Norwich bulletin., 1910-09-20

The Hartford Courant on Monday
printed the following letter regarding
the recent republican convention from
A. C. Baldwin of Derby, as follows:
On the first page of today's issue of
the Hartford Courant appears an ar
ticle headed Moves Found Ballots
Easily" which misrepresents the facts
and does Mr.. Charles d. Noyes, re-
ferred to therein, a gross injustice. The
facts concerning the count and the
found ballots are these: The tellers,
agreed upon by the candidates and ap-
pointed by the convention, being eight
for each candidate, were seated about
two small tables standing together as
one long table, excepting Mr.. Noyes,
who was not at any time seated at
either of the tables and didn't partici-
pate in the count, other than as ne
looked on from behind some of the
counters. The ballot box was emptied
of the ballots upon the table, and they
were then passed along to the tellers
and the Goodwin ballots separated
from the Lake ballots, the Goodwin
ballots going to the tellers at one
table, and the Lake ballots to the tell
ers at the table where l was seated.
We proceeded to count, at the table
where I was seated, the Lake ballots.
and found a total of zS5. The tellers
al the other table counting Goodwin
ballots. stated that they had found
296, which we found made a total of
5S1 ballots cast. Someone asked how
many there were entitled to q. vote in
the convention, and when the number
$50 was stated someone remarked that
there was one more ballot than should
have been cast. The ballots were then
exchange ed, the Goodwin ballots passed
from the table where they We're first
counted to our table, and the Lake
ballots passed to the counters having
counted the Goodwin ballots During
the first count and before the result
was obtained, an officer of the con-
ventjon called Mr.. Noyes' attention to a
ballot lying on the floor. back of the
counters, which, ] understand, Mr..
Noyes picked up and returned to the
president Of the convention. This bal
lot was never included in the count
After the exchange Of ballots, at the
table where I was seated, there was
found to be. but 295 ballots for Mr..
Goodwin, and it was contended then by
some of the tellers that the ballot cast
was regular and the counters at the
other table had made a mistake |
called attention then to the fact tina
with $50 ballots, there was even then
one more ballot than should have ap-
peared in the box as one delegate had
passed by the box with the line of dele
gates voting without having cast his
ballot which act was observed by other
among some of the tellers just before
we proceeded to count the ballots
The Goodwin counters, however, con-
tended that the ballot was regular and
should be allowed and I was curious
as to where the other Goodwin ballot
had gone. Several of the counters
having stated that their count was ac-
curate and that they agreed that there
We're 296 ballots cast for Mr. Goodwin
it occurred to me that possibly a ballot
may have gone between the two tables
where the ends adjoined each other
and thereupon looked under the table
and saw ballot lying On the floor al
about where the two tables adjoined
each other. and called the attention OF
the counters to the fact that a ballot
was lying on the floor, and picked it up
This was a small ballot bearing the
nal NE of Charles A. Goodwin. and this
ballot never passed from my possession
from the time it was found by me on
the floor until the present Neither Mr.
Noyes nor General Keeney have ever
had possession of this ballot. As I tool
my seat at the table to count the bal
lots. | looked about the floor and also
under the table to see whether or not
there We're any ballots then lying upon
the floor, as a. matter of precaution be
fore the ballots We're enaptied from the
box And / observed General Keeney
looking under the table just after
had done So and / made a remark te
him about seeing that the floor was
clean abound and under the table be-
fore the ballots were EN- ptied from the
box. There was at that time no ballots
lying uTon {tha floor either under OF
about the table where the counters
were seated.
The matter Of "stuffing the ballot
box didn't rest at all upon the ballot
found bT Mr.. Noyes, but entirely upon
the ballots which wera counted bv
the teliers seated at the table. there
being a least two ballots more than
should have appeared in the box had
every delegate been present and had
al voted except the delegate who was
Observed by some of the tellers to
pass by the box without casting any
ballet
TIE, CT ;ticism of Mr. Noyes acting as
a. teller, in the article referred to. and
the statement that he as a. veteran
politician. knew that he had no right
in the position" is unmerited, as Mr.
Noyes was appointed a teller by the
convention and therefore as an officer
of the conv ention he had the right tic
participate in the proper functions OF
his Office. the same as the sergeant al
arms pr the clerks, none of whom were
delegates.
] am giving you these facts as be-
lieve in fir play and a square deal to
al concerned.
Very truly yours
kIiFRED c. BALDWIN