The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-21
THE CABLE-BREE CONTEST
TIOLAIION OF THE LAW CLEARLY
SHOWN BY Evidence

Witnesses Testify That Mr.. Bree
Counted Ballots for REPRESENTATIVE
Hearing Adjourned to Next Thursday
Afternoon.
The hearing on the Cable-Bree con-
tested election case was begun at II 80
yesterday morning before the house
committee on contested elections. The
hearing was to have begun at 10
o'clock, but at that hour not all the
members OF the committee were pres
ent and it was quarter of an hour be-
fore Chairman King appeared. Mr..
Cable was present at that time with his
counsel, Charles B. Matthewman, and
ready to go on with the case. Neither
MI. Bree nor his counsel, William c.
! Case We're present at that time, how
ever, and I'll. l.. Alcorn appeared to rep
resent Mr.. Case requesting that a re-
/ cess be taken until 1880, stating that
Mr.. Bree would be unable to appear be-
, fore that time, owing to illness in his
family. Attorney Matthewman object
ed to recess being taken as his wit
nesses We're there ready to be sworn
| and protested against mountaineering
them by unnecessary delay. Chairman
King agreed with Mr.. Matthewman,
but decided under the circumstances to
take recess. Mr.. Bree appeared with
counsel at H. 80 and the hearing began.
After the reading of the petition Judge
Gable was the first witness called by
Mr. Matthewman. He formally stated
that he was candidate for the office of
representative from New Haven and
that he was the petitioner. He was not
cross examined.
Town Clerk Brethauer was next call
ed and produced the certificate declar-
ing Mr.. Bree elected repres the
certificate being signed by the moder-
ator of the First ward. He also pre-
scented the registrars returns of the
vote.
S. S. Thon. pson, moderator of the
First ward, was next called. He iden-
titled his certificate of the election of
Mr.. Bree and said that declaration
was made that Mr. Forbes and Mr..
Bree We're elected representatives from
New Haven. The next witness called
was Luzerne F. Barnes. Mr.. Barnes
said that he was deputy registrar of
the Twelfth ward and that for the last
election he appointed five republican
counters, and that Mr.. Kane, the dem
ocratic deputy registrar, appointed five
democratic counters, of whom Mr. Bree
was one Witness said that all the
counters were sworn and that after this
was done Mr.. Bree took his place at
the table with the other counters; that
the ballot boxes We're then opened and
the ballots taken out. He said that af-
ter the envelopes had been cut, all the
counters took ballots out of the envel-
opes and placed them in piles near the
center of the table He said that he
knew that Mr. Bree handled represen-
tative ballots as we'll as the state bal
lots: that after the ballots were placed
on the center of the table the counters
proceeded to count and that he saw Mr.
Bree handle both state and representa-
tive ballots during the count: that ar
ter sorting and counting the ballots,
Mr.. Bree noted on the tally sheet the
number of ballots cast for each candi-
date as called off by George w. Rowe.
After the sheet was checked Mr.. Bree
made the official list from this sheet,
MIR. Row calling off to him. On cross |
examination by Mr.. Case, Mr.. Barnes |
said that he knew that Mr.. Bree was |
violating the law when he was counting |
the ballots, and that Mr.. Bree knew it,
too. but witness made no objection as |
L.. h,,ct
that there was no protest as to any
thing irregular or fraudulent about the
vote. He said that Mr.. Bree spoke to
him before the count and asked him II |
there was any objection to his (Bree's) |
counting.
George w. Rowe the next witness
called. stated that he was a counter at
the last election in the Twelfth ward
and that Mr.. Bree counted the vote
with him. He testified as to the hand
ling of state and representative ballots
by Mr.. Bree, and said that after he had
his share of the ballots he pass
ed them over to Mr.. Bree to count and
verify the first count, and that he re-
,eiyed from Mr.. Bree the ballots which
the latter had counted, including repre-
sentative ballots. Witness said that at
ter the count the ballots were done up
in packages and that both he and MI.
Bree marked their names on each pack
Age He then testified to substantially
he same facts brought out in the ex-
animation of Mr.. Barnes, and said that
Mr.. Bree had been a candidate for JUS
ice of peace for six or eight years and
lad been a counter also at elections dur
ng those years.
On cross examination he said that he
made no objection to Mr. Bree being
appointed a counter; that he knew the
aw and that if Mr.. Bree was one of
he counters the votes cast for him
would be void. He said that he did not
ell Mr.. Bree that it was illegal for him
o be counter, as he did not consider
t his business to so tell Mr.. Bree One
eason why he did not say anything to
Mr. Bree about it was that Mr.. Bree
lad counted there for years, and wit
less gave the matter no thought but
hat Mr.. Bree was privileged to count.
Asked by Mr.. Case as to whether or not
1r Bree was honest in the count, wit
Tess said that he thought he was, and
hat he did not think that there was
ny fraud.
Mr. Case then insnuated that Mr.
Rowe was accessory before the act, but
II Matthewman refuted the charge