PATRICK DEVINE, jr., sworn and examined. By the CHAIRMAN: Question. Where do you live?-Answer. In Kingston, Plymouth County. Q. Where did you live last November?-A. In Kingston. Q. Tell us about your registration there.-A. Last fall I went up to Kingston to see Mr. Adams, one of the selectmen. It was on Saturday, the day of the last meeting that the board was to have prior to the voting on election day. Mr. Adams asked me to write my name, and I wrote it. He asked me to read the constitution, and I read it. In my reading I got to a long word, I spelled it, but did not pronounce the word. He said, "You cannot vote." I said, "I can vote, and I am going to vote for Butler." He said, "You won't vote; you can't read that." I read it again, got to this word, and stopped. He said, "I want you to explain that word to me; give me the meaning of it." I told him I couldn't. Then he went and told the other two men of the committee, when they voted upon it and postponed it. I went up there another day, and then Mr. Simpson brought me up to vote at the town house. Some twenty came up after me, and they took all their votes first. I sat down in a chair, and this Captain Bill Adams dared me out of it. I got up, waited, and sat down again, when he dared me out again. I sat there until it was about five minutes before the time, and then I sat down there and read it for them. He then said, "Well, I guess we'll let you vote." I replied, "I guess you'll have to." Adams said, "We'll have to let him vote." He didn't ask me to explain the constitution that time. I asked him, "Why didn't you ask me to explain the constitution?" I then went and voted. Charles Davis, of Plymouth, wrote a letter to the selectmen, but they did not take any notice of that at all. This Adams had gone around telling that I wasn't going to vote any way; that they were going to lose one man on Butler. Q. You did vote?-A. I did vote. The first year that I went up they wouldn't take my taxes. I guess they had money enough then. That was in 1877. Q. Why did they not take your taxes?—A. I don't know. It was a conundrum to me. Q. Would they not let you register that time?-A. No. They said I was not going to vote. Q. Are you an Irishman?-A. I am an American-born citizen with an Irish edge as you might say. Q. Your father was an Irishman, was he?—A. Yes; to the backbone. Q. The difficulty with you in both years was that you could not explain the constitution, was it?-A. Yes; they wanted me to explain it. Charlie Davis told me that there were plenty of men in Congress who couldn't explain the constitution. Q. They finally let you vote because you could read it?—A. Yes, sir; they were very well satisfied. By Mr. PLATT: Q. Where were you born?-A. I was born in Plymouth, where the pilgrims landed. I have lived three years in Kingston, just over the line. Q. Have you lived in the State all of your life?-A. All of my life. By Mr. BLAIR: Q. You were not intimidated, were you?-A. O, no. JAMES DOUGHERTY SWorn and examined. By the CHAIRMAN: Question. Where do you live?-Answer. In Chelsea. Q. Where were you employed last fall?-A. At Mr. McBirney's rubber mill. Q. The mill of the Boston Elastic Fabric Company?-A. Yes, sir; that is the name of it. Q. Do you know a man named Sullivan ?-A. Yes, sir. Q. Do you know anything about a discussion between Sullivan and employés there on the day before the election; and, if so, what was it ?— A. About three o'clock in the afternoon on the day before the election, he came in where I worked and told all hands that it was Mr. McBirney's wish that he should tell all the hands to vote for Mr. Talbot. This was Tom Sullivan. Q. What business has Sullivan there ?-A. He is working around the rubber works. He said it was against the interest of the company to vote for Mr. Butler. Q. What did you do?—A. The next day (which was voting day) Mr. Bell, the foreman of the shop, shut up the shop at 12 o'clock, went to the polls and staid there all day distributing ballots for these men to vote, so that they would vote for Mr. Talbot. I went and voted before he came there, and voted for Mr. Butler. After that I had no place to work, he bossed me around and drove me around here and there; so I left. Q. He changed his deportment toward you?-A. Yes, sir. Before that he never said anything to me, and found no fault with my work at all. After that I had to stop and leave the mill. Q. You discharged yourself?