The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-09-26


passed them to the witness and he laid
them down in corner of the room.
The larger bundle, from which the
hundred were taken was then tied up and
laid on the book case.
Mr.. Clifford--What time were the lists
brought inY
Sometime between six and eight
o'clock.
Can't you express it more definitely?
No.
Where were they placed?
Beside the clerks long desk, towards
the hall door. They remained there until
about 10 O'Clock.
not request Mr.. Deake to put them in his
vault about II o'clock?
I did.
Was it not about II o'clock!
1t may have been.
So these lists were in your office until
IL O'Clock?
Yes.
And thereon was crowded some of the
time?
Yes.
And the room was open all the evening?
1t was locked for about an hour, while
the city government meeting was held
about o'clock.
How long did these lists remain in Mr..
Deakes room? Did any one have access
to them?
They remained until the next Friday,
when Messrs. Thompson and Foss had
access to them.
Did any one else have access to them?
| do not know.
So your answer is that from the time
that you put those lists into Mr.. Deake's
vault until they were taken out for Mr..
Thompson and Mr.. Foss to see, no one
had access to themy
No
What is your answer!
/ think on Thursday night they were
seen.
Do you know that positively?
do not.
So YOU cannot say that these lists are in
the same condition that they were when
they were put into Mr.. Deake's vault!
The marks on them may have been
changed.
Yes.
Have you made An examination of them
to see?.
No.
You say you gave Mr.. Harper 1000
ballots on election day?
Yes
How many were returned?
Eight hundred and thirty-nine.
How did you ascertain that?
Counted them.
AU WEdU UlIIlc!
Before the city government meeting.
At whose suggestion?
Asa Russel's.
What was the conversation?
He said some mistake had been made.
Who counted them? yy
W, counted them together.
We're you then aware of the number OF
marks on the check list.
No.
Describe the circumstances when that
package of ballots was opened.
Asa Russell took out q package of one
hundred. and laid them in corner of
the room.
Why did you take that package of 100
ballots and put them in a corner OF the
room?
cannot answer.
Did you ever return them?
/ did not.
Why not?
I could not find them.
Did you not know that the number of
ballots did not agree with the result de-
clared in Ward L?
did not.
Did you not have suspicion that
something was wrong?
No sir.
You swear to that?
Yes. :
Yet you took those ballots out and then
Went TO bne Guy government HeelluS
and had no suspicion?
Mr.. True-That is an improper ques-
ton. There is nothing to show as yet
that return had been made.
When was the meeting held to canvass
the returns?
At o'clock next day.
Did you then know that there was a
discrepancy in Ward 1?
l did.
And yet you allowed the canvass to go
oH Yes.
Then continuing, Mr.. Clifford said
You say Mr.. Asa Russell took that pack
age of 100 votes from the bundleS
Yes.
What did he say?
1 remember nothing except what l
have said.
What did Asa Russell do with the
smaller package when be took it out?
Did he put it in your hands or put it
on the deski
He put it into my hands.
. Mr.. True here asked
We're these check lists sealed when they
were returned to you from Ward 1?
They were.
The Judge-Were you present when
Messrs. Thompson and Foss examined the
check lists?
I was.
Did you see them make any marks on
them?
l did not.
Mr.. Clifford Did you count the used
Ward ballots returned form Ward 1?
No.
Who did.
Messrs Thompson and Foss.
When was that?
On Friday, think.
MIR. II. H. verri1l.
was called next He testified chat he
was constable of the city, and last
spring posted the notice of election and
list of voters which he received from Mr..
Russell in Ward 1.
Asa b. Russell
was next called. As he was a leading
actor interest was great when he took
the stand He testified that he was one
of the ballot clerks in Ward l in the city
election of March 9th, that he saw Har-
per acting as warden, that after the
closing of the polls he sealed up, the
check lists, took them, with the can
collation. stamps, and the unused ballots,
and carried them all, and also a check
list from the warden's $ desk, to the city
clerks office. He arrived there about $50
fiala Nv,