New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-26
THE BRECKENRIDGE CASE.
WHOLESALE CHANGE OF BALLOTS AFTER
THEY WERE VOTED
BEGINNING THE INVESTIGATION OF THE ELEC-
TION CRIMES IN ARKANsAS-A COUNTY
JUDGE WHO HAD NOT LOOKED AT
THE STATUTES FOR YEARS.
fBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TWBuNE.1

fBf TELEGRAPH TO THE TWBuNE.1
Little Rock. April 25.-The sub committee Of the
House Committee Election has fairly started
upon Its task Of bringing to light the methods en-
gloyH In defraudng John VI. Clayton Of the seat
IN congress to which he was honestly elected. The
more serious task Of connecting the perpetrators Of
that fraud with his foul cowarily murder and Of
supplying the motive for the dasardly deed yet remains
to be begun. But that IT Will be begun and carried
through with diligence and energy One acquainted
with the makeup of the subcommittee can for one
moment doubt. Mr. Lacy, chairman Of the COM
nttee can be depended upon to keep his associates
to their work Judge Cooper Is equally determined
u bring the investigation 10 satisfactory conclu-
sion, "hile Mr.. Bergen though new to this kind Of
work. has already displayed vigor and carnestne>s
In the matter IN hand which point 10 him ~ Nali
able assistant in the investigation. A. for the two
Democratic members Of the committee. Mcssrs
Marsh and Wilson. IL is but justice 10 them TO say
That, 80 far they have shown no disposition 10 OBJ
sirn't the operation Of their Republican colleagues
nor have they manifested spirit of opposition IA the
general line II examination which would warrant the
suspicion that they animated by a desire other
than that Of getting at the truth of the matter.
1t true that. - far nothing In any way connected
with the examination " Clayton ha, been placed
officially before the committee. and the examination
up 10 this time ha, mainly been directed 70 bringing
out the frauds upon the balotbox perpctrated In
Woodruff County; hut II i, not 10 he supposed that
change front or pursue policy different from that
followed by them heretofore simply because the in
vc>tisaton reached point where they would have 10
decide the question whether they should assist in bring
Ing midnight as,as~ns 10 justice help them in
escaping.
The invest cation /, held in the Federal building in
the spacious ordinarily occupied by the United
states District Court. which Judge Caldwell
prc,.dcs II pvcrlOoks the struggling town on the
side and the muddy waters Of the Arkansas River
on the other. Beyond are the wooded heights which
to enclose the landscape in every direction and
10 prevent breath Of air from reaching the city The
temperature already to have mounted 10 summer
heat and the atmosphere in the courtroom. inten-
slhcd hv the throng Of witnesses and curious spec
stors /, worse than sitting. The members Of tho
committee are seated At long table. IN font OF the
Judges bench AZ a table ordinarily occuprd probably
by the clerk- 81 tho court and stenographcr Directly
in front of them at, Judge Mcclure counsel for the
late Colonel Clayton. and whiom Chief
Justice Of the state Of Arkansas.
little behind him and 10 his right Is tho chair
pi,d bv the witness under examination. still
further 20 tho right the counsel nf Mr. Brcckn.
ridge Judge Mccain and J. II. Iarrod. Mr. Breclin
ridge himself sits directly behind his counsel. In
the square formed by railing around this central
group are admitted members of the legal profession.
newspaper CORES poadcuts and people of distinction
In other words nearly every white man that chooses
10 drop in The cloud of wi'nc.~es" and they are
nearly all niss.,~ ftnr' the picture outside tho rail
inr 10 the number of. perhaps. 200. Everybody
listens attentlvcly Everybody watches the five great
mon A, the long table hecau~c II Is the first time in
N, history that Little Rock has sheltered five members
Congress AT the Same time. and everybody laughs
when a member Of the committee cracks joke
The work - the committee up to The present time
may briefly he summarized by saying that yesterday
f, arrced upon general plan for the presentation of
te..lrnonv aud that today IL listened 10 about nifty
gItnesscs all ~ whom told the same story In gard
T., the frauds on the blllo~boN committed In White
River To1n-hlp. Woodruff County. They "eT' WIN
one exception all ncgroe, who had voted the straight
Republican ticket with John VI CLAYTON for Congress
man Their ucket.. by a strange hocns pocns, had
,e converted either before or after being deposited
,n the box into sound Democratic ballots for
O. r. nrcoMuridsc A. Congressman. They "ere for
the most part ignorant negroes unable either l" r'ao
or vr1ic but they nevertheless Gulc
match for the counsel. who sought by the
most approved police court methods ei'''f
10 intlmdate them. shake the force oi
their testimony some of the detail, Of their story
,,. Interesting They wcrr requested. for instance.
to drop their ticket, through window over siN feet
,lN inches above the ground. The ballot box wa
supposed TO be In a room the floor OF when was abo",
three feet lclow the lower su OF this window "f
course t,cy never the box and they 'onldn'
.,v whether the ticket handed by them t. one OF the
every one Of them sure that he had
voted "A Republican ticket Upon comparing the
number. on the tickets actually deposited Win ''e
numbcr- OPP o-ltc their names "n the polling hst II
,,.. shown that the votes TINS cast had been con
ycitcd into Democratic ballots. II is pi"n t''
tn, coud have been done only In two "a''' Inc
ballot, handed In by them either replaced hN
other. before being deposited. or they were taken
ont If the box aud changed while the Two Demo
cratic judee, of election in possession Of the
boA Immediately after the closing of the polls
The most astonishing witness. however. proved
to be james Is. Dent the count, judge oi N"''r''
County The law Of the state rcqurc- That the
Judges Of election. who are appointed by the county
Judge shall. among other things. know ho" to rr""
and write Mr. Mcclure drew the attention Of Judge
Dent to mi, provision of the staucs but the Juuso
confessed that he had not read the statutes IN years.
He proved equally ignorant when asked II ne hau
ever manfred into the question whether
4 negro election judge was mlniIhS
the requirement, Of the statutes or not. lie seemed
t, think that great unwilnsnc>s Wa, manifested by
ncgroc, at all times to I'LL this Office, because ley
were unable satisfy their friends aitcr"'lu
that they had not cheated 10y their more crafty
whiD, colleagues, or that they had not SOFA out l"
them The reason why he did not make 1t Ms business
to appoint negroes able read and write ~ the law
REQUIRES he failed altogether 81 explain satisfactorily
There was some controversy the adnils'lo
Of the testimony given by number OF "ifhe''e9 III
"A former suit brought In the name Of the 'hl''u
-taics against certain election Judges III t'e sam"
election of lSss Mr.. Mcclure wished to ihtfoun'c
if because Of the sudden aud mysterious disappear
onre of these witnesses since that suit was trcd
Counsel for Mr. Brccinridge objected on lrEai an"
technical grounds and the committee was dispose" I"
support them In their objection but. after r'trihs
for con s,ltation. they decided TO admit imor'H"S
the testimony, together with the objection oi 'o"So,
the whole question ~ be left for decision To the lui
committee when il shall meet again in Washington