New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-04
THE DISPUTED ELECTIONS.

less for evil. Besides, there are indications that
the Board as whole may not consent to be a
party to David b. Hills high treason against
the balot-box. Counsel for the Republican and
Democratic candidates in the contested Sena-
toral districts have agreed to a judicial deter
mination, and the State Board of Canvassers have
in qualified way agreed to postpone taking up
the returns until the courts have rendered their
decisions. 1t is possible, however, that Hill may
still coerce the officials who compose the Board
into doing his will If the questions are sub
mitted to judicial decision, the Governor will
find that the Court Of Appeals is not Board OF
Supervisors.
This is a good time to recapiuate the glazing
election frauds which Hill has been industrously
plotting to put through during the last month.
A simple statement of the extent and significance
of the conspiracy ought to suffice to arouse the
righteous indignation of all patriotic citizens
without regard to party. Upright judges VIII
make short work OF it.
l. The Rensselaer, Washington District. The
returns as canvassed by the inspectors gave the
Senatorship to Derby (Rep), by plurality OF
nearly 700. They also showed that Worden
(Rep1, Assembly nominee in the lid Rensselaer,
District, had been chosen by plurality OF near
ly 1000. But in the face OF such decisive hs
ures an attempt was made to count out both OF
these men. The Board of Supervisors OF kens-
selaer Dem) for nearly two weeks kept back
the returns on Senator, scheming to manipulate
them so as to steal the seat away from Derby.
Rut the figures were too much for them, and
finally they were compelled to award the GER
tifcate to him. The job to count out W Orden
was based solely upon false allegatloh'
II was stated that returns as filed with the
County Clerk contained votes cast for Lew
E. Worden (Mr. Worden's proper name), Lew
p Worden, Levi Worden and l.. f..
Worden. So four headings were made. Only
tbe votes for Levi T.. Worden were counted
for the Republican candidate. The other Wor-
den votes were not placed to his credit HAD
the Job gone through Worden's Democratic OPP
nonent would have been counted in But, thanks
10 the vigilance of Republican members OF the
Board this precious piece of scoundrelism was
frustrated and Worden obtained his certificate.
II is to be added, as showing the hardwood OF
the eang which ed" Murphy bosses, that Mr..
Collins, the Democratic Senatorial candidate,
having been defeated at the polls and in Board
Of Supervisors which connived to count him in
by any sort of crooked means, proposes TO make
q contest for Mr.. Derbys seat.
Q. The Chemung, Steuben and Allegany Dis
trict. Sherwood Rep.), was elected Senator by
an emphatic vote. His plurality over Walker
Dem.) was about 1900. Nevertheless the
mandate went forth from the Executive Chamber
that the seat was to be counted for Walker OH
the theory that Sherwood was ineligible, beng
a Park Commissioner. The Constitution pro-
vides that ono person shall be eligible to the
LEGISLATURE who at the time of his election or
within one hundred days previous thereto has
been an officer under any city govern
ment.n Is a Park Commissioner an officer under
tho city government? The Attorney-General
says YES. but ex-Judge Danforth of the Court OF
Appeals-who is recognized as one OF the hrst
constitutional lawyers in the State-says no. But
whether Mr.. Sherwood is or is not an o1iicer
under city government is a question win "hicn
County or State Boards of Canvassers have noth-
ing to do. But the Board OF Supervisors (Dem)
of Steuben, in its eagerness to help Walker gel
a seat which the voters had emphatically denied
him. did not hesitate to break the law. 10 1Or-
warded to the State Board of Canvassers Walk
ers "nrotest" and a resolution expressing the
oninion that Sherwood was ineligible. Sherwood
brought them to their senses by applying 10
Judge Adams for mandamus restraining them
from sending to Albany either the protest or the
resolution. The mandamus was granted, the
Judge reminding the INSCRIPTIONS officials thas
their powers and duties were purely ministerial,
and were exhausted when they had counted and
canyassed the votes. Walker has stated that he
Senate declare that he is entitled to it. This IS
well so far as it goes. But why should he take
il in any event, seeing that he did not come
within 1000 votes of being elected?
3. The Duchess Columbia-P District.
Deane Rep.), a member of the last Senate was
reelected. So the inspectors of elections OF
those three counties found on canvass of the
votes cast. But his plurality being small one, it
naturally occurred to Hill that, since the Boards
of Supervisors Of Duchess and Columbia were
both Democratic, it could be jugged into plu-
rality for his competitor, Osborne. 1t was given
ont the morning after election that Deane had
carried the counties of Columbia and Putnam
by a plurality of 176, while Osborne had car
ried Duchess by plurality of 90. Hence Deano
was reelected by plurality of SO. The par
ticulars of the brazen fraud which resulted in
manufacturing for Osborne so large plurality
in Duchess as to give him the seat are familiar
to our readers. The Democratic Supervisors of
Duchess threw out a large number of votes
which had been cast for Deane Ostensibly be-
cause they were marked for Identification. The
fact is that they were not thus marked, the spots
upon them being produced by raised quad in
the printers form; and that even if they had
been marked the Supervisors were required by
an express provision OF the new Ballot law to
count them. The County Clerk of Dutchess
CRep.) refused 10 join the Supervisors in their
conspiracy. Accordingly, again in startling de-
fiance of the law, the Supervisors appointed a
temporary clerk TO convey their bogus returns to
Albany for the purpose of having them filed.