New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-27
HOW DA VIDSON VAS ELECIED
MORE LIGHT on THE SOUTHERN METHODS
MINORITY REPORT on THE SUCCESSFUL ALABAMA
CONSPIRACY.
rHr TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.

rBr TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUSE.1
WAsuISGroN. Feb. 2G.-The views of the NIL
norIty III the contested case OF McDuHie asdlh''
Davidson of Iyth Alabama District. as suomit'eu
TO the House by Henry Cabot Lodge. who preparru
the document expose new feature OF the c'So
As this report well SAYS. tho involves no leeal
question It Is simply question of methods OF
stealing. This IVth District Of Alabama
has become notorious, as the minority say. lt was
formed so as to include as large proport0n OF tho
Republican vote of the State as possible u has u
normal Repnbl can ma Ity of at least 2O,OOo
From The testimony. as colated by Mr. Lodge. IL
appears that Davidson the Democratic candlnatc,
was chiefly an xious that McDufie shonld not enter
the race. McDuiiie s well known In inc uisb bio n
He has lived ther, twenty y-one years bui is H'll
called a carpet baGger because he was born In u
Nor hern state and served IN the Union Army Jul III
ing the war So highly is he respected thai he mas
held the Office of Judge IN his county for the past
twelve years. Davidson and bis friends lnVaueu
the Republican convention and undertook 10 com
pass Nc Duties defeat Failing III ihai they urem
together q half-dOZen cOrruut Republicans ahd
place / nc ttious candidate in he field.
The testimony of Democratic Witnesses, whlch is
uncontradictcd shows that before the canvass be-
gan the Democratic leaders drciaIed that Davics2n
should be counted In. In several precincts Kepun-
hcana refused TO vote because they believed IL
would be useless, but IN the main they did Vote,
and they took care TO nave witnesses at the poiilN
to show how the votes were cast. There were IT.
regularites IN ne returns in all the counties ex-
cent one rhe testimony shows that in large
number of precincts more votes were counted tniu
there were voters living IN such precincts. Inc
rrayeyards we're Tansacked for names and the
names Of men who had removed from the dlstrlGi
were counted by f- Alabama election judges, all
OF whom rartisaLs OF Davidson -
At thirteen precincts not vote was cast 'oF =
McDuffie according 10 the returns, although all OF
them are large Republican prec nc 8, and pavldsoh
WIS credited with from fourteen to 100 votes: Az
several precincts the Democratic inspectors reluaeu
to open the polls at az.
Mr. Lodge mas cone the country service by
coatlng the testimony and facts relating TO each
of large number If preciLc: To show how tne
returns were falsIiicd and the ballots changed. W
course the Democratic majority of the elections
Committee winch voted solidlv that Captain
White of Indiana. Is alien. voted just as solldlv
in favor of Davidson, the beneficiary OF the Aia-
bami fraud. A.,
In concluding the review of the testimony the
minority says that il shows cOnclusyely and over
whemi Civ that n colSp TO carry The elec ION
IN the " Congressional District OF \ l"bama was
carried ont sncccssu,ly four of the five counties
of he district. he minority, holding that the re-
turns from four counties tainted with fraud
~ 10 be unworthy OF belief, MAINTAIN that the vote
of those fonr counties should be thrown ont and
only the uncontes,e ed precincts of LOwndes County
be counted. The minority say Juoge McDufhe
lived IN that county, and the conspiracy broke
down among the neigh bOrS OF man generally Ie-
spected by all without distinction of party.
Ii now remains to be seen whether the Demo-
cratic party IN the House OF Represent aIves will
continue 10 stand ike stone wall against honest
elQpiInuS