCRATS.

bENoUNcING FRAUD AT THE PoLLs-uNKIND Al
1usIoxs TO TRIED AND CONVICTED DEMOCRATS.
gAIrMonP, Feb. 20 tspeciall.-Thc Committee on
Elections has last reported bill to the Legislature
which, when adopted, viii, In accordance with Boss'
Germans Intentions contain more assurances OF
pure registration and fair elections than did the old
law. The bill reported yesterday Is madc up OF
all the bills offered during tho session. Little OF IL,
however, Is taken from tho bill providing for the
Tliden law introduced by the Reform League, copies
of which with slight alterations were introduced as
sham by the ring officials In pretending 10 MAKO eoou
the promises TO tho people contained In the PLATFORM
Of tho last Democratic State Convention In Maryland
German and his clique last fall promised annual regis
traton, that tho books In Baltimore City might DO
purged Of tho names OF dead men and illegal voters'
The bill does not provide for annual registration
Il straddles this important point, however, by suDsti
tutng biennial ward registration Precinct res's'r&
don, which would have been sure preventive aBanS'
fraud, is not mentioned In tho new BILL The grass
ballot boxes, however, are TO be substituted Tor inc
old wooden rcceptaces that could so easily DO stunned
The fact that tho ring has been compelled to give
the citizens an improved election law OF any Kind
shows that the work Of the Reform League has not
been In vain
Judge stump, an old Democrat, one OF the leading
Judges in the Maryland Circuit, has just thrown
bombshcl into the Democratic camp by his decision
IN the Talbot County election cases. which have Doeh
up plainly Democratic election methods lie rem
dcred his decision without hearing ono word OF the
Republican testimony and shows that In all the pre-
cncts besides EasOn private recount by the defeated
Democratic candidate failed to disclose any damaging
errors which would in any wise effect the result OF
tho election and this where only ordinary caro- was
used IN the counting and guarding OF tho ballot
boxes by the judges Of election. But In EastOn DIS
trct, whore the evidence showed that there had Dcep
great exercised there recount disclOSd dlhor-
ence nearly forty yotcs fom the election returns III
favor OF the Democratic contestants. Tho DcnOcrauc
clerk Of election seventeen cases wrote down iof
Republican q tally that rightfully belonged I'D u
Democratic candidate and tho Republican clrrk auc
the mis- AXE at the same time making thlty s,A
errors and az there fourteen candidates on mo
ticket, would make fOrty-cven errors IN ho conn.'
That ali these errors were the Republican sidc,
would the Judge thought, be too inconsistent lor
modern belief The judge added IL was ms nm Urn.
opinion that tho ballot box Tor tho haStoh !r,nl.'
had been stuffed: that some one had lahch out stscn
teen Republican cts and replaced them WIN seven
teen Democratic tickets. The talk about recount
with such garing inconsistencies as these, sala inc
ndro is against reason and justice. Roconnts should
NOT be encouraged they too frequently dcicat INC
will Of tho people and open the door TO dsse ,s
and fraud Tho judge then asked what lalnol ri'.Hn
would have faith In recount IN bnuh'p
CITY when sixteen Democratic Judges ana CLERKS OF
election arc now serving out terms In the pch'chdiy
for stuiflng the ballot box and sixiocn more ought 10
he there ." am now and have been Tor lois NM
lly convinced" continued the Judge That TINS court
con mtted an error In decision SIN years a." III
n similar contest. We were morally lnposcd upon
bcn and Is the opinion OF the full bench to-day that
at that time erred In allowing inc hcpupl. az ~
Judge accordingly dismissed the petition OF the Demo