The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-09-27

ing of the polls in Ward One, and heard
Mr.. Foss make his motion, and heard the
Warden refusesto receive it. He saw the
copy OF the motion handed to Warden
Harper and saw the latter put it into his
pocket. Later he took it out and looked
at it, then putting it back.
After the polls were closed the witness
hear the Warden order all persons out OF
the enlosure
Mr.. Decella then described how the
ballots were taken from the box and
placed on the table in the rear OF the
room, how Harper and ellis sat down
to that table, the former back to those
present. After the count began the. wit
ness left the room at ten minutes past
five, and returned in about 30 minutes.
He was quite precise about the time.
About ten minutes after six the mayor
vote was declared. Witness was posi-
tive about these times, as he had looked
at the time on several occasions as the
proceedings were going on.
Mr.. Clifford cross examined the witness
briefly; and the court adjourned for the
noon recess.
THE AFTERNOON.
The government case was continued in
the afternoon, Mr.. Arthur C. Libby being
the first witness. He was in the ward
room on the evening of March 9th, and
saw Mr.. Harper apparently counting
votes the first of the evening. In the
latter part of his being there he saw
Harper throw several packages of ballots
into the stove. He did it twice or three
times Between two of these occasions
the witness saw Mr.. Guptill speak to Mr..
Harper
Alderman Chas. F. Guptiu
was next called. He|testified that he
went into the ward room of Ward l on
the evening of March 9th last. He had
been at city meeting, and while there
had heard rumor that the number of
votes declared was greater than the num-
Der of votes thrown. He went at once to
the ward room of Ward l. Continuing,
Mr.. Guptill said:
I told Harper the rumor Ihad heard. He
said he did not believe in any such thing.
He and his clerk had been over the
ballots and he believed they were right.
I told him it was an important matter
and that I as candidate was very
anxious for the count to be right /
thought he had better call others in to
look over the ballots with him, one from
each party. He replied that he had
already burned about sixty ballots
again Insisted that he call in Others
and then went to find Mr.. Asa Russell
to ascertain how many votes had been
cast | soon returned, and renewed my
request that he call in men, one from
each party, to go over the votes left and
verify the count as we'll as possible.
Then he informed me that since | had
been in before he had burned more
ballots.
In response to a question from the
county attorney, Mr.. Guptill said he had
understood that the votes were counted
twice, but could not say whether Harper
had said that he had counted them twice
alone, or with the assistance of the clerk.
Being cross-examined by Mr.. Clifford,
Mr.. Guptill said that at that election he
was candidate for alderman on the DEM
ocratic ticket.
Mr.. Asher C. Kinds, of the PRESS, was
next called. He testified that he was at
Ward l. when the polls were closed on
the evening of March 9th, heard Mr..
Foss offer his motion, and heard Warden
Harper say that no motion would be
entertained Witness saw the warden
begin the count and timed him to see
how long time would be required to
ascertain the result. From his calcula-
ton witness concluded that it would re-
count. So after remaining in the ward
room about three-q uarters OF an hour ne
went away intending to return to hear
the result announced.
Later in the evening witness saw Har-'
per in the city clerks office and asked
him for the return from Ward /. Harper
said they had it in the other room
"fixing it up" Witness asked him why
they were fixing it up, and Harper res
piled to correct a clerical error in the
count.
Joseph F. Boyle, of the Boston Herald,
testified that he saw Harper in the city
clerks office that evening, and asked
HIM for the returns from Ward l. Harper
repHed that there was a clerical error
in them. and they were in the other
room being fixed up. n.
Mr. John Cousens, testified that he was
in Ward on the evening OF the city
election of March 9th, and heard dis
tinctly the warden as be declared the
vote The witness also said that he saw
Warden Harper burning the ballots.
The county attorney asked the witness
a series of questions relating to the
division of political strength in the
ward, to the fact that at the previous
election when Harper was warden both
parties had been represented at the
count; and to the length of time it had
required fol. the count of the votes in
But on objection of Mr.. Clifford these
questions were excluded.
Mr. John G.. Munroe was called. He,
had been present at the ward room and
heard the vote declared. 1t was declared
distinctly so he could hear readily.
Mr.. Frank H. Cushing was also present
in the ward room when the vote was
declared He heard distinctly.
Mr.. Charles B. Showers was in the ward
room from the time when the vote for
councilmen was declared until the count
was finished. He saw the ballots burned.
Harper burned them in two lots, the
second much larger than the first.
Mr.. John Chisholm was called and
testified that he was in the ward room
until twenty minutes of six on the eve
ming of March 9th. He saw Harper
carry the ballot box to the table in the
rear of the room and begin to sort the
votes.
Being cross-exaimned, Mr.. Chisholm
said he kept variety store on Congress
street.
Then Mr.. Clifford asked: