Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-08-21
CLEMENT METHODS
Affidavits Showing Corruption
Practiced in Orange by His
Montpelier Agent.
PAID 81 EACH FUR VOTES
His Agent Attempted to Hire a Candi-
date for Delegate to Accept McCul-
Tough Votes and Then Vote for
Clement w ashin gton County
Republicans.

liable citizens of the town of Orange were
made public for the first time The afii-
| davits recall a condition OF affairs in the
recent Orange caucus for the election of
delegates to the State convention that is
unequalled. At least two of the afldavits
are from the most prominent citizens of
that town. They show that money was Of
fercd and in some cases paid by supporters
of Clement for votes in the caucus and
not only that, but an attempt was made
to secure the vote of a man who was to
be elected a Mccullough delegate to the
state convention. The attempt failed
One AFFIDAVIT states that ten voters in
the caucus were demoo rats, that they
made known to the caucus that they we're
democrats and stil they voted. 1t will be
remembered that there was contest over
the seating of the Clement delegate from
Orange in the State convention, the claim
being made that he had been fraudulcntly
elected. The delegate was unseated.
! Four of the aftidavits are as follows;
! l. Royal G.. Flanders. Of Orange, in the
state of Vermont, on oath depose and say
that am a resident, taxpayer and voter
of the town of Orange; that on the day OF
the caucus last held in the town of Orange
for the purpose of electing two delegates
TO attend the State convention at MontpeI-
| Ter to nominate a governor, ] was at work
| in the interests of Mccullough, and that
| | expected to be put up at the caucus as a
| first Mccullough delegate, and that was
| the general understanding Of the McCul-
| Tough supporters in the town Of Orange.
| that during the day ] went over Ia the
Griffin mil. so called, to get the voters out
| to attend the caucus, and on my way back
| II was raining and / stopped at the home
| place of Charles Mills in Orange; while
there I was approached by one Harrow
Smith of Montpelier. who, after talking
with one Oscar Peake awhile. and while |
,1,. ma md .
II understand that you are going to be
one Of the delegates for Mccullough. |
told him that was the understanding HH
wanted to know how much would take 10
20 into the caucus and let the Mccullough
and Clement men vote for me, TO elect me
as a delegate. and then go to the state
convention and vote for Gle ment for gov
ernor: he said that he was ordered to pay
any amount that was necessary and for
me to name my price, and that need not
be afraid as he had plenty of money to
pay me. l told him that neither he nor
| Clement had money enough to bny my
vote and he then said: I'VE don't want
any hard feelings about this" And then
I told him he didn't want to undertake to
nuy nv vote and he then said: Don
! say anything about this to anyone let 1t
| go as it is
further dopose that week from the
Sunday following the Sunday after the
\ l
| Oscar Peakc in Orange, and that MI
Pcakc informed me that Just before Har-
! low smith spoke to me In the barn OF
Charles Mills. that said Smith spoke to
| him. and asked MIR. Pcake If he supposed
that he, Smith, could buy Mr.. tland'r s
vote over on to the Clement side, that ne,
Peake, did not think so, but that he could
try.
/ further depose that was at the cau-
Gus and that 10 democrats voted for the
! Clement delegates, that their votes Were
challenged and that they were asked
whether they were republicans, ana they
said they were democrats, and always had
been democrats, and that they had right
to vote and were going to vote: their bal
lots were taken under protest, names writ
/ ten down. and they all voted for Clement
delegates, and the ballots, and the names
were subsequently taken before the com
mittce on credentials
,SiguedD r. c. FLANDERS.
| Subscribed and sworn to before me this
4th day of August. a. d. 1902, at Orange
and State aforesaid.
FRANK y. BT RGESS, Notary Public
| l. Oscar Peake of Orange. in the county
Of Orange, and State Of Vermont, on oath
doposc and say that | am resident tax
MAYER of the town Cf Orange; that on the
/ day Of the caucus which was last held in
the town of Orange for the purpose OF
clccting two delegates to attend the State
convention at Montpelier. to nominate a
governor, one Harlow Smith of Montpelier
Iarproached me and asked: "If supposed
| he could buy Mr. Royal Flandcrs's vote
Iovor on to the element side" to which
question | answered. that ] did not think
/ he could. but that he might try.
(SgneD c. o. PEAKE.
Subscribed and sworn to before me this
an dav Of August A D. 1902. at Orange in
,ho .o,utv Of Orange and State of Yer
80,
tpANE II J,I'RGESS Notary Public
r,ro. L-elcb Of East Orange in the
a,,,,tv Of Orargc and state of Vermont
W. ,,,h dauoso and saw thot am n resi-
az 49, tovnavor and voter Of the town of
GTast oranro that on The dav of the eau
r.,'' hatd u, mo town of Oranyo for
". ~, e. ,tn c,ato ',,,,.n1tio, AZ Montne,,er
~ nominate a governor was in attend
o ~ 81 Gaia caucus win the intention of
to for Mcf,ullough dsIepntes ana T
depose that before my vote was cast one
,,1 said he u,,s ,.lne, inslIa sunnnrt .
~, Clement for govarnor and mai he
! ,Ia oi,.n mo 60 M ;f 7 would vote for
| ruar,ont do,ocn,ns at tho caucus and in
onreidnration Of said sum of money recoiv-
| al nv mo dId ca Ct nv vote for Glenn
ent delegates at the caucus,
e,,,tenrihad ard s,yor, 70 H. Soro ~, III
| ~ day Of August II 1oo1 ar Ida . +
| Ta,ono In ,bo oorrty Of ororro
40 ,Nry n pI,pcEcc Nn,,r,, publi,
| ~ G cutlar % 10, o,orgo IN tho