New-York tribune., 1891-01-29
REVELATIONS AT HARTFORD
REPORT OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE on III
CANVASS OF THE VOTE
REMARKABLE CARELEssNEss" on WHICH TIP
DEMOCRATIC CLAIMANTS FOR STATE OF.
FICEs REST THEIR CAsE-srAuB THE
Only ONE ELECTED-THE LEGIS-
LATURE'S LONG DAY.
lsr TELEGRAPH TO THE IRrBusEI

complete ana, for the Democrats an overwhelming
one There was no scene of disturbance There could
be none Fact after fact brought TO the light Of
day as the report was read, which left the Democrats
in the position OF having defended il not one ~ tho
most fraudulent, then certainly one OF the most
carele>s prepared and inaccurate sets OF returns ever
sent to General Assembly. The Republicans did not
assert that there was fraud They simply presented
the facts which had been ascertained by the commit
tee on canvass Of the returns. In the lgh, OF the
report presented to day it is no wonder that the
Democratic senate has heretofore refused take part
with the House in an Investigation OF the returns
The report shows that i'm twenty seven towns the
number OF votes returned a. having been east for
state officers did not agree with the whole number Of
votes returned as having been cast in those towns.
1t also shows that many votes were returned as no
Jected and no cause assigned and many Others re
jected for which could not be legally assigned
under the secret Ballot law. which requires that .
specific reason shall be assigned the returns when
ballot is rejected. on the face OF the returns alone
it appears Las ballots were thrown out for either
doubtful or clearly Illegal causes In the report the
committee says:
1t appear, from the face of the returns that theN
were in the whole state 1250 general ballots rejected
DDS 10? being "dOubtful,' which since the passaSS
Of the socalod secret Ballot law
legal for rejection and 73 for all other
OF laid o3l. III general ballots were rejected for The
following taus', none Of which assignment OF causes,
in the opinion of the committee ju,tie, the rejection
Of ballot, t0 Wit: Illegal" Sew-Britan, -; llls
GAL kllng>wortn, :; for having on the word Tor,
BROOKLYN. - hccause of word for. Wat 'rbury %;
Prohibition vote, not printed in conformity with the
Stafford II mot a, prescribed by law WocOt. /;
otal-iil. TO call ballot Illegal i, not to giys
cause for rejecting it.. The law requires specific
statement Of what the ega!ity consists. II also ap-
pears that II general ball II, were rejected with tho
following statement, in lieu Of any assignment of
cause whatever to wit: Not known Merten. 4:
not counted Lebanon. 3: not stated ladden 4;
total-ll II further appears mat 10 general bali
lot wern rejected and no cause assigned. to wit:
New Haven. GG: Branfod -. Naulatuck. .; North
>tonngon. , Preston. T. Danbury. > :: East Ford !:
Ph'nhef. : Canaan. /: salisbury, II Mddefeld ,;
totll-1l0.
return, that in many towns throughout the state the
number If votes for state Officers counted and res
turned By the counters and modeIator' exceed tho
number Of cast in said towns respectively. Tho
committee therefore decided from the face Of the NJ
turns that person had majority 0f votes for tho
Office Of Governor, LieutenantOvernOr. state Treas.
urer or secretary of state. but that Nicholas stauh
had been elected 10 the Office Of state Controller.
When the struggle first began here Democratic
AsSemblyman. M iIoiclkls> offered resolution
calling for thorough Investigation of ballot boxes.
This referred To the committee. Now Mr.. lIotch'
XII, is sorry he spoke and oday tried TO claim. first,
that his resolution had no legal existence, as II had
not yet been passed upon by the House and, sccond
that that was not really what he meant when he
offered il. The committee today referred to this
resolution. The report also said that counsel rep.
resenting Democratic interests appeared before tho
committee and stated that If the ballot boxes were to
be opened he could and would tender TO the committees
for its use the fact that $500 Prohibition, Labor
and Republican ballots were illegally cast counted
and returned. Counsel representing Republican in.
terestS aferward appeared before the committee and
stated that the ballot boxes were 10 be opened he
coud and would tender to the committee for Its use
the fact that several thousand Democratic and Pro-
hbitiOn ballots Illegally counted and returned.
