Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1891-01-15
UNDER THE G1LDED DONE.

UNDER THE GILDED DOME.
The Committee on Canvass of Votes
Meets-The Democratic Minority
Refuse to Act and Amdavits Of
fered by Ntoderators and Tellers-
The Investigation We'll Begun-Ad-
journment Until Next Monday
Morning. ..... !
HARTFORD, Jan. IA, 1891.-[Speciall-
Not over twenty-five persons were present
in the supreme court room, when, at 10:SO
this morning, the meeting of the commit
tee on the canvass of votes appointed by
the house last week were ready to proceed
to business. Those present were for the
most part Witnesses summoned by the
committee, but Governor Buckley, Sena-
tor Shumway and others also listened
closely to the proceedings. Judge Stod-
dard opened the session by making brief
statement of the opinion taken by the
democratic members of the COMMITTEES, and
after setting forth the action of the senate
of yesterday he said: If you take as
committee extrinsic evidence You will
without doubt open the ballot boxes, and
if SO desire to be present when it is done;
but have no desire to be present if the
committee is only to take evidence from
the return reports and from the slippery
memory of witnesses.
Judge Stoddard also said there were2 500
ballots cast by the three parties which
were considered illegal and which came
within the decision in the cases of Talcott
vs. Philbrick and Beach vs.. Calkins, and
that he was ready to offer such evidence,
which would necessitate the look
into of large portion of the ballot boxes
used in the last state election.
Attorney Case then took the matter in
hand and said that the statement of Judge
Stoddard was an announcement for the
| minority that they would withdraw from
the hearing if the committee went into
matters extrinsic of the fair list. It was
the intention Of the majority to take ex-
trinsic evidence and evidence explanatory
of the returns, and he so advised the com
mittee to decide in the matter. Mr.. Case
did not say as to whether the ballot boxes
would be opened or not.
On motion of Mr.. Judson of Stratford
the committee went into executive session,
and after fifteen minutes deliberation de-
cided to receive extrinsic evidence explana-
tory of the returns and to decide as to the
advisability or inadvisabil1ty of the evil
dence when offered.
of New Haven the returns were brought
before the committee, when Judge Stod-
dard said that the fair lists we're before
che committee and they bad all the evil
dence available under the constitution. He
also said that it would aid Mr.. Case if the
minority would announce the time when
the democratic members would withdraw,
as the committee was DESTROYS of taking
extrinsic evidence, in which action the dem
ocrats could not participate. Mr.. Case
said the action of the minority would COM
pei him to make different presentation
and only to put in a prima facie case.
THE DEMOCRATS WITHDRAW.
At this point the democratic members
withdrew. Mr.. Case said we shall make
our presentation under two heads, viz: on
the face of the returns the committee will
| find that no one has been legally chosen;
| secondly, it is the duty of the committee
| to take extrinsic evidence and ascertain
| whether the votes rejected were properly
or improperly rejected. The first group
| of cases are the votes rejected by the pre-
| siding officer and no cause given.
The returns from New Haven were then
brought in and Mr.. Case offered the state
/ ment showing that sixty-six votes had been
| rejected and no cause assigned; Branford
showed eight votes rejected, and no cause
| assigned; Naugatuck, two votes, North
| Stonington two; Preston, one; Danbury,
| eight; Eastford, one; Plainfeld, eight, and
| he called particular attention to the word
"other causes" written in; Canaan, one
Salisbury, eleven Middlefeld, two. That
covers all the ballots of that class that hi
proposed to offer. He next presented the
| moderators' returns from Meriden, contain
L inn bo Sfofo TnIar hood Of oofioy
of ballots for other causes, "four,
not known. Lebanon in particular ha6
one blank and on the face of tn,
l returns three ballots were rejected
Haddam contained the words mot stated
and figure a. New Britain had the figures
Is and the word illegal" Killingly seven
four illegal and three not sealed. Brookly1
seven rejected for having on the wort
'for." Waterbury 43 because the wort
"for" was printed before the name of tn
Office voted for Second DISTRICT Norwalk
prohibition votes not printed in conformi
ty with law, 30. Hartford, II not printet
according to law. Wolcott, one ballot wa
not as prescribed by law. This covers al
the "For" ballots.
He offered the returns Of the presiding
officer of Bridgeport: General, unseale,
30, marked and received in envelope, 100
1 TESTIMONY AS 10TH BRlDiEFOhT hEJECTEI
/ BALLOTS.
| Mr. Case then called Mr. William E. Dis
brow of Bridgeport, who said: was pres
emit in the Fifth ward at the last election il
Bridgeport. The returns of the moderate
l show 100 ballots rejected. I was mem
Der of the republican town committee ant
throughout the day was at the Fifth ware
voting place. I was not in the room at tn
time of the count. I had been some tim
| absent from the room where the count wa
being made, when I heard that some 10,
ballots had been thrown out. I asked tn
moderator to let me see the ballots as re
publican. The moderator showed me on
with a small mark between the "v" ant
sc" in the word governor, and said thi
orator was Mr.. Casey, democrat wa
much interested and don't know how man,
ballots I counted, but was assured by tn
moderator that the mark had shifted, O.
were not alike on some of the ballots.
thought it merely printers mistake, AND
- then brought over printer ant
a magnifying glass. Mr.. Whitney was tn
printers name, and without any instruc
tions from me beforehand he said to thos
present that to the best of his judgnen
the marks were mistake of the printer
The republican counters refused to sig1
the moderators' returns.
Mr.. Marigold Of Bridgeport said: I wa
present in the Fifth ward on the last cleo
ton day. had been shown these mark
on the night before election and asked i
there would not be trouble. I am prac
teal printer in Bridgeport, and knew q
once that it was a printers error an6
probably came from a piece of dir
on the rollers. They wanted to rul
the spots off with rubber, and
said that would not be fair test, as tn.
impression was probably not as deep at
the printing itself, and would rub off with
the fibre. was only shown three of tn,
marked ballots and told these were a sam
pie of the whole. A lot of ballots from
Case, Brainard & Lockwood were then in
troduced as evidence to show that withou
doubt they were marked in the printing
These were put in as exhibit "Y."
| DISCREPANCIES IN NORWICH.
Mr.. Case then offered a copy of the aft
davit of John P Parkhurst, a counter il
the Fourth district in Norwich, stain,
that while the counters made 276 demo
cratic votes, the real number cast wa
only 256, twenty less than the counter
made it out
ATTHE NEW BRITAIN ELECTION.
Mr.. George J. Turnbull of New Britain
said I was present at the last election i,
the Fourth ward while the counting wa
going on. I was present when the ffteel
u L.