New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-05-06
VsL. L.L.....Nol5,S7S.
MANNERS IN ARKANSAS.
.TTORXEYS HAVE A SET-To Btfohh i"N
CONGRESS COMMITTEE.

lIIORNE1N UAN l.
CONGRESS COMMITTEE
CARROLL ARMSTRONG KNOCKED po"N ~"
CALLING JUDGE MCCLURE \ sLANpi'i"
TWO urxpRrp REPUBLICAN, VOTERS
WHOSE BALLOTS WERE CHANGED
ny DEMOCRATS.
,x .--raa.ru 10 THE ThrBrNE':
ri,,,o pool, Nav 5.-The greater part OF 'he
A.. - a.,o,cd by the Congressional Investigate
,r, Committee 10 the examination oI "l.'cSS'S
g. ,u,,usta and Cotton Plant TOWNSHIPS Ill
VoodruA County. with the object oi eS'ani'sHinS
-. .c, vote of that county as actuailN cast
- -, os returned. after having undergone the
&c If Justification at the hands OF Democratic
~, .coors Nearly POO witnesses were en-
.u,;,.d A. 70 how they cast their No'e In front
oormittec were the ballots numbered as
,.o,ired bv law at the time Of casting. In the
h.nds Of Mr.. Brcckinrdge's attorneys were the
,or-hooks containing the names Of the voters with
nrr,bers opposite the name, corresponding with
,hosc nlaced by the election Judges on the back
=, tho ballots As one witness after the other
SOS called 10 the stand. he would he asked by
.rud-e Mcclure, counsel for the contestant, how
he voted.
The Republican ticket. with J. VI. Clayton
for Congress was the usual answer, or words
10 that effect
Then a search would be made for the ticket
by one of the committee, by Judge Cooper IN
most cases and the number opposite the voters
name on the poll-books would bc ascertained; 1t
pever look much time 10 produce the ticket
"A straight Democratic ticket from top TO Dot
tom. Judge Cooper was called upon 10 announce
nine times out of ten; or IL was varied OCCASION
ally perhaps. by the announcement, "a kepuo-
lcan ticket with the name of {. Il. Breckenridge
nastcd on it" In either case il showed conclu-
sivcly the process of balloi-hoX stuffng to when
"my people had resortcd in order TO present Mr..
Breckinridse with seat IN Congress. Klsht
here it may he well 10 draw attention TO the
different methods employed by my people,
through which Democratic Congressman are made
in Arkansas As shown by the testimony up 10
the present time. there seem TO he four taVorlte
methods in vogue. though there may be as many
more either OF which is effective, ana most
likely meets with the approval of Mr.. BTeckin-
ridge If it did not. Mr.. Brcckinridec would long
ago have resigned his seat. because he must know,
Of course that his title 10 his seat Is based Oh
frauds of the most villanous and revolving kind.
The four methods of ballot manipulation, then,
which have the distinguished honor of his ap-
provsl,
Fnst-The substitution Of Democratic tickets for
Republican tickets by The election lndS''' either Dc
fore the ballot handed 10 them hv tie voter l. GrppPN
into the box or the box opened for The pur
pose OF couutiuSt the vote.
Secoud-The placing Of "pastcrs" upon Republ
can ballot, hilc il transit from the hands u
Tie voter 10 those Of the Judge charged WIN the duty
rlird-Thc taling ont Of Republican ballots 4S and
their des'rnoilon At ne time OF te e2,n or i'e 'dn
Fourth-rhe voting Of dead men. absent or former
residents Of the precinct.
II either of the four methods is impractcahle,
then the leading citizens make away with the
hall -hnN al.o was q
mervlle. The first and second methods must bc
considered favoritc ones with the Democrats Of
Arkansas. since they turn up most frequently in
the course Of TIE present investigation OF the
third it must be said that it is decidedly clumsy
and easy of detection. but II has this 10 recommend
il 10 the leading citizens that IT does not call
upon them for an exhibition OF their skill in writ
lng-always a ticglish matter Tor leading citl-
zen OF the Plummerville variety.
The fourth method requires display of the
inventive faculty, such, Tor instance, the man
must possess Who gives palacc-cars their gorgeous
names but in this the average ballot-boX stufer
In Arkansas is never deficient. While all this ras-
cality was being shown to the committee Mr..
Brcckinridsc sat idly by without uttcIng a sin
gle word; without exhibiting tie slightest sign
OF ignauon; without showing, by much as the
movement of u muscle In his face, that he
ca led upon 10 denounce My people, and there
and then declare that he could not hold seat
90 palpaDy tainted with fraud and crime.
A most dramatic incident interrupted the pro-
ceedings al The evening session OF the committee
The testimony of Mrs. Hooper, her daughter and
her son had lust been glNcn-all 70 the effect that
tie >upposItlon that thomas Hooper was absent
from California during January OF last year was
absurd, and Only the invention OF the diseased
Imagination Of Sater, the amateur deicctlye-when
Carol Armstrong, attorney Tor Mr.. Brccklnrdgc,
who was accused the other day by W. ii. H. Clay
ton OF knowing more about the murder OF ms
brother than h." chose 10 tell. got up and IN a
highly excited manner began 10 address the com
nIttcc:
The people of Conway County. he said, have
been slandcred, and / understand that the com
mittee Is about TO depart for Washington without
having given an opportunity of retu1lng tac
slander which has passed through the mouth |
SAYS
Here the speaker pointed at judge Mcclure. Sit |
ting directly in front Of him. The words had !
scarcely left his mouth. when a stunning blow from
Judge Mcclure sent Armstrong recIIn" oGali9' inc
bar la "A moment everything was confusion IN /
the courtroom. Attorneys rushed forward 10 re- /
strain the principals Mr. Breckenridge seized the |
arms OF his attorney: Others gathered about NC |
Curc Cries OF " Send for tie marshal. Dlsarnl !
him he has a pistol " Put hin, out were heard !
on every side. IL was with difficulty that order
was restored.
This is as near a picture OF Arkansas ways as
have seem" remarked Judge Cooper coolly
Let there bc order at once, said the chairman
with hrmness
Arrest both men, shouted Colonel Marsh.
After awhile everything quietcd down, Mr. Arm
strong retiring 10 the rear Of the room, guarded
by friends while Judge Mcclure coolly continued
70 cross-eXamine the witness. The town is filled
with thugs and hoodluuls from Morrllton and
fIummervile and trouble may yet be the outcome