-A. Yes, sir. I told him to give me time, that I didn't want to work there any longer, as he was all the time finding fault. Q. When did you leave?-A. I left about the first of February. Q. What were the politics of the most of the men who were in there? -A. The larger part of all who were at work were in favor of Mr. Butler. Q. Do you know how they voted?-A. I do not. By Mr. PLATT: Q. How long had you been at work in the mill-A. I worked six months before the election day in the mill and then worked two months after that. Q. What were you doing in the mill?-A. I was working at making elastic belts. Q. You left because he found so much fault with you; do you mean fault with your work?-A. Yes, with my work; before that he found no fault. He said he would take an easier way of bulldozing than some of them would; that he would find fault with the men's work, and discharge them on that account. Q. Did he say that to you?-A. He said it so that I heard him. Q. When was it that he said that?-A. It was about the time of the election. Q. Where was it that he said it ?—A. Right in the mill. Q. What is Mr. Bell's first name?-A. James Bell. Q. For what particular thing did he find fault with you?-A. Nothing in general, but found fault; jobbed me around, and said I had no brains. Q. That made you angry, did it not?—A. It did; it made me so that I left him. Q. The particular thing on which you left, then, was that he said you had no brains. You would not stand that, and left?-A. Yes, sir; I left because I couldn't work at all, and because I couldn't work to suit him. Q. Mr. McBirney is dead, is he not?-A. Yes, sir. FRANK MCGOVERN sworn and examined. By the CHAIRMAN: Q. Where were you in November, 1878?—A. I lived at Chelsea. Q. What do you know about this case of Robert Gray?-A. I was down at Mr. Curry's stables with Mr.Dowd and a couple more gentlemen, on election day; Gray, the colored man, was going to the city hall, when Mr. Curry asked him, "Robert, where are you going." He replied, "To the city hall." Curry then asked, "Who are you going to vote for." Gray answered, " For Mr. Butler." Curry then said, "If you don't vote for Mr. Talbot, I don't want you in my employ any more." Q. At what time on election day was that?—A. This was, I judge, about four o'clock in the afternoon. Q. What did Gray say?—A. Gray said he was going down to the city hall anyhow. Q. What began the conversation?-A. He and Mr. Dowd were going down to the city hall, and he asked Mr. Curry if he couldn't go off, when Mr. Curry asked him for whom he was going to vote. Q. Curry was his employer?-A. Yes, sir. By Mr. PLATT: Q. What was Curry's business?-A. The oil business. Q. Did Gray work in the mill or in the stable?-A. He was driving a team, I believe; L.couldn't say certainly whether he was driving team or working in the mill. The talk occurred out near the stable. Q. Was he not the hostler?-A. No; there was an hostler there besides Gray; though I couldn't say about that with certainty. ROBERT GRAY (colored) sworn and examined: By the CHAIRMAN: Question. Where did you work in November, 1878 ?-Answer. For Daniel Curry, at Chelsea. Q. How long have you been employed by Daniel Curry?-A. About thirteen years. Q. State what occurred on election day about your going to the city hall. What was said?—A. Mr. Curry met me with Mr. Dowd and Mr. McGovern, in a buggy, and asked me where I was going. I told him, to the city hall. He asked me, "Are you going out this afternoon with the team?" I said "Yes." He drove on, stopped short, and said, "Who are you going to vote for?" I replied, "Mr. Butler." He said, "Look here, I have done a good deal for you, and if you vote for But ler I'll discharge you. You can vote for Morse, if you want to, but I want you to vote for Talbot." Q. What did you reply?—A. I said nothing. I thought it was best. Q. Did you go on, or get out of the buggy?-A. I went on. Q. What did you do?-A. I voted for Mr. Butler, went back, and went to work. Mr. Curry got a telegram last night to appear here today, and so did I. Q. What did he tell you this morning?—A. He told me he didn't want me any longer. Q. Did he discharge you ?-A. Yes, sir. Q. You are not working for Mr. Curry any longer?-A. Not since half-past seven o'clock this morning. Q. What reason did Mr. Curry give for discharging you?-A. He didn't say. He told me to take the team out to-day; that he didn't want me any longer. Q. When you got the notice to come here, did Mr. Curry say anything to you about it ?