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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 1899)
SUPPLEMENT TO THE FRONTIER. O'Neill, Neb. Q.—What was that conversation you had with the secretary or state after It was all over wltn? A.—My step-son died then there wn3 two Jobs of masonry. I went to ask for one of them and they promised it .o me. Q.—Who did? A.—Blake, Edmlsten and the whole outfit Q.—Who were the whole outfit? A.—Maret. Q.—Who was Maret? A.—The private secretary of the gov ernor. Q.—How did Maret come to promise you that place? A.—They promised to use their In fluence to get me the position. Q.—Did Maret know anything about what you had been doing In the vault? A.—Ye3, sir. Q.—Did he ever say anything to you about it? A.—No; in marking the ballots he only said to be careful, don’t let them catch you. Q.—When did be say that? A.—While the work was going on. Q.—How dm yuti know what he meant? A.—I saw him In Edmisten's offlep. Q.—Was he thero while the work was going on? A.—No, Blr. Q.—Did he ever say anything or did you hear anybody say anything while the work was going on? A.—I got some pencils to mark up the ballots with from him and be sharpened up a little one. Q.—What w:-.s the little one made for? A.—To nut in my fingers so when T made a cross it couldn’t be distinguish ed. Q.—About how long was this pencil Maret mr.de for you? A.—A little over half an Inch. Q.—How did you use it? A.—Between those two fingers. Q.—That is between the index finger and the one next to it? A.—Yes sir. Q.—The pencil was oaslly concealed there? A.—Yes sir. Q.—How did you learn how to hoi 1 It? A.—I made one and when I got In n hurry I told him to make one? Q.—You didn't make the first one? A.— Yes cir. Q.—And he made the second one? A.—Yes sir. MARET WAS ON HAND. Q.—When Maret made the second pencil for you did you say anything to him about what you wanted it for? A.—Yea sir, he saw me use it. Q.—Where? A.—Where we were working. Q.—What were you doing? A.—Working for the second count. Q.—What were you doing? A.—Counting the ballots. j. Q.—And marking ballots? A.—I was. Q.—And was Maret In there when you were marking the ballots? A.^jYes sir. | STOLE EIGHT THOUSAND VOTES. Q.— Now have you any way ( Mr. Simons by which you can tell or ap proximately tell the number of ballots, before the governor’s commission iand before the legislative commission flbok bold of them, were changed? \ A.-rl should judge about seven' or eighJrthouEand ballots. Q.—And this increase of votes was all mado from the remarking ballots, and some substituting ballots? A.—I judge thero was seven or eight thousand ballots marked. Q.—Did you use any of the ballots that had not been marked at all, by the voters, I mean? A.—Yes sir. Q.—What would you do with them? A.—Mark a cross on them. Q.—Then there were but two wavs if I understand you that you Increased the ballots In favor of the amendment, or three ways rather, by marking two yesco to overcome one no, and by using blank ballots and by taking out ballots that were against the amend ment? A.—No, I didn’t take any out. Q.—Then there were only two ways you Increased the vote in favor of the amendment? A.—Some of the ballots had two marks on at the top and one at the bottom against the amendment, and we would put two for it, we would mark the blanks if It had a cross at the head for all the afhendments or against It we put one at the top and one below. Q.—You mean where you changed one for the amendment you make a cross at the top and then make an other down at the bottom and by thes« two marks you would increase the bal lots? A.—Yes sir. SCHEME HATCHED AT HOLCOMB S Q.—Mr. Simons, didn't you have a conversation with Mr. Holcomb at one time about this matter? A.—No, I never had a conversation with him, the thing started in his house. Q.—At his home? A.—Yes sir. Q.—Who was there? A.—Maret, Dalilman, Edmisten and I forget who else. Q.—You were there? A.—No, I wasn’t there. Q.—How did you know these men were all there. A.—I was told so by a party that was there. Q.—Who were you told by? A.—I don’t know whether it was Dahlman or Edmisten, but as I was informed by a party that was there they decided to give this charge to Ed misten and he was to see to h. Q.—That is all hearsay, you don’t know anything about it of your own personal knowledge? A.—Those that was there told me. Q.—Edmisten you say told you that? A.—I wouldn’t say whether it was Edmisten or_Dahlman. Q.—Would you be positive it wa3 either one of them? A.—Yes sir. Q.—Then cue or the other cf thns-' men told you of the meeting at the home of the governor? A.—Yes sir. PORTER PROVIDED CUSTODIAN'. Q.—Who put the custodian In charge Of there ballets? A.—Porter. Q.—Was that the man that let you j in rfter the nallots? A.—Yes sir. Q.—Who livul that with him? A.