Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-08-04
Report of the Committee on the Con.
tested Election Case.

Report of the Committee on the Con-
tested Election Case.
WASHINGTON, August 3d.-Representa-
tive Lacey, of Iowa, has prepared for sub
mission to the House majority report OF
the Elections Committee upon the Clayton
Breckenridge contested election case and
the murder of the Republican contestant.
Commenting on Clayton's murder, the
report says: Rewards have been offered
and the community OF Morrillton passed
appropriate resolutions, but no earnest at
tempts to bring the murderers to justice
have been made by the local authorities.
The efforts of the Governor have been in
vain"
Next the report refers to the killing of
Smith, a negro detective, who investigated
the ballot-box theft, and George Bentley,
brother of t. Bentley, who was suspected
of being one of the thieves. George Bent
ley, at the time, was negotiating with the
Pinkertons to give evidence and expose the
guilty parties, when he was said TO have
been accidentally shot by his brother. The
report says there was no direct evidence to
show any criminality in the killing of
Bentley, but declares 1t unfortunate. These
TWO killings occurred while the men were
about to give evidence to the detectives.
The theory that Cayton's murder was
due to the enmity of one Hooper is taken
up, and the report says it clearly appears
that Hooper was not only in California
when the murder occurred, but was i'll
with disease. This theory, says the ma
jority, was naturally pleasing to the con-
testee (Breckenridge) though the friends Of
Clayton may naturally complain that so
important clue should not have been con-
cealed for ten months from them, and only
made known when the Congressional in
vestigation began.
The report, continuing, says: No
reasonable explanation of the murder ap-
pears, except that some of the ballot box
thieves, finding that the taking of testi-
mony was progressing, killed Clayton to
suppress the investigation. No other
motive was possible. The necessity of the
enactment of some laws which will pre-
vent ballot-box stealing and murder from
comforting prima facie title to a seat in
Congress is evident from the result of this
contest. Had such laws been in force as
would have prevented the contestee from
taking his seat with such title, no one
would attempt to confer such title by
stealing the ballot-box. Evidently ballot
box stealing was looked upon as joke in
he country, until the awful consequences
THAT resulted have appealed to the good
people of the country. No doubt some of
these men would have been deferred from
taking the first step in the crime if they had
realized that murder would be the end.
But they crossed their rubicon. Brecken-
ridge got his seat in Congress, and one
crime followed in the footsteps of the
other. The least guilty of the criminals
dare not expose the more guilty, lest the
fate of Clayton should overtake them.
"The murderers OF Benjamin, a we'll
known Little Rock Republican, who was
killedwhile comforting with the local Repub-
licans with regard to bringing the ballot
box thieves to justice, must be well known,
for large number of persons were present.
But they are not indicted. No indictments
have been found under the State election
laws for the ballot box crime. The mur-
derer of Smith is discharged without trial.
The killing of Bentley was not inyesti-
gated, and the only man whose crime is
punished is Wahl, the Federal Supervisor,
who was indicted for playing cards when
he was shot.
THAT men are to be found lawless enough
to commit these crimes is to be deplored,
but when men of high character and stand
ing complacently avail themselves of the
fruits of such crime, and control of the
National House of Represep tatives is made
to turn upon such methods, it no longer
remains mere matter of local concern, but
arises to the magnitude of a national Ca
lamity."
The present case, continues the report
has attracted national attention. Never
before has the contest for a seat in Con-
gress been terminated by the bullet of an
assassin. If such methods are submitted
to in silence, the party benefited by the
crime of his partsans quietly and without
dispute retaining the benefits of the death
of his competitor, a new element would be
introduced into our form of Government.
A resolution accompanying the report
declares the seat vacant.