-A. No, sir. Q. Did he know of it?-A. I don't know whether he knew of it then or not. Q. When did Mr. Curry get to know that you were to come here ?—A. Last night. By Mr. PLATT: Q. Where did you come from when you went to work for Mr. Curry? -A. I came from King's County, Nova Scotia. Q. Did Mr. Curry bring you here ?-A. No, sir. Q. Have you worked for anybody else since you have been here ?—A. I have. Q. Whom else have you worked for?-A. I worked for Rufus S. Frost. Q. But for most of the time you worked for Mr. Curry?-A. I have been here nineteen years. Q. For thirteen years of that time you have worked for Mr. Curry?— A. Yes, sir; it will be thirteen years in November. Q. What is Mr. Curry's business?-A. He is a rosin oil manufacturer. Q. Did you work in the factory ?-A. No, sir; I drove team. Q. The factory team, or a private team?—A. The factory team. Q. Mr. Curry did not discharge you last fall for voting?-A. No, sir. Q. Did he know that you voted for Butler?-A. I don't think he did. Q. Who were these men who were in the wagon with you?—A. Mr. Dowd, who was one of the committee of the Greenback party. Q. Who was the other man, McGovern ?-A. He was going down in the buggy with Mr. Dowd, to vote. Q. Is Mr. Curry a passionate man?-A. Yes, sir. Q. Did he seem to be angry ?-A. He was at the time. Q. Has he been angry with you at other times, for other things?—A. Yes, sir. Q. Did he threaten to turn you out for other things?-A. No; he talked sharp at times, but nothing serious. Q. When you left him, was it because you had left of your own accord, or because he discharged you?—A. He discharged me. Q. Did you go to work for him when you first came from Nova Scotia? -A. I said I had been here nineteen years. If I had continued with him it would have been thirteen years next November that I had worked for him steadily. You asked me if I had worked for anybody else, and I told you I had. Q. You do not feel very happy just at this moment, do you?-A. No, sir. Q. You are disposed to get angry at this moment, are you not?—A. Not in the least. Q. Had Mr. Curry ever discharged you before for anything?—A. No, sir. Q. Had you ever left him -A. No, sir. Q. When did you get your dispatch yesterday?-A. About 10 o'clock last night. Q. Did you say anything to Mr. Curry about it?—A. I did not. Q. How did Mr. Curry find it out?-A. There were some gentlemen there yesterday afternoon in a buggy, and I was out with the team. Q. How do you know that Mr. Curry got a dispatch ?-A. Because the man who brought the dispatch for me had one for him, and said he was going down with it then. Q. Did you tell Mr. Curry that they had come for you?-A. I did not. Q. Do you know yourself that he knew you were coming here last night or this morning?-A. No, sir. Q. Did you have any words with him this morning?—A. No, sir. Q. He told you this morning that he did not want you any longer?— A. That he did not want me any longer. Q. Did he give you any reason for it?-A. He did not. Q. Was any one present when he told you so ?-A. Yes, sir; there were several. Q. Who?—A. Men who worked in the stable. Q. Give the names of some.-A. A man by the name of Herbert Collyer was present, and also Lewis Curry, a brother of Mr. Curry's. Q. It was at the stable, was it ?--A. It was at the stable. Q. Have you given the names of all who were present ?—A. I did not. Q. Give the names of others you remember to have been present.A. There is a man in the room here who was present at the time. Q. Do you know his name?--A. Peter Cohen. Q. Was Mr. Curry angry, apparently?—A. He did not seem to me to be. Q. Were you angry?-A. No, sir. Q. Did he ever say anything to you after the election in 1878 as to how you had voted?-A. No, sir; he never asked me. Q. And he never said anything about discharging you after you came back from the election ?--A. No, sir. By Mr. BLAIR: Q. After Mr. Curry made this remark to you last fall, as you were going to the polls, you made him no reply, I think you said ?--A. No, sir. Q. You went right along and voted for Mr. Butler?-A. Yes, sir. Q. I understood you to say that you thought Curry never knew how you voted?--A. No, sir. Q. Do you think he supposed that you voted for Butler, or that he supposed you voted for Talbot --A. I think he supposed I voted for Talbot, because I always voted that way. sir. Q. You had always voted the Republican ticket before?--A. Yes, |