The Portland daily press., 1893-03-07

crallC ClefK named Wliildu d. 0liils, d
very young fellow, moved tables to the
back side of the voting space, and there,
at distance of 10 or Is feet from where
Bowen was, began the sorting and
counting of the votes. From time to
time, Harper would look over his shoul-
der to see that no one came nearer.
In this way the counting went on, and
after time the warden announced in
open meeting that the vote for mayor
stood: Ingraham, 746; Baxter. 400.
Shortly after, he announced that Guptill
Dem.), for aldrman, had 732. and Tenny
Rep.), 500.
These figures were so astounding, so
much out of all proportionsto what the
ward has ever done before, SO much be-
yond what the Republicans had ex-
pected or the Democrats hoped, that
there was a feeling that there was some
thing wrong about the figures. The
story soon got abroad, and it came to the
ears of Alderman Guptill, Dem.,) who
was attending the meeting of the City
Council. He at once left his seat and
hastened to the Ward / ward room. Tt
is to be said to Mr.. Guptill's credit thai
he feels very badly about this Ward 1
affair, and that he has denounced the
conduct of his party associates in regard
to it. When he arrived at the ward he
reproached the warden for not allowing
Republican officers to participate in the
count, and demanded Of him Whist he
had done. For reply he got a confused
statement, from which it appeared that
the warden had burned one package Of
ballots. Mr.. Guptill at once fastened
back to the City Building to consult with
the City Clerk. When he returned he
found that the warden had burned an
other package of ballots. It was now
no use to rectify the count, as it was too
late, even if all the Democrats on the
Hill had been of Mr.. Guptill's mind.
When Warden Harper appeared at the
City Clerk Office later with his returns,
Mr.. Guptill brought the matter to the
attention of the officials. Harper's re-
port wass.kept back and the chiefs went
into council. Mayor Ingraham, Marshal
SWEET and others went into the Mayors
room. William a. Looney, Esq, who is
the Mayors counsel in some matters,
was also called in.
While the chiefs were in council, a rep
resentative of the PRESS asked Harper
why hisreturn from the ward was not
given out.
''It is being held to correct clerical
error" said he.
!, ''sWhat sort of an error?' was asked.
IAN error in the count"
Harper seemed considerably abashed
at theaturn affairs had taken.
The Ward / books were held until late
in Intervening, when they were finally
given out. It was then found that no
s
changes had been made in the votes as
announced by Harper in open meeting:
The ssclerical error had evidently been
allowed to stand.
It seemed to be the opinion of many
in the city clerks office, while the con-
troyersy was going on, that Harper had
taken fifty or an hundred votes off the:
Republican pile and put them on to the
Democratic. 1t is probable that some
thing of this sort occurred.
A glance at the totals of the vote for
Mayor will show the Importance of this
corrupt action in Ward 1. On the face
of the returns, Baxter receives 1925
votes, Ingraham 4,oos, aud True 5s This
gives Ingraham sS plurality and 25 ma
jority. 4
It is evident that change of 1S votes
would wipe out Ingraham's majority,
and that a change Of 42 votes would
have wiped out Ingraham's plurality.
It is very evident that Ingraham has
been counted in wrongfully in Ward
We have no doubt, either, that Mr.. Bax-
ter was rightfully elected.
Ward Three.
The most shameless condition of things
prevailed in Ward 8. Opposite the ward
room in the street commissioner room
plentiful supply of liquor and the
Democratic hoodlums marshalled by the