In view of these statements and Of the resolution oi
Mr. lOtchkisS the committee stated that while In Ito
opinion it had, without going behind the returns, but
from fair canvass and examination of them arrived
at the truth Of the matter, which was that no slah
officer excepting Mr. Staub had been elected by tho
people still. if the Democratic senate was willing "a
open up the whole matter and examine the ballot boAef
the senators should be given chance 50 to state.
resolution to that effect was offered.
The Democrats, it will be remembered, have all
along been claiming that the Republicans were
going behind the returns in examining and
canvas,ing them. Now the Republicans cn
a resolution Of one Of their own members
calling upon the committee TO 20 behind the returns
and the statement Of the Democratic counsel that ne
could prove the Illegal casting Of 900 votes ana say'
"Gentcnen. II this Is what you want we are reahys
We have examined the returns and find the state oi
things shown in report. But if you want mord
Investigation We are ready When the news THAI
the report of the committee being presented spread
abroad the senate hastily adjourned and most OF me
senator, came into the House. The report was pro-
,ented by Gardiner Greene. IT, Of Norwich, VINO spoke
at length on presenting Il. stiles u. JudsOh Oh Sfd|
ford also spoke I'm favor Of the report ald lte ac'
companying resolution ON the Democratic s.de Nr'
Hotchkiss presented minority report, which 'onIened
itself with saving that ii not right To examine
the returns as the wicked Republicans lad done ana
that the minority found that all the Democratic can'
didates had been elected These Democratic members
of the committee by the way, got up and lei the COM
mitee while it was in session, presumably 80 that they
might not sre 1-le things which were being revealed
regarding the returns Mr.. Iotclkiss spoke at lens'1
on his minority report.
Mr. Root Of Waterbury. made a long speech IN
favor Of the Democratic position. The reading oi mo
two rcuorts and the speechcs thereon took all day'
for though the solid men Of Connecticut drink no
strong pOtations.' yet they do make long OFduohs'
Everything was conducted decently and IN oNer'
Little acrlmony shown Oh ether side, but "os
Of stern determination. In many states such criss
as this would bring about scenes Of disorder ana
tumut but i'm the land Of steady habits IT II
Sin py practical illustration Of what happens when
An Irresistible force meets an mmovable body IN
the early part Of the day when the speeches hrss
began the members frequently interrupted tle Hpeaser
and asked questions. They also voclierpusy az.
nauded good points and laughed at wntclsn> rs
the day wore on however the applause became le,s
and less frequent. and wittcsm however brIIiSt,
nro.,mca, n smile II was stern business. and when
ihe great gilt candeabra were lighted the lght spho
on as determined lot of fares a, ever were seen IN
legislative hall All day the galleries Of the House
were packed with people, and every avaliapie M pos
Of Standin. room the floor was occupied Dy men,
who stood hour after hour, solemn and silent as
one remarkable thing about this Legislature Is thas
IL is still officially the first DAY ot lts SESSION.
Days aud weeks have passed but the LeSsla,uIe G ~
not officially, seen sunset. IL takes recess, put "
does not adjourn and the journals OF both house, SUI
bear the date of the first day OF the session. ~ uo
pra sent state Of affairs continues j. not nposIplo
that the opening day of the session VIII present. PIE
nomenon heretofore supposed to be found only III 'n'
Arctic a dav SIX months long. ,., III.
Tonight Democrats are rather .o az a., eroT
toSav is one that few try to defend Though ING
ncnuhcans have refraned nom afilbutlng any, ot
~ .range ,hinys which the returns show took place
~ az the Isfe elections to fraud rather preerrins 70
ascrihe them 10 careessness or ignorance YET wneto
S njstaLes ali seem 10 aid party the situation 10
~ Least unpleasantly suggestive. Tomorrow the Sen:
90, will meet and the report Of the committee ano
9he sccomDanying resolutions viii be sent 10 IL ZOE
.nton What will they do with II ~ Is the question
ssted ev6rywhere 10 night The general impression
seems to be that the whole matter VIII De taoied IN tnS
hLsin Lrlnght 10 stanG,llI, nn0