—Edmisu n. Q.—Did you hear Edmlsten when he was doing it? A.—No sir. Q.—How do you know? A.—When be started for the first package of ballots he said I will go in and see Kelsey. Q.—Where is Kelsey? A.—He is chief janitor of the Stale house. Q.—Do you remember talking with me last winter during *’.ie legislature about this matter? A.—Yes sir. Q.—What was It you told me there in relation to your going into the ox Oovernor’s office and telling him about doing this and he said don’t stay and talk to me here, I don’t want to hear it here? GOT HOLCOMB TO HELP. A.—We wen working on Fremont in Dodge countv. We had the Dodge county ballots on our table and I took the first ward and put on the second and the second on the third and count ed them and we had more ballots than voters and I was afraid of an Investi gation and 1 went in and told the Gov ernor to hold the commission back un til after I got hack to the ballots for a few minutes so I could straighten them ! out. Q.—That was during the first count, during your manipulation of the bal lots? A BOLD PLOT UNCOVLRLD KEARN'EV, Nob., Oct. 13.—(Spe- , dal.)—"Why did Juan Boyle resign chairmanship of the democratic con gressional committee for the Sixth district?" That is the question that has been frequently of late propound ed by the Bee, but no fasionist of the district has rushed into print with the explanation sought. It will he remembered that when the populists and democrats met in two conventions some weeks since at Lexington to nominate a candidate for congress to fl*i the vacancy in the Sixth district created by the death of the late W. L. Greene last winter in Omaha, the efforts of the fusion con spirators to secure a combination up on a joint candidate slipped a cog. As a result two candidates were placed in nomination. The democrats pre sented M. C. Harrington of North Platte, and the populists put up Wil liam Neville of the same place. At the time both parties were obdurate and considerable bitter feeling was engendered by the unavailing conten tion. No sooner Mas the result of the con ventions heralded broadcast than the leaders of the fusion machine, who conveniently find lodgement in both parties and manage to act as bell wethers to the neighborly herds of confiding voters, began to clamor for the withdrawal of Harrington. For a time Harrington and his friends put on a determined front, protested that the democrats were entitled to the nomination and that he would cer tainly make the race. This apparent ly dauntless determination of Har rington to hold to the nomination re mained unshaken until the gathering of the fusion clans later at Omaha for the triangular state convention, when it went out with n suddenness akin who suggested to him that his with drawal would wipe out the third party by winning the populists over to the democracy. It was also undoubtedly in pursu ance of the plans adopted at that meeting that Harrington at once placed himseelf in correspondence with Juan Boyle, chairman of his committee, in order to justify his withdrawal. His letters to Boyle af ford an insight into those plans,which can rest on nothing less than down right perjury. In one of them he writes to Boyle a suggestion that must be of intense interest to the hon est follower of the populist cause, namely, that "Wo must accept the inevitable—The future of democracy in the Sixth district depends largely upon the number we can draw from populist ranks. There will be but two parties, and the leaders of the demo cratic party now will be the recogniz ed leaders then. Submit gracefully, even though we have to stretch a point to do so.” What Harrington meant by this in vitation to "stretch a point” is the act at which Juan Boyle balked. It meant simply that Boyle should make a sworn certificate to the effect that the convention which had nominted Harrington had by resolution author ized the congressional committee to fill any vacancies that might occur on the ticket. With the letter Harrington sent a certificate ready prepared, even ambodylng therein what purported to he the resolution adopted for the filling of vacancies. The reason Mr. Boyle balked was that n such resolution was ever passed by that convention, and he was not ready to perjure himself even for Bryan’s sake. That was the rock upon which the ark of fusion conspiracy split for some time, until a ' my intentions to withdraw from the race for congress. There is no other solution of the matter. It is the only logical thing to do. It will not hurt the democratic party of this district, on the contrary it will strengthen us for all time to come. After 1900 there will be no necessity for a third party, and by our many sacrifices we will win over nearly all the populists to our party. I will prepare a communcation to the congressional