Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-03-05
FEATHERSToNE VS.. CATE.
Investigation OF tho Arkansas Con-
tested Election Case.

The consideration of the Arkansas con-
tested election case of Featherstone VS.
Cate. was resumed today. Dalzell of
Pennsylvania, il supporting the claims OF
the contestant, said that in the election in
the first district of Arkansas, Winchester
rifles, revolvers and bowie knives played
an impOrtan, part.
The contestee, in his brief, himself ad
mitted the chivalry of Crittenden county
armed with Winchester rifles, when they
found it nece ,ssry to drive out 20 or 80
unarmed black men.
The gentleman on the other side, said
the contestant and his witnesses, would
have been perfectly safe in the district.
So had John VI Clayton been safe in his
district, prior to the time he wac asassi-
mated.
Crisp of Georgia submitted an argument
in favor of contes.ee Gate. He said the
counsel for the contestant was W. W. bud.
lev better known as Blocks of Five
Dudley. 1t was interesting TO hear that
notorious gentleman discussing before the
committee on elections the importance of
purity of the ballot and the necessity OF
giving the voter the untrammelled and free
right to vote as he pleased. 70 borrow a
simie of the gentleman from Massa-
ehusetts (Greenhalge), when he (Crispl
heard Dudleys ststemeat, he thought he
would say, This is the Devil quoting
scripture" but il occurred to him that
while the notorious Indisnian mi ght not be
as his distinguished friend from Massa-
chusett. was. civil service reformer, he
wa. not the Devil, and he knew that what
.,,. 70 sh..
scripture. (Laughter)
Cheadle of Indiana entered protest
against attacking the character of a man
who in the field of battle spent his blood in
the defence of his country, and whose life
he (Cheadle) challenged any human being
to attack. applause on the republican
side ) Nobody on the other side has been
able to prove a single charge against the
republicans of Indiana (Renewed sp
plause.
Crisp was unaware that he had said any
thing TO provoke an outburst on the part of
his friend from Indians.
Rowell of Illinois charged the apparent
msjority. through which the contestee OBJ
tanned the title to his seat, was procured by
a crime Of the highest character, which if
not pcrpetrsted would have turned his
sppsreut majority into a minority. D.d
the hundred bandits armed with Winches-
ter rifles. who exiled the officers and people
of Crittenden county, under pain Of death,
belong to that class of American people
who loved fair piayS (Applause on the
republican side Did the member of that
bandit band, who was the attorney for the
contestee in Criuenden county, and who
stood by when he saw the contestant gettiug z
out of the county in order to save his life did
he belong to that portion of the American
people that loved fair play? (Applsuse
Moore of Texas asserted that all the
testimony taken by the contestant in Mem
ohis involving the question of conspiracy
and fraudulent ballot box was a bold, bald
and unprecedented forgery in all particulars.
Norton Of Missouri contended that Cate
was entitled 10 the seat, criticized the
arguments Of the other side for beng based.
not on the testimony in the case, but upon
| the extraneous matter calculated to excite
! feelings of passion or sentiment.
Breckenridge of Arkansas said that gen
tlemen in discussion the question wandered
far from the evidence in the case now IN
| der consideration. Nobody had aidnced &
| syl liable of testimony TO show that auy
wrongs committed in Crittenden county haC
not been reprobated by the great mass Of
| people of the country.