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


and you not see them?
Yes, but not in the ward room.
Might the request not have been made
at another place and time?
Yes
Then you cannot say absolutely that
those men did not ask for assistance at
some other time or place.
No, not absolutely.
Mr. ". Richard Foss
was next called. He was at the polls in
Ward One during the election of March
6, except for about half hour for lunch.
At the close Of the polls he offered mo-
ton, copy of which he produced. This
motion was intended to enable the voters
of the ward to choose two voters one to
represent the Republican candidate and
the other the Democratic, to assist in
counting the vote. Mr.. Foss testified
that he offered this motion and that
Warden Harper said No motions enter
tanned" Mr.. Decelle had seconded the
motion. After the moJion had been
refused Mr.. Foss gave it to the Warden,
who put it into his pocket.
Mr.. Foss then related how he saw the
ballots taken to the aatable IN the rear of
the enclosure, and the work of sorting
them began by Harper and the clerk
Gillis
Mr. Foss then related how on Friday
Mr.. Thompson, went over the Ward One
check lists. They compared the two
check lists and found that they agreed.
Then they found on the check list 11b3
names marked as having been voted on.
At the same time.they examined certain
ballots in the ;-ballot box Of Ward One me
,ar.ka 6 holInfc in the hoy and five with
no marks on them. Eighty-four ballots
had no marks opposite the words "yes"
or "no." There were 4SS ballots with
the "yesn vote checked and those were
divided as follows: 4S4 for Ingraham,
for Baxter and for True. As to can
didates, SIT of the votes in the box were
marked for Ingraham, 40 for Baxter,
10 for True, for John Harper and were
blanks so far as mayor was concerned,
Mr.. Thompson assisted in this count and
arrived at the same result.
Mr.. Clifford began the cross-examina-
ton by asking Mr.. Foss if he was around
the ward room all day. He replied that
he was.
What were you there for?
In the interest of good government. l
understood that there was to be foul
play.
As a patriot?
Yes, in the interest of good government.
Who told you that there was to be foul
play?
cannot rememb Der any particular per-
son who said so. heard it good many
times.
Did you at any other time in the day
address to the Warden anything except
the motion?
| did not.
Did you not cry out at him?
did not.
Thomas A. Bowen,
a ballot clerk in Ward One, was next
called. He testified to the method of
marking his check list; to the helping
of voters who had asked for no assistance
by the Clerk Butler; and related how
after the polls were closed Harper had
ordered. all persons but his clerk ellis
outside the rail He then proceeded to
take the ballots to the table in the rear
of the space md began to sort them,
placing them face downwards.
Mr.. Bowen also testified as to how he
sealed up the check lists and unused
ballots and gave them to MIR. Asa Russell
to take to the city clerks office.
While the counting was going on he re-
manned within the enclosure at the place
where his desk as ballot clerk had been.
man declared. He heard the figures dis
tinctly. There was the usual crowd, but
when the declaration was made the crowd
would be silent to hear the result. There
was very little time between the declara-
tion of the mayor vote and the alderman
VOTE Mr.. Bowen left the Ward room at
half past six or quarter OF seven. He
noticed Harper as the latter was count
ing, and saw that he counted leisurely,
at times suspending work for minute
or so. There were two or three policemen
present during the count and declaration.
Mr.. Clifford began the cross examina-
ton;
You say you protested against the Civ
ing of assistance to those who did not
ask for it?
Yes.
Can you say that all of those men did
not ask for assistance?
Yes, for some of them had voted before
without assistance, as they could read
Now when these men were assisted did
you hear them protest against it?
No.
Then why did you protest?
| was sworn as an election officer I'M
der the Australian law, and that law
stated that no man should receive assis-
tance without asking for it.
Did you not know that it was going
beyond your duty to intervene when
the voter did not ask you to intervene.
No.
What basis was there for you to inter-
fere?
1t was a violation of law for voter
who could read and write to receive as
sistance. / was an election officer.
Mr.. Clifford proceeded to ask the witness
for some opinion as to the law, but Judge
Bonney at this point read the passage
from the law and stopped this line of in
quiry
On redirect examination the witness
testified that Warden Harper announced
the total number of votes cast as 1850.
Benjamin Thompson ESQ.,,
was next called. He testified that he
assisted Mr.. Foss in counting the names
checked, and found 1853 names marked
as having voted. He also assisted in the
counting of the ballots in the box, finding
63O in all, and not marked in addition
There were 81 ballots unmarked on the
ward line question. Seventy-four of the
ward line ballots were for Ingraham
4 for Baxter There were 48S "yes" votes
and So "no" votes on the ward line ques-
ton. Among the yes votes were 484 for
Ingraham, for Baxter and for True.
Among the "noes" were $50 for Baxter,
10 for Ingraham and for True. With
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