New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-19
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE FIGHT AGAINST DEANE.
HILLS DIsGRAcEFUL TACTICS IN DUTcHESs
COUNTY.
SIX DEFECTIVE BALLOTS, Destroyed BY DEMO
Graf UNDER ORDERS FROM THE DEMO:
CRATIC INSPECTORS ADDED TO THE

Graf UNDER ORDERS FROM THE DEMO.
CRATIC INSPECTORS, ADDED TO THE
RETURNS. UNDER PROTECT.
Poucbkeepse. Nov Is (SpeciaD David B. IIill'1
attempts TO bluff, buldoze and brobeat the Super.
visors of Dutchess County into counting out Gil-
bert A Deane as State Senator were continued
to-day but in more open and desperate manner
than heretofore. The Democratic members os
the Board who are largely in the majority, seem
to be willing to commit practically any crime %
accomplish this purpose. To-days work Oh .ne
Democratic majority Of the Board was not quite
so daring as was the forcbc breaking Oh 'hs
seals on the Columbia County ballot-boxes, tne
act of which Samuel j. Tilden, jr, and MS io'-
lowers were guilty, but it was equally lNsui~A
and illegal
1t is well known to every one who Is ao ais
familiar with the election laws that Board OF
Supervisors of county has no power TO couhs
ballots that not part Of the oinciai feturns
as made out by the inspectors OF election. Inc
law is specific and plain in regard to the paho~
which the election officers are to throw oub az
illegally voted. 1t provides that unless pastef
ballet is SO folded that the names Of the candidates
are concealed from the eyes of the Inspectors
the ballot shall be thrown out. In the nrse
election district of the of Dover the inspect
ors found seven tallOts with the paster ballos
folded on the outside. instead of upon the inside.
Of the Official ballot. As they came across these
ballots in making the count they put them undes
lamp for safe-keeping One Of the insEecton
failed to see what the political nature OF these
ballots was second noticed only that one oi
them was Republican ballot; while third.
Democratic Inspector saws that three of the ballots
contained the names of Republicans and the other
four the names of Democrats.
After the other votes had been canvassedI
the question arose what should be done
with the seven improperly voted ballots.
The board decided TO destroy them, and
directed Ambrose Brissett, who was employed by
the two Democratic inspectors as watcher, to
throw them into tho stove and burn them lie
followed their Instructions and the inspectors, IN
making their return to the County Clerk and the
Supervisor from the town, sent two sample past
ers as they are required by law to DO, showing
the kind Of ballots which they had destroyed.
A Board Of Supervisors the majority OF whlch waa
made up of fair-minded, honest men would have
accepted the report of the inspectors OF election
as it stood, and would not have attempted to per-
form an illegal act with view to steailng a
seat in the State Senate. But the Democratic
majority in the Board OF Supervisors for this county
is made up of men who are not above doing DaVid
B. Hills dirty work.
Dover. this AFTERNOON, Supervisor Vail. who
is taking the lead in doing Hilrs
commands. asked for report from
Sunervsor Iiannr on the seven ballots which
tbe Democratic Board Of Inspectors from that
town had ordered destroyed. Mr.. Hanna read the
report. which was in the form of affdavits from
the three inspectors, and which was In accord
with the facts just give in regard to these paots'
with the audacity of Tammany Hall heeler.
Vail moved that six of the ballots be counted for
the straight Democratic ticket. To this super
visor Abel of Union Vale, moved an Amendments
to the effect that they be counted In accordanca
with the returns on file with the County Clerk
A motion to lay this amendment upon the taois
was carried by a strict party vote, bnt not uh'u
Supervisors Hanna and Vail had had the fol'
lowing exceedingly interesting dialogue:
Mr. Vatican you (Hanna) tell us what became
of those seven ballots?
Mr. Hanna-They were burned.
Mr.. Va-WhO burned them?
Mr. Hanna-One of the watchers.
Mr. Waldo YOU know what his politics arei
Mr.. Hanna-fes.
Mr. Vail-What were they.
Mr. Hanna-IIe was employed by the Democratic
Up to this time Vail appeared confident OF the
outcome of his crossexamination OF Supervisor
Hanna: but when he learned Of the politics Of the
man who did the burning his jaw dropped and
his cheeks became ashen pale. The Republican,
in the room applauded heartily, and the Demo-
cratic leader forced TO sit down and to remain
quiet until the loud laughter over his extreme
discontinue had ceased. William II. Tanner was
one of the Democratic Supervisors who went with
Mr. Hanna to Dover to have the returns as
originally filed with the Supervisors corrected in
the matter of the clerical errors. Vail took Tan
nor ipto IN wit
for few minutes. When their conference was
over Vail announced that he wanted Tanner To
make a statement of what he learned at Dover.
Mr.. Tanner is an old man, and his face looked
as though he were honest one. lie evil
IDENTIFY did not relish in the Least
the position into which Vail had
forced him. He did not rise from his seat
until Vail had given him a punch in the back
with his pencil. Then he faltered when he began
TO tell the story which he had been forced to
relate. He said that he understood"-a he
put marked emphasis on the word--that six Of the
ballots were Democratic and one was Republican.
and that the man who burned them was a Repub.
lican.
Supervisor Hanna his feet in an instant.
Il can produce the affidavit of the man who
burned those ballots, to prove that he was en-
ployed by the Democrats on election day." he
shouted.
After the amendment providing that the re-
turns should be counted in the hands Of the
County Clerk had been laid on the table by
party vote, Mr.. Hanna introduced it as an original
motion. The chairman refused 10 put it, and de-
clared that the question was Wallis motion
to count the ballots as he had requested.
party vote decided this motion also and the
County Clerk was ordered TO attach the sample
ballots to the returns
what ballots do you mean? asked the clerk.
why, the sample ballots, of course, answered
Vail and the chairman, in chorus.
Il do not think that have any power to do
that: these ballots never We're voted,' replied