New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-17
BALLOTBOXES BROKEN OPEN
HIGH-HANDED PROCEEDINGS IN COLUMBIA.
THE DEMOCRATIC SUPERVISORS FoRcIBLY TAKE
POSSESSION OF SEALED BOXES AND
HANDLE THE BALLOTS.
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rBrBUNE.1

.BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRrBUEE1
Hudson, ~ Y. Nov. 16.-It is not often that
the Governor Of a State, who at the same time u
q United States Senator, will instruct State
officer under him TO perform illegal acts. That
spectacle was presented to-day TO the people OF
this State and the Governor and Senator Is David
B. Hill. and the State officer is Deputy Attorney
General Maynard Last Thursday Maynard came
here, and by sheer bulldozing forced four Demo
cratic members of the Board of Supervisors-who
had been voting with the Republicans against
the highhanded proceedings begun by Samuei
j. Tilden, jr.-to agree TO support him In any
move that he might make toward counting out
Gilbert A. Dcane, and seating Edward b. Osborne
Only one of the Democratic Supervisors Mr. john
son. from Iillsdae, refused to go into this scneme
This left the Board twelve 10 eleven In
favor of the Democrats. This afternoon the
twelve Democrats took the law into their own
hands and proceeded to conlmit one OF the worst
outrages known in this part OF the State
After trying to get the County Clerk TO commit an
Illegal act, these twelve Democrats. under the
leadership Of Samuel J. Tilden, ir. who was fol-
lowing the advice of the Deputy Attorney General.
who, in turn. is doing the bidding of David B.
Hl looted the County Clerks office. forcibly
opened the baot-boxes and scattered the ballots
around the floor. This was done under the fimsy
excuse that one ballot in the town Of Claverack
was missing When the ballot-boxes have been
sealed after the votes .have been counted. there Is
no power undep the law that can open the boxes
again for any purpose except TO burn the ballots.
But the law with David B. Hill. and his heelers
of the Tlden and Maynard stripe. is a thing TO
be evaded, not obcyed
This proceeding began here this afternoon with
the introduction of resolution by one Of the
,aIy hat tbn Clcrl
duce the ballots for the inspection Of the Super.
visors. This resolution was carried by party
vote. with the exception of Mr.. johnson, who de.
cIined to make himself liable to undergo term
in prison. lie voted with the Republicans against
this proposition. The County Clerk refused to
get the ballots. He said that it would be illegal
for him to do County Judge j. Rider Cady,
who was present, advised the Clerk not to obey
the order of the twelve looters clearly would
be illegal for him to comply.
Do you refuse to comply with the request Of
the Board ?" inquired Chairman Kennedy.
81 do not see how | can do you ask without
violating the law, replied the County Clerk
Judge Cady here obtained recognition and in
few words told the Supervisors that they were
proposing measures entirely illegal and revolu-
tonary. You are trying to make new returns
instead of counting regular official returns he
said.
At this the twelve Democrats laughed heartily.
and with Samuel J. Tilden, jr., at their head
rushed down stairs into the County Clerks room.
where the ballot-boxes were. In a minute they
had the packages of ballots broken open and the
votes scattered about the tables and the floor.
| There was no order about the proceedings and
| the Supervisors acted more like mob of drunken
rioters than like county officials. Mr.. 1ilden
| was seen to clutch at number of packages ,f
| ballots with the eagerncss that fanished men
tear at loayes offered. tleast dozen packages
were broken open before the lootcrs found that
| their search q fruitless one.
The Republican members Of the Board followed
, them only to the doors, and under the direction
| of Judge Cady took extensive notes OF what oc-
Cured. The pretended missing ballot was not
found, and instead Of finding an additional vote
for Osborne the men who took part are likely
To find some still indictments soon hanging over
their heads. The returns of the towns Of Chat
ham. Canaan and Austerlitz canvassed, but
no change in tho vote announced was found.