New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-15
THE DIRTY PLOT DEVELOPS.

Ordinarily the vote of Dutchess County IL cans
vassed in two days, but on this occasion policy
OF delay and postponement was promptly In
augurated As one by one the returns came up
scores Of clerical errors were pointed out, TO
which under ordinary circumstances no lmporI
ance whatever would be attached, but on accouns
Of which in this instance the election Inspectors
were at once reconvened and the returns were
sent back to them for correction. The purpose
Of this delay was, Of course, to get "evidence
upon which 70 attack the returns, though, as :
have shown, that liz precisely what the Jaw ano
the courts have time and again declared that
boards Of canvassers cannot and must not do
Wood had been elected counsel for the board
1t is only fair to the honorable Democratic laws
yers Of Poughkeepsie TO say that not one Of them
could be induced to countenance the steal. one
after another they declined to appear in the
proceeding in the defence Of the canvassers'
conduct and their consistent and unanimous adj
vice was that the whole business was illegal and
outrageous sure to cover every one involved in
il with infamy and equally sure TO ruin the
Democratic party Wood, however, was always
available.
The front of the conspiracy first showed itself
in connection with the returns from the first dis
trict of the town of Dover. There seven paster
ballots had been cast attached TO official ballots,
but on the wrong side of them. The inspectors,
as these ballots were found, perceivlng this ir-
regularity, and not knowing how it affected tho
votes, laid them aside under a lamp until the
canvass was completed and then decided TO return
them and did return them in their statement 10
blank" Hinckley, "nosing' around after EVIL
dence. soon heard of these seven ballots. Tom
WhaIen, the balot-clerk at this poll, told lilnck-
lev that the unused baHots had not been returned
I.,i- fhA,. ShnttlI ha,
but were sent TO a barber shop near by where
they were being used waste paper, and he
Thought he could recover one of them and show
him how these paster ballots looked So they
went together to the barber shop, found an Off
cial ballot and on the back of that AFFIXED .
regular Democratic paster. On this some one
present wrote, in corner Of the sheet, these
words: There were seven ballots, fac-simile to
the one hereto attached, which is not an original
ballot but a sample to show how the ballot was
folded and how the paster was attached These
ballots were accepted by the inspectors and at the
canvass were counted as blank Under
this writing John Williams Demo-
cratic Inspector wrote his name. II will bs
noticed that the scamps did not have the impu-
dence TO make Williams say in words that all
these seven ballots were Democratic. They merely
made him say that the Democratic paster there
exhibited is a fac smile Of the ballots cast but
the value of that statement was shown by his
remarking that he didn't know what :" fac smile
meant Under Williams's statement. the other
Democratic inspector S. ID. Whalen. wrote as
follows: Il know Of seven ballots, but do not
know what klnl.'
The Republican Inspector at this poll was
Edward A. Brush. When the character of these
ballots was being inquired into by the Board Of
Canvassers Ia thing which. be it always remem.
bered, they had no right TO do anyhow Brush
presented an affidavit declaring that one Of these
seven ballots to his certain knowledge consissl
Of a Social Labor official ballot with Republican
paster affixed He noticed that another of the
seven bore Democratic paster ballot. but was
unable to say what the Others were. The two
Republican watchers at this poll were Henry
ketcham and Richard ketcham. cousins. one the
son of General keicham. the other the cashier
OF the Dover Plans Bank They both testify
that they examined Tlese seven ballots. that four
OF them bore Democratic pastors and thee Re-
publican.
FAST GALLOPING TO JAIL
II is probable that the inspectors made mis-
take in failing to count these ballots. and it -
clear that any candidate in interest was entitled
to have their character determined by the courts
in quo warranto proceeding. and canvassed by
the Courts order. and in accordance with its
directions Upon 10 excuse however, could the
canvassers lawfully investigate their character
Or in any way change the return Of the inspectors
except upon the order Of the Court. They did
So however, and IN spite of the evidence repeated
here which is all there was on the subject. they
adopted resolution by partisan vote canvassing
all the seven ballots for the entire Democratic
State and county ticket The manner Of their
doing this was Of itself, q sorry confession In