committee of the Sixth district today—making formal withdrawal and send a copy of same to you. The vacancy ought to be filled at once by the chairman and secretary by placing the name of William Ne ville at the head of the democratic ticket. The chairman of every county central committee in the Sixth district has written urging prompt action as above indicated excepting Dawson county. It would be disastrous to wait any longer. Please give me your answer as soon as you receive official notice of my withdrawal. Mr. Neal, secretary, is absent in Virginia and 1 am author ized to act for him—and can sign any paper necessary. The procedure next will be to file with secretary of state a document substituting the name of William Neville by virtue of authority vested in the congressional committee. They have all agreed to it excepting Dr. Baker of Lexington. Yours very respectfully, M. C. HARRINGTON. On October 3 another (fac-simile of which is herewith given) and a certifi cate formed to sign and swear to was secured from Mr. Harrington. WHAT THEY ASKED BOYLE TO SWEAR TO. State of Nebraska,Sixth Congressional District, ss: We hereby certify that at a delegate convention held on the 18th day of August, 1899, at Lexington, Dawson county, Neb., pursuant to a duly ad vertised call for the purpose of plac m***"zzs ^ .1 *dfa?u^n) :: 0<!j&9*€jr*&*&& C£i ^ ^ /S y^iV <»- &U*0 *0T9*&f'^O * 'fc fc» VSU&Z wrt* &Z7& A.—No sir, it was during the legis lative second recount. Q.—Did you tell the Governor at that time the difficulty you had got into? A.—Yes sir, I told him I had made * mistake, that we had more ballots than voters and I didn’t want an investiga tion. Q.—What reply did he make? A.—He said lam sorry you told me about that. I didn’t want to know any thing about this. Q.—What else did he say? A.—That is all I remember. Q.—Did he say he would hold the commission back? A.—He didn’t say he would. Q.—He did do it? ,*:' | A.—Yes sir. • ~ ' Q.—You had time enough? A.—Yes sir. I fixed the matter. Q.—How long did it take you to fix the matter? A.—It only took long enough to take up three packages and put a part of them in different envelopes. When the committee went to work the legislative proposition was so they didn’t see any thing anyway. Q.—I will ask you whether at any timo you have stated what you hero testified to other than your testimony here given and the published account in the paper? • A.—Well, I have in a private conver sation. Q.—To whom? A.—Oh, I made it to Hedlund and Williem Dense. Q.—When did you tell Hedlund? A.—I don’t know that I told him, he knew there was work being done. Q.—Was. that after it was all done? A.—Yes sir. Morris F. Tyler, Yale, 1870, presi dent of the Southern New England Telephone company, and professor of general jurisprudence in the liinvers ity, has been elected treasurer of Yale, | in place of Mr. Farnum, whose resig | nation takes effect January 1 next. to that which marks the extinction of an electric light tickled by a broken circuit. Of course Colonel Bryan was in Omaha at that time and from his room in a hotel was directing the op erations of the three conventions through his lieutenants in each much as one would marshal the pawns up on the boards in a three-cornered, one-sided game of chess. Noon of the day of the conventions, before they had been called to order, saw a rush of Sixth district fusion statesmen toward Bryan’s room, i Among them was M. C. Harrington, ! and it was given out that the “row in the Sixth district was about to be straightened out.” Just what occur red in that room during the secret conclave that followed may never be j definitely known to those not actually present, but, judging from events that immediately followed, a plan was agreed on that contemplated the election of a populist to congress from the Sixth district by the aid of deception and perjury, the conspira tors being moved to this sacrifice by the consideration and understanding among themselves that “After 1900 there will be no neces sity of a third party and by our many sacrifices we will win over nearly all the populists to our party.” It is not merely surmised that this was the moving consideration that prompted the participants in that meeting. It is absolutely known that Mr. Harrington came out of the meet ing imbued with that conviction, a3 it appears in his correspondence sub sequently had with Juan Boyle, the chairman of his congressional com mittee. Whether Harrington sudden ly conceived this idea or imbibed it from Bryan is not stated, but some thing new must have been presented to him during that meeting by his doughty leader which prompted him to relinquish his nomination, as that is the reason he assigns to She chair man of his committee for giving up bis fight It must have been Bryan more servile