New-York tribune., 1890-05-23
F. F. MDONALD UNSEAIED'
ELECTION FRAUDS IN HUDSON COUNTY
DID IT
THE BENEFICIARY OF MONUMENTAL CRIMES
rrRyrp OUT OF THE YEwJERsEY SENATE
STRONG MAJORITY REPORT OF THE
INVFSTIGATING COMMITTED.
my 1y1rcRAru TO THE TKiBUNE.I


STRONG MAJORITY REPORT OF THE
INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.
tsY TELEGRAPH THE TKiBuNE.1
Trenton Nav Ex-senator Mcdonald. of Hud-
son County was unseated to-day by the senate
and w. S. Stuhr, contestant for the seat VIII
be sworn in tomorrow
At o'clock this afternoon thc Woro "chV
tortb that Mcdonald was to be unseated in the
legislature and five minutes thereafter the Sen
ate Chamber was throngcd with spectators. IN
c,ud;ng State officials and many prominent poll
,.;ans In the galleries fashionably-clad women
Istened TO the impaSsioned Oratory OF the Sena-
tors-of the men who attacked the title of their
colleague from Hudson and of those who saw ht
TO defend it, 1t was the most interesting incident
of the long-drawn-out session. Senator Mcdonald
sat in his seat and appeared TO he calm and I'M
moved even when the bitterest things were said
of his election. The report of the majority OF
the Committee on Elections was an exhaustive
statement 1t took more than an hour to read H.
Senator Gardner presented it. After the opening
paragraph the report says
Your committee outset Of It's investigation dis
covered evidence OF frauds by the election
officers in Hudson County, covering so many pre''Is
and connected in method and purpose as TO cemohsua
q common conspiracy. These frauds were In the lte-
rest Of political candidates the regular Democratic
ticket one OF whom Mr.. Mcdonald and 1t became
therefore necessary into broad ana aDorlous
invest cation with the wide range oi inc
conspiracy. To that end the necessary counsel anu
assistants were employed by your committee and an IN
vestgaton was made which resulted in developing 50
much pertinent evidence Of crime affecting he oe''uh
all Of the time which the committee could give 10 h
case has been occupied in the listening To the
evidence which evidence for the most part condensed
recital Of crime upon crime
After referring 10 the resistance offered by
Democratic officials in Hudson County to the
authority of the Senate. the report describes the
result of its investigation in Hudson County and
the disclosures of fraudulent voting. The report
SAYS in conclusion:
The evidence satisfies that the frauds throughout the
county generally the work Of the election officers
themselves and where fraud committed by others they
had knowledge OF 1t and cOnnivcd at IT, In the eht OK
other irregularities committed by these election officers
f. in the judgment Of your committee. unavoda'b 10
inference that these unlawful acts and delays were IN
furthersnce Of conspiracy TO fraudulenty diminish
the vote for and increase the votes for
the regular Democratic ticket. Among the men appointed
by OF Aldermen. three election officers in every
precinct chosen avowedly Democrats and the
fourth designated Republican was in many precincts
repudad such by the voters OF that party Thus was
the foundation laid which might be erected structure
OF fraud M every precinct city regardless OF it,
party character. Not only in the sluTs Of the CITY, nut
often respectable precincts the citizen was compced 70
intrust his dirty fingers OF some notorious ana
brutal uan whose very presence in that position wa
equivalent TO declaration Of fraudulent design. with
such force Of election officers backed up by trucking
police force opportunities for election frauds coud
not well have teen more complete.
Speaking of the Hudson County Democratic
Committee, the report states:
That committee consists OF 123 members one nom each
of the precincts OF county The evidence shows a
this organization although nomnaly kept up has been
In fact abandoned and that the real Organization consists
f who decide ard control everything
and the other members OF committee have little
voice proceedings being really the tools and hire
nncs Of the The leaders prominent Office
holders and the other members are mostly holders OF petty
Offices and clerkhips other positions in the public
service dependent for their maintenance therein
upon good will Of the leaders The Finance Com
nittee was not allowed the finances the treas
urer did handle the money the Printing Committee
did no printing and the committees scarcely ever met II
at all The chairman hgurchcaG giving 10 direc-
ton nor control to the OF Affairs the Auditing
Committee were not asked allowed To audit the
counts the funds were received and dsbursd without
accounting by Davis Sheriff the real manager and
leader OF the committee the printing procured by him.
the funds distributed the different precincts by
him; apparently had complete control Of the general
committee Two three other prominent Once-hOders
were his confidence TO greater or less extent
but it is doubtful If he connded everything
10 any one person That anything Of Importance done
In the campaign without his knowledge and consent is
scarcely possible.
We believe that the false registry in jersey City
amounted fully 10000 Names 1t was developed during
the investigation that not only were large number Of
the members of the County Committee young who
are in subordinate offices of the city and County Govern
ments and dependent upon the leaders for their livelihood
but nearly ali election officers whose criminal conduct
is clear were employees Of the jersey City or Hudson
County Government at the Of the election. or else
were taken into such employ soon after The erection.
Some OF so.cacd Republican inspectors VINO suheIed
these frauds be done without protest were soon given
places under the Jersey City Government III seems !"
be the plan OF the managers this criminal work 10 pay
for by distribution OF the public Offices among the
criminals There are probably 100 men now drawing pay
from Treasury Of Hudson County and jersey Cy VINO
concerned in the crimes which THIS inquiry h"S ~
yeoped The motive they to continue permitting those
elections and conceal them will be underSooo
when it remembered that only by doing can they RETAIN
the favor Of those who put them in the places and continue
to receive the salaries which give them livelihood
Your committee are convinced that the honest vote
polcd exceed 81 COO and that Of this vote MI
Stdhrs received plurality. While the frauds pcrpetIdFu
have made perfect stratlon impossible, yet ma
or!ty OF your committee insist that careful study Of the
light OF the exposure Of fraudulent con-
spacy will any disintcrestcd student o The subject
G the conclusion that the election Of Mr. StuhTs Is be-
yond doubt the election was envelopcd
in cmnaly directed ard conducted Is no longer
disputed. The Canvss,iig Board was largely composed
Of and dominated by criminal consprator frch from
election crimes. The statement OF the determination
Of the election was based on fraud ana pro-
mul2atcd by criminals, and should be set aside
IL the duty OF the Senate from all tho facts
applying the rules Of and common sense, who was
elected. The 800 typc-wrtten pages testimony demon
strate that the vote OF fIauduenty sweled
many thousands. probably many 1000 and that
MI Stuhr received from IS 900 20 900 votes and was
elected Senator. Your committee has spent laborious
months In unravelling the most mOnstrOIs election con
spracy that has dissraced State. >>!ayc seen the
eerng sodden faces Of wrcches anerei out Of the foul
places OF great city the sacred trust OF conduct
Ing an election by the people If further power for evil Is
placed in their foui hands the sanction Of
majority OF your committee. The majority OF your com
nttee report that In their judgment Wills S. Stuhr re-
eeived majority Of the votes honestly for Senator at
the election In Hudson County the election Of 1889 and
should be seated.
Resolutions providing that Senator Mcdonald
be unseated accompanied The report.
Senator Adrain the Democratic member Of the
committee, submitted a minority report. He held
that after deducting all OF the alleged fraudulent
votes from McDonalds majority he still has
majority.