The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-10-28
Some New Features OF the In
EQUITY Are Given to the
Public.
In Disproof Of the Defense Thereof
by Blake, One OF the Bene-
~ficiaries.
Evidence That the Conspiracy
Had Been Carefully Planned
Before the Election.
Republicans Prepared to Overthrow the
VIII OF the People at Any Cost
Vengeance Near.

Conscious guilt has driven the republican
managers to send out broadcast through
the stats a defense of the crime Of Precinct
"a. They have discovered that the crime,
like Banquo's ghost, will not down" and
one one Of their candidates for judicial
office, himself particers oriminis, has pre-
pared the document in question. BY plac-
ing Richards, Blake and Hall on their
ticket as candidates for public honors. tho
party managers threw down the gauntlet TO
the democracy n again invited attention
to the story of a crime which cannot be too
often placed before the voters of the state
in it's true light.
Our republican friends freely admit that
they stole the notorious Precinct "a" and
say they were obliged to do 1t to overcome
tbs illegal voting which they charge was
lone at that precinct. They undertook to
prove this charge Of illegal voting. upon
five or six afldavits. the procuring of which
involved them in what Senator Vance char
acterized on the floor of the United States
senate as the Grimes of forgery, perjury
and subosnation of perjury" They sue
ceeded in throwing out the precinct n
accomplished what Senator Vance further
characterized In this language, The throw
ing ont of Precinct 81 was as unmitigated
and unadultsrated q piece of villainy as
was ever known in the history Of American
politics."
The history of this crime cannot be too
often recited. The crime ia one to be exc
Grated and it's perpetrators and those in
whose interest it was perpetrated are to be
che pilloried subjects of the scorn and eon-
tempt of all good citizens.
Throw out the precincs. "All I want you
to do is to throw out the precinct, using
whatever means you like. You can do it
easier than-we can. ! will pay ali expense
and pay for all the time you lose." So
squeaks ont the little bogus senator-elect
according to the affidavit of the famous
Pennycook, republican Judge of election at
Precinct "a, and at that time treasurer of
the Helena Building and Investment COM
pany. of which company one I. G. Power
was Woe president. If poor ~Pennycook
worked these frauds at Precinct "a, az al
legged by the republicans. how was he ex-
pected to throw out this precinct? Was he,
for a money consideration, and some sup
Elementary indemnity, to convict himself
of crime? IL is an infamous proposition.
The person making it betrays suoh famil-
iarity with the business that we might sup
pose he had a ranch somewhere for breed
ing soape-goats. At this time-January,
1690-the anxiety of the republican senators
elect was to strengthen their case, lest the
United States senate should not look lem
iently on what the territorial canvassing
board termed the elimination" from the
returns, of the vote of Precinct 81.
Whar tho ronkfar nnvna hafOra Abe
senate. Senator Turpie said: >" can
not escape the conviction that the
word elimination In this certificate
is the mslliauous euphonism of that body
(the territorial returning board) for an act
of forgery" Vance said. 'The whole
course of tina territorial board, their tsrgi-
versations. their evasions of the truth.
their suppression of the truth, their sug-
pestion of falsehood in their return, are
such as would come from nobody but men
who were bent upon a dishonest partisan
purpose. The way in which they had ad-
journed after they had knowledge that the
writ of mandamus had been served, and
that the county board would be compelled
to obey it, and the haste in which thew de-
clared the result in the territory of Mon
tana, and the very fRct that they must have
sent a messenger to Washington City be-
fore they declared the result are evidence OF
fraud and OF q guilty purpose" But these
republican senators-elect, knowing the
st length OF republican stomachs, need not
nave worried over the matter. Republican
judges of election appointed by republican
county commissioners, a republican county
canvassing board and q republican senate,
could be depended ON to make this dirty
lob stick, 1t has stuck, and IT'D stencil will
faint the political atmosphere 80 long as
one of these ~fraudulently elected senators
remains in the enjoyment OF the fruits OF
this republican crime.
When was this plot Matched? Our own
opinion is that it was Matched previous TO
the election. Its action was too prompt to
result from any at~terthought. All who
made a study of the situation at that time
will admit that it was f~oreseen that the
vote in the territory would be very close
Rnd that a very small number of voteH
might turn a legislative majority. Powers
defeat for governor was a foregone con-
clusion and it was necessary to hedge or
the United States senators might also be
lost to the republicans. One or two rotten
boroughs must be held in reserve. Whera
ia the BODY of voters most easily handled
md whose votes-if they don't vote right
can be most easily tempered with? Moth
ing more promising in that line than the
gang of railroad men employed by the re-
publican contractor building the "liome-
stake tunnel" This contractor is also
president Of the Helena Building and I'm
proyement company, of which Power il
vice-president and PennyGook treasurer.
Pennycook oan be made judge of election
and if it is found necessary to throw out
the vote of a precinct to make a republican
majority in the legislature, out this one
will GO. Pennycook, "All | wRut you to dc
ia to throw out the precinct, using whatever
means you like"
Chief Justice Blake's final decision in
the case OF Lloyd vs.. Sullivan Ia interesting
in its bearing OF this view of the matter.
In rendering his decision, the evidence to
establish frnud in the election 40 Precinct
"a Ia reviewed at great length and oonsti-
tutes an admirable plea in defense of the
territorial canvassing board. That 10, II
would be admirable If ID did not prove toe
much. Judge Blake says: 1t appears that
there were three persons who served a,
Judges of election. w. A.. Pennyoook. Johr
Morrison and William Reagan. the FIRST two
helm appointed ms republicans and thu
last az a democrat.
= All the statutory provisions
requiring the SCI vices of the clerks OF cleo
tion at Precinct "a were deliberately VIC
lated by the three judges. The clerks were
selected with the understanding that the,
did not possess the necessary qualification