tool was found and Mr. Boyle, finding that his scruples had made him distasteful to some of his former associates, resigned. This is the simple story of facts re vealed in the correspondence of its participants,. the original letters of which are reproduced in the public statement of Juan Boyle as follows: JUAN BOYLE S ADDRESS. The crime for fusion. Mr. Boyle ex poses the fraudulent scheme to place the name of Neville on the ballot. Cor respondence that passed Detween Boyle and Harrington: To the Democrats of the Sixth Con gressional District: I desire to state to you my recent action as chairman of your committee. I had the honor to preside as your chairman at the convention at Lexing ton. We nominated Hon. M. C. Har rington. We made every efTort to have him accepted by the populist conven tion: even offered to join them in con vention with our 137 delegates, while they had 208, and abide by the result. They turned us down with scorn, de manding that the only thing we could do was to take Mr. Harrington off. I was elected chairman of the congres sional district committee. Soon after the convention Mr. Harrington with drew, although just pervious to this he issued a notice that he would make the race, I receiving my notice by tele graph. He afterward withdrew. Soon after that I received the following let ter, enclosed the appended certiflcat? for me to make affidavit to, which I de clined to do on the grounds that the convention at Lexington had not au thorized the committee to place any name on the ticket: HARRINGTON'S GIVE-AWAY LETTER. NORTH I’LATTE. Neb., Sept. 27, JUAN BOYLE, Chairman, Kearney, Neb.: Dear Sir—I trust by this time that you are reconciled and satisfied with ing in nomination a candidate for congressman for the Sixth congres sional district, which convention was composed of voters representing the democratic party, a political party which at the last election polled more than 1 per cent of the entire vote cast in this congressional district, the following resolution was adopted: “Resolved, By the democratic party of the Sixth Congressional district of '.Nebraska, in •convention assembled, that the congressional committee con sisting of the chairman of the county central committees of the several counties in this district, be and they are hereby empowered and authorized to fill any vacancies which may occur on the ticket named by us here to day.” We further certify that a vacancy has occurred by the resignation and withdrawal of M. C. Harrington as a candidate for congress, and we fur- j ther certify that the said committee l was organized by the election of Juan j Boyle of Kearney, Buffalo county, j Neb., as chairman and presiding ofti- j cer, and W. B. McNeal of North ! Platte, Lincoln county. Neb., as secre- j tary, and that said committee hereby names and nominates William Ne- i ville of North Platte, Lincoln county, Neb., as the regular candidate repre senting the party above named, for the office of congressman for the Sixth Congressional district of Nebraska. -Chairman. -Secretary. State of Nebraska, Buffalo County, ss. I, Juan Boyle, of Kearney, Buffalo county, Neb., do solemnly swear that I was duly elected chairman of the democratic congressional committee of the Sixth congressional district of Nebraska and that the above certifi cate and the statements therein are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. - Subscribed in my presence and sworn to before me this - day of -, 1830. - State of Nebraska. Lincoln county, ss: I, W. B. McNeal, of North Platte, Lincoln county, Neb., do solemnly swear that I was duly elected secre tary of the democratic congressional district of Nebraska and that the above certificates and the statements therein are true to the best of my knowledge and belief. Subscribed in my presence and sworn to before me this - day of -, 1899. -— MR. BOYLE’S REPLY. KEARNEY, Neb., Oct. 5, 1S99. Dear Sir: I had expected to visit North Piatte and see you in person. I received your letter and enclosed af fidavits which you sent for me to sign: also telegram from Mr. McNeal. Of course I could not sign the affidavits, as the convention did not pass any resolution authorizing the committee to place any name on the ticket in case you should withdraw. While I am greatly disappointed in your with drawal, I realize fully that you have only yourself to consult as to your best interests in this matter. I neither rely upon any promises that were made for the future by the populists nor do I believe anything that is square or honorable can be expected from them. I have no sym pathy whatever f r the socalled dem ocrats who have for years been trad ing with these people and each year using the argument that this would be the last year we would be called upon to do it. When it comes to stretching