The Portland daily press., 1890-08-28
SCOOPED THE WHOLE BOARD.
The Blddeford Aldermen Arrested on
a Charge of Conspiracy.
They Are Brought Before the United
States Commissioner
And Are Bound over for a
Further Hearing.


ford Tuesday night bearing warrants for the
arrest of Biddeford's seven aldermen. The
officers arrived at Biddeford at O'Clock, pro.
cured carriage and drove to the homes of
the various aldermen serving on each sum-
mons to appear before Commissioner Rand
In the United States District Court at Port
land, at 10 o'clock yesterday. They alss
summoned thirteen witnesses, and the work
was so protracted that at 1.30 a. m. yesterday
they suspended their labors until 6 a. m,
when the work was concluded. The party
were all brought to Portland on the morning
train except Alderman David Garnache, who
missed the train and arrived here at noon.
The prisoners were Aldermen Howard bus
sey, ward one; Ebenezer Simpson, ward two
Fred M. Rose. ward three; David Garnache,
ward four; Frederick Yates, ward five (;
North M. West, ward six; ex-Mayor Samuel
f. Parcher, ward seven The witnesses
were DR.. Flavian Dupont, John +. Gold
thwait, DIR. Narcisse Thiveriege, John
Moody, Radcliff F. Ford. George A. Emery,
recorder of the Saeo Municipal: Court; Ed
gar FL. Hubbard, city clerk OF Biddeford,
Alphonso Balduc, Narcisse Provencal, John
F. Beauregard, George F. Piper, Phillis Con-
droD, Fred Laundry. A number of promi-
nent Democrats accompanied them. and out
side the court room, before the parties
were brought before the United States
Commissioner. the scene was very animated.
A number of other people were present. for
Il Is singular case when whole board Of
aldermen is brought to Portland in a train
under arrest by United States officers.
Frederick Yates, Howard W. Hussey,
Frederick NJ. Rose, David Garnache, Sam
uel f. Parcher were charged with ''combin-
ing, conspiring and confederating together
on the 14th day Of August as aldermen of
said city, charged by law with the duty of
preparing and revising list of the persons
qualified to vote at an election there to be
held on the second Monday Il September
next thereafter, for the choice of Represen-
tative to the Congress Of the United States,
to knowingly and wilfully register as voters
upon said list certain persons not entitled to
be registered, and In pursuance of said con-
spiracy then and there knowingly and will
fully registering as voters upon said list GER
tain persons not entitled to be registered"
Frederick Yates, Howard w. Hussey,
Frederick M. Rose, David Garache, Eben
Simpson, North NJ. West and Samuel +.
Parcher were then arraigned, charged with
knowingly and,wilfully, at said Biddeford.
on the 14th day OF August, 1890, as aldermen
of said city, charged by law with the 6uty Of
preparing list of the persons qualified to
vote at an election there to be held on the
second Monday of September next thereaf-
ter, for the choice of a Representative to the
Congress Of the United States. from the
First Congressional district of Maine, regis
tering as voters upon said list certain per-
sons not entitled to be registered"
1t other words under the statutes of Maine,
in cities Of over 5000 inhabitants, according
to the last census, the assessors make up a
list Of voters on or before the first day Of
August preceding each election for state
and county officers and deliver it to the
board of aldermen. The board Is then re-
quired to prepare list of such voters on or
before the 18th day of August They are
then required to give notice and be in ses-
sion at least two days for the correction Of
such lists.
The aldermen of Biddeford, 1t is charged
having noticed that some five hundred aliens
had been placed ON the list did not correct
the list by striking them out, but made vot-
ing lists containing all these names and re-
turned them to the city clerks office as legal
voters of Biddeford, thereby registering
these aliens as voters knowingly and con-
trary to law. This is violation Of the laws
of the state and the United States. The
aldermen are charged with conspiring to
ha ITuifaI Gfata
when they placed these names on the list as
legal voters.
At 10 minutes Of / O'Clock Commissioner
Rand entered and took his seat. The re-
spondents were arraigned and waived the
reading of the comp laints and severally
pleaded not guilty.
Edgar A. Hubbard, the city clerk Of Bid
deford, was then sworn, and, at the request
of District Attorney Dyer, produced the
records of the city clerks office of the city,
Mr.. Hubbard was examined briefly by
District Attorney Dyer, and testified, in
substance, as follows:
There was no order presented by George
+. Piper on the 9TH of March to the board of
aldermen OF the City of Biddeford. l do not
know that | can say that | have an order
presented by John Moody. AS far as
know there was something presented. There
was no order presented at the session of the
nicipal election in March, $780, that any
action was taken upon. There was paper
put in there, but no motion was made upon
it, The chairman of the board said some
thing in regard to il, but nobody else said
anything. and finally it was laid on the lble
/ looked for that paper this morning. The
record of the board of aldermen only shows
. minute in regard to 1t; that Is all noticed
| this morning. That was on March 9Th. IL
| says paper was presented before the board
| in regard to naturalization and laid on the
| table. That is all the record there Is of it.
| morning Of March 9th and continues until
/ the Saturday following at p. M. The rec
| ord changes frOm one ward to another. do
| not know where that order Is. do not re-
| was In the hands of the aldermen; they had
| it looking it over. cont say where u IS at
| the present time, but will make further
| search.
| have the complete records of the board
| of aldermen for that session. l also nave
| city of Biddeford for the years OF 1oo9W;
| have the book of registration of naturaliza-
| tion certificates that the board OF! aldermen
| kept. There Is only one. cannot say Just
how correct it is. Each ward Is kept aipna, iho
beticalIy. The date of that book. under the
| letter B. extends back to 1855: under letter
| a II extends hack 10 1860. There Is no other
| hook of certificates of NATURALIZATION tnis
| hook Is the only one | know aDytnlng ABOUT,
| or ever saw in the ofiee. There Is no Dlotter
| nsed in the revision Of the cheek lists; we
| cbeck the names from the papers themselves.
| have list of voters which presume is
| tho list prepared by the board OF aldermen.
| presume it is the same used at the Ward
mea,ings | couldn't say 1t is the only list
| hnoy ANYTHING about. That Is the same list
n,enared by the board of aldermen this
| month: IL is the same that was turned over
| Nv the assessors to the board of aldermen
| there are no changes IN it to amount to any
| thing.
At the request of the District Attorney. Mr..
Hubbard said that he would furnish certified
copies of these records
The witness was then requested to pro
duce the record of the proceedings of the
board of aldermen during August, 1890, bu
said there had been no regular meeting al
which business was done during August
The witness was then requested to read the
record Of such meetings as there was, and
read:
In board Of aldermen, August a. 1890, o q. m
meeting Tor the purpose of correcting cheek list:
and to hear and decide upon the applications o
| persons claiming the right to vote.
Present: Aldermen Hussey, Rose, Garnache
Yates, and Pareher Alderman Yates IN TIT
| chair.
| CITY OF BIDDEFoRD,
| ASSESSORS OFFICE,