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1876.] OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. 1345
voters. Still there are 137 more votes returned at the State
election than at the Municipal, and while Carroll gains 213,
Harris loses 66. Thus the Reform majority of 97 at the
Municipal election is wiped out at the State election, and
a Democratic majority of 172 rolled up.
There was a change of election officials between the two
elections. Evidently Deputy Marshal Frey's inquiries, were
satisfactorily answered, for the new hand at the bellows knew
how to make the fire burn.
In the third precinct of the same ward we find an increase
of votes at the State election of 46, Harris gaining 8 and Car-
roll 38. Now, if we add Harris's gain of 8 to the total vote
at the Municipal election, (586,) we have 594, which is pre-
cisely the number of names of voters recorded upon the poll
books, but if we add Carroll's gain also, we have an excess
of votes over voters, according to the poll books, of 38, which
is precisely Carroll's gain. Both Democratic and Reform
clerks' books agree as to the number of votes cast, which is
the same as at the Municipal election plus Mr. Harris's gain
of 8.
In the 1st precinct of the 14th ward we find the total vote
at the Municipal election 468, and at the State election 955—
showing an increase of votes at the State election, as returned,
of 487. But we have also an excess of ballots over votes re-
corded of 498, proving that really there was a loss of 11
votes at the State election, instead of the returned gain of
487; the books of the Democratic and Reform clerks both
agreeing. The testimony of Stemhler, the Democratic Return
Judge, and of Weatherby, the Reform Judge, and Hopkins,
the Reform Clerk, and others, show intimidation of colored
men sufficient to account for the loss of many more than 11
votes missing. Now, it is remarkable that these Judges and
Clerks all swear that the count uf the ballots showed only 48
in excess of named. How then did the other 450 ballots re-
quired to make up the 498, as shown by the returns, get
there ? Evidently by the same hand that forged the signa-
tures of the Judges and Clerks to the returns. For it must
be remembered that the evidence here is emphatic and un-
contradicted that nobody signed the returns, and yet they
are signed and so appear upon the certified copies on file in
this case. Having shown how these 450 ballots got into the
returns, the next inquiry is, what was the object in putting
them there? Evidently to break the force of the testimony
as to intimidation, &c., by showing a heavy increase of votes
over the Municipal election, confessedly a quiet one at this
precinct. It is to be noted also that these fraudulent ballots
are so judiciously added, as to give Mr. Carroll an increase of
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