the pointing and making a false oath. I must decline to do it, even when urged by my friends or by this reform movement, so-called. I believe that yen should have been endorsed by the populists, but I believe you would have won whether endorsed Dy tnem or not. I attended the last convention as a democrat and I am perfectly willing, if the democrats wish another conven tion called to renominate in your place, to call the same if the committee will indicate its desire on the subject. I am sorry, Mr. Harrington, that you did not make the race and am also sorry to be obliged to decline to do what you apparently wish me to do. I do not understand, of course, how it is in human nature for you to sincerely desire this, as, if you will take warning by what I say, there is nothing in the future tor you to expect by being a party to this trade between a few dem ocrats and populists, no matter what their professions may be. I will be very glad to hear from you further in this matter and if I can in any way serve you will be glad to do so. Yours very truly, JUAN UOYLE. As will be seen I offered in this letter to call together a convention where the democrats would have the privilege of deciding who should >e named on the ticket. I received no reply to this, but my attention was called to a call made by Mr. McNeal, secretary of the committee, for last Monday to be held in North Platte. I received no notice by mail or wire as to this committee meeting, but I went to North Platte to look after the interests of the demo crats of the district. Mr. McNeal and myself were the only persons present. At 5 o’clock, after waiting all day for some one of the committee to appear, we issued a notice to the democrats of the district and sent the same to the World-Herald and Bee, saying that the democrats sould vote as they pleased, committee was not authorized to act, as none were present. At 6 o’clock p. m. a Mr. MvEvoy appeared on the scene and wanted to claim that he was the committ® and wanted me to call the meeting Jo order. I declined to do so, as the cfommittee numbers thirty and he was only one-tbirtietn of the number. I saw I was very distasteful to him so told him I would resign, which I did, placing my resignation in the hands of Mr. McNeal to be handed in when the committee would meet. McEvoy has placed a certificate on file at the state house, placing the name of Mr. Neville as our candidate. This .s contrary to law and to the usage of the democratic party for one man to assume to be chairman and committee. The party is controlled by the major ity. I protest against it. and ii' we are to have a party in the Sixth district now is the time to assert ourselves. Mr. McEvoy had a few letters from members of the committee advising Neville’s name be placed on the ticket through the committee, but in almost every case they were men who had re ceived nominations in the counties on the so-called fusion ticket, for coroner or some other office and wanted Ne ville to help them through. Mr. Ne ville, I see by a notice in the World Herald, denies the writing of a letter showing him as advocating expansion, but says his brother wrote it, but I am informed oy Mr. Minor and Mr. Har rington of North Platte that they heard Neville in a speech a short time since declare himself in favor of ex pansion. Mr. McEvoy says a man may change his mind, xiiis is true, but he may change it again at Washington if he should be elected. Our convention at Lexington was, with few exceptions, a representative body of rock-ribbed democrats, the ex ception being a few court reporters and those receiving pap from pop judges and at the state house. Let us be dem ocrats and not recognize this fraud and let the gentlemen at Lincoln and Omaha understand that hereafter they must make us acquainted with their trades before we call our convention and,have to travel hundreds of miles' to fulfill our duty to the party, and when we do nominate a clean, hon orable gentleman as our candidate, not be ordered by those out of our party, as well as some in it, to take him off our ticket Believing l am acting in narmony with the wishes cf all honest, honor able democrats in the Sixth district. I will make the contest of this placing Mr. Neville’s name on the democratic ticket, and hope that in the future we will be permitted to act without the interference of any other parties out side our district. In our votes on elec tion day let us shuck corn or vote for Mr. Harrington, although he is not on our ticket, so as to show our loyalty to the democratic party. Mr. McNeal. our secretary, informed me that there was no record whatever of a resolution having been passed to place the name on the ticket, although he had every other record of every motion and re solution passed. Respectfully, JUAN BOYLE. :