The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-06-13

Two other witnesses who had seen him
vote, had the fact fastened in their recol-
lection by the same coincidence.
The poll book was opened to search for
1t, but no such name as Perkins could be
found upon it. Drachman had kept
private list, in little book Of his own, Of
the names of voters as they presented
themselves at the booth. He remem-
bered writing the name somewhere on
his little book, but when he scanned 1t
through and through, and over and over
again in court, 1t was as Invisible as on
the poll book.
The case for the State thus seemed
weak, and it would probably have been
lost but for the timely appearance In the
court room of Prosecutor Winfield. He
would not be convinced that these wit
nesses had sworn falsely or in error, that
they had heard Deane vote as Perkins;
and he picked up the poll book to make
another examination of it. Page after
page was leaped over without result; no
such name as Perkins was on any OF
them. The only unusual thing on them
was huge blot that almost covered the
space between two lines with the name Of
Peters written above it.
Ordinarily it would have been assumed
that the name had been blotted in the
writing and written again in the opening
so that it might be easily seen and read;
but Winfield wasn't assuming anything
and he subjected that blot tc the most
careful inspection, with the aid of mag
Eifying glass.
Of sudden he started. He thought he
had made discovery.
whats the name hidden by that blot,
Nugent, as he handed the book to him.
Perkins as clear as daylight" was
Nugent's answer.
Mr. Winfield had read it that way
himself
mo doubt about its being Perkins"
said one of the jurymen when the book
was exhibited to MIN.
A SECOND FORGERY.
Then search was made for the private
poll book that Drachman had kept. GEN
eral John Ramsey, as one of the chiefs In
the Republican camp, had called for the
private records kept by the watchers for
his party at all Of the polls. Drachman,
according to his testimony, had given his
book to Billy Eaton, for delivery prob
ably to General Ramsey; and Eaton de-
clared that he had placed it in General
Ramsey's hands.
The book having thus been traced was
produced and opened. The number
which the blot on Tom Trotter's poll book
bore was sought in it. The name of
Peters was there in pencil. but when it was
critically examined, it was easy to see
that name which had been first written
there, had been erased with a rubber, and
those who have examined it say that un-
der the name, Peters," they can discern
faint traces of such lines as might have
been left by an attempt to obliterate the
name of Perkins Forgery at both ends
of the linel Two records falslfiedp ex-
claimed Prosecutor Winfield to his as
sistant when he had completed his scru-
tiny of the two books, you've got 'em
now, Joe. When you sum up give it to
them hammer and tongs."
Joe did, 1t was the States case in fact,
and about all of it. Conspirators in the
two camps had evidently falsified TWO
records to save the rascal on trial from
the punishment he deserved. His guilt
became as clear as daylight, and even the
two juryInen who started in with the de-
termination to s'hang the jury were
forced to join with their ten fellow jurors
in handing the criminal over to the ten
der lserc.cs Of the Court
RAAISEYsS INNOCENCE.
General Ramsey was seen at his store
this morning and asked what he knew
about Watcher Drachman's challenge
book.
81 never saw it, he replied.
"Did not you have possession of all the
challenge booksH
sNo. There may have been two or
three handed me from that district, but
the one Drachman had am positive was
never in my possession"
'sWhere was this book, General?"
81 don't know. but / understood Billy
Eaton had it. Johnny Brennan was to
furnish a man at each polling precinct
that day and provide him with
book which he was to have re-
turned to him. Brennan failed to
get all the men needed and l sent him
Drachman andBrennan furnished him the
book. That is all know of the matter,
except that some challenge books were
stoIen.n
"But this was not one of the stolen
ones?"
mo; this book Drachman had was not
one of them"
Don't aoadt to be kicked out, Mr.. Cleue-