The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-04
REHEARSING THE EVIDENCE
Perkins Again Reveals in Detail the
Acts of the Election COnspiratOrs.
A Trial Without Incident but One in Which
Public Interest Is Still Ksen-Testi-
mony Of Mr. Elan and Others.

mony of Mr. Elan and Others.
Perhaps forty persons were in attendance at
the United States Court yesterday morning
when the second day of the trial of the election
conspirators began. Nearly all Of the spectators
were witnesses-a few strangers, however.
were there. attracted chiefly bv the celebrity Of
the case Metcalf, Reardon and Counselman,
Of the defendants. were present-these appar-
emily taking more interest in the case than the
rest of the accused. Mr.. Montgomery, of
Lansing, Mich, q brother-in-law Of DIR.
Mstcalf, made his 6rst appearance in the trial.
He il q large, fne-lookine gentleman, and sat a
close listener to all the evidence. The formal
proofs, such as the introduction of papers
and other testimony to establish the
fact of the erasures and additions
on the tally-shesrs, was continued.
Andrew Oehler, inspector Of the first precinct
Of the Seventeenth ward. narrated the
part he took in the election in his
ward. He said that be was hardly able to serve
in the capacity that he did, and that or tho day
the canvassing board met he was sick. making
it necessary for him to surrender his papers to
III. IL SOIDalcys LIE DeuOCEotic JuuRoL
Mr. Corbsley was called, and after corroborat-
ing Mr. Oehler's statement, said that he took
the papers to his Office in the Vance Block. and
put them in convenient place in his front
room. retiring when he had done that. to a rear
room to sleep. No one was in the room while
he slept, as far as he knew. and the changes
which were discovered in his papers
were not made while they were in
his possession. The erssures must have
been made in the papers by some one
during the time intervening between his secur-
ing the papers and Mr.. Oehler's parting with
them. Mr.. Oehler had left them lying at the
courthouse part of that time
Allen Hisey. inspector of the second precinct
OF the Thirteenth ward, related his connection
with the. election and how he disposed of the
papers after the election was over. Perkins
came to him after the election and asked him to
get the outside papers from Werbe, the Repub-
lcan judge, and give them to him He prom
ised to do 30, but Werbe would not give them up
at first. but finally came and offered them TO
him. sinking that he had o right to them. he
(Hisey) refused to take them at frat but in the
end did so. When he went to the canvassing
board Perkins asked him for the papers, and he
gave them to him. The witness was not sure
he ought to let him have them and went to the
door where he went out OF the room to ask
Perkins about it. but he was gone.
to me by Stephen Mattler about twenty-five
minutes after Perkins took them. Perkins
afterward told me to swear that they had not
been out OF my possession. When received
the tally-shests back again erasures had been
made and this occasioned great trouble when IL
came to counting the vote.
Samuel K. Perkins was the next witness
called by the prosecution, andswnen he rose to
take the stand there was such general moving
around in the audience to get closer positions in
Order n hAar his taSt that the had
to rap several times for order.
Mr. Perkins testified he had done before,
except as TO q few variations occurring on
trifng matters some of which occasioned
several tits between the witness and Judge
McNuts, in which Perkins generally came out
ahead He told how, when the election was
over and it was discovered that the result was
not what was desired in some cases by the
Democratic committee. Simeon Coy came to
him on the morning that the canvassing board
met and asked him to get the tally-sheets in his
precinct from Mr.. Hisey. the inspector. because,
as he lCoy) said, Judge Ayres. the Democratic
behind. and he must be helped out Coy said
to me-" Perkins continued. shat Hisey's papers
would stand change OF sixteen each way, and
it must be done. l got the papers
which Coy unlocked with q key which he took
from his pocket l asked him for knife and
he gave it to me, and while he was standing
over me altered the tally-sheet which had
received from hlSey. w nile we were there
Reardon and man named Flynn came in but
did not stay long While was doing the work
Stephen Matter came in and handed his papers
to Coy, and Coy gave them to me and 1
changed the vote on those papers also Mattlsr
and Coy and myself alone in Room 80
when this was done" He then related his con-
necton with the board of canvassers. how he
induced Hisey to vote for Bsrnbamer. because
he was to decide on the matter OF forged tally
sheets according to Coy's wishes; how several of
a had left their OutSlde ar
home and wanted to count the vote from the
sealed bags; how Henry n. Span came to him
when the motion was made at his lPerkins'sl
iustisation to count the vote from tn. inside
ia the bell are you doing that fort Don't you
know We can't use the altered tally-sheetsp He
said During the count Coy came to me andtod
me he was going to the Grand Hotel, and wanted
me TO send all the Democratic inspectors could
to his room at that place. As Mattlsr had be-
come scared and changed back his votes the
tally-sheet. something more had to Do done to
help Ayrss out" De then took up the history
of the case where DR.. Metcalf becomes impli-
Gated, saying. "Coy told me to get some acid and
bring it TO his room at the Grand Hotel where
the erasures were TO be made on some more
papers. told him would see If l could get it.
met Gs's Dr. out M.se the and ''u asteS him
| to get some acid. telling him what l wanted to
do with IL. Metcalf then went away but re-
turned . few moments later with two small bot
ties OF 6clu. lneu We went uOWn TO MetcallS
| Office in Masonic Temple. where We tested the
| acid on some writing. We afterwards returned
| east on Washington street. DIR. Metcalf went
| south on Illinois street toward the Grand Hotel
| where Coy was, and continued on the way to
| the courthouse" Witness again detailed his
meeting with Coy at the Grand Hotel in the
evening in his [Coysl room. whore Coy was sit
| ting with his feet on the table. said TO him,
when Johnny Rssrdon had brought in the right
kind of ink to mako changes with: well, we're
| ready for misunderstanding that they we're
prepared to doctor with the acid the rest of the
| tally-shests.
Perkins also related fully the conversation
with Coy, IN which he [Coyl told him that
| Democrats criminal judge must be elected, as
| that was matter of the utmost Importance to
| the Liquor League in the county; that the
| League would give $500 to secure that thing,
| and that they might as well have the money as
| not. He said Sullivan told him about this time
| that more changes must be made in the tally
sheets. not because he [Sullivanl needed it but
because he wanted TO help some of his friends
| out; he therefore wanted witness to 60 and get
| the papers Of Michael II. Farrell, inspector for
the first precinct Of the Thirteenth ward that
| changes could be made in them. He also told
| the conversation which he had with DIR. Metcalf
concerning the returns in the second precinct of
| the Fourth ward. where Counselman was inspect
| or. During the night DR.. Metcalf asked him
whether he had seen the returns Of that ward.
| Perkins said well, said Metcalf sit will
be dandy when 1t comes" The witness
told the story. when questioned by