Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-03-02

gravest ever committed In any state OF the
union, north or south In 1901 amendment
to the constitution increasing the salary OF the
attorney general WAS submitted TO n vote OF
the people. The board OF state canvassers
declared II adopted by "a majority OF i,2s7.
whereas by o correct canvass OF the votes
cast In the state IL was easily defeat
ed The changes which had been made
were not discovered until about six weeks
ago. when the revelations regarding another
falsihed canvass came 10 be made II was then
found that tho Affirmative vote upon the amend
ment In Wayne county had been fraudulenuy
increased nearly 5000 votes; that OF Gogebic
county increased 900 votes, and the returns
from Gratiot county giving an adverse major
ity OF go thrown out altogether The amend
m ent had in reality, failed OF adoption by over
5000 votes. The attorney general had drawn
an increased salary under IL for nearly three
years
The frauds perpetrated In connection with
the salaries amendment OF 1893 were even more
enormous. IL possible, than those carried out In
1891, but q conspiracy In which nearly dozen
persons were engaged had been formed and 1t
was therefore inevitable that the secret should
come out.
To Gov. Rich belongs the credit OF exposing
the shameful plot The proposed adoption OF
the amendment OF 1898 either directly or ind
rectly resulted In the salaries of Secretary Of
State Jochim, Treasurer Hambitzer, Land
Commissioners Berry Attorney General Ell
lis, Lieut. Gov Giddings, Superinten
dent of Public Instruction Pettingill and
Auditor General Turner being raised The
first named three constitute the state
board OF canvassers, and rs such II was
their duty 10 compare and verify the can
vass made by their clerks. The fraudulent
canvass consisted In altering the returns upon
the amendment from twenty-six out OF the
eighty-four counties of the state so as TO in
crease the Affirmative vote and the prefixing
and altering of figures in Wayne county in
creased the vote cast over 5000 Altogether
sufficient alterat tons were made 10 change an
actual majority OF about 5000 against the
amendment to a fictitious majority of 1897 in
it's favor, when the total vote cast was little
over 10000
The board Of canvassers when IL was found
the canvass had been falsitcd claimed that
they had failed 10 compare ana verify IL as re-
Quired By law. The governor, upon this adj
mission being made, removed the derehct mem
bers of the board for gross neglect, and they
are now resisting his authority 10 remove
them in the courts The grand jury now In.
diets the members OF the board not only
for willful neglect but for conspiracy 10 falsify
the returns and also for making false public
record
The result OF the alleged carelessness or will
full misconduct of these officers who compose
the board of state canvassers was the increas-
ing OF the state officers salaries as follows:
State treasurer and superintendent of public
ns truction from 81 900 10 81 900 each; secretary
OF state and land commissioner, $500 TO 3, 600
each; lieutenant governor, from SS per day dur
ing actual service TO IL, 200 per year; attorney
general, 81 800 10 $1,000 per year The latter Of
tcer's salary was also raised from IL 600 to
az 800 in 1891 but the returns OF the vote that
amendment were also doctored, supposedly
after they reached Lansing