proper notice of the meeting should be given. The notices were accordingly distributed by Mr. Kennedy, and we had our meeting. Upon assembling at the point selected, in front of the house, it was found that the weather was so inclement, being very chilly and cold, that, without opening the meeting, we went from that place to the barn and held the meeting there.

Q. Do you know that this hall was used for public purposes ?—A. Yes, sir. I have seen advertisements of dances and theatricals, and all sorts of negro minstrel performances, but I have never attended any of them.

Q. Do you vote at the poll at which the people of the Manchaug corporation vote?-A. Sutton is a town, and Manchaug is a village within that town.

Q. About how many voters are in the employ of the Manchaug corporation?-A. They claim, I cannot say whether truly or not, that they have one hundred.

Q. How many persons do you know are employed there?-A. I could not tell.

Q. Do you know who was the selectman who had charge of the ballot-box at the election of 1878-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Who was it?-A. John McArthur was chairman of the selectmen in 1878. Robert McArthur was his predecessor as chairman of the board of selectmen for, I think, many years.

Q. Robert McArthur was the superintendent of the Manchaug corporation, the same who denied you the use of the hall, and John McArthur was his brother?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. What is the office of the chairman of the selectmen? Has he charge of the ballot-box so that he can see every voter as he deposits his vote? A. Yes, sir.

Q. Were the Republican ballots that were deposited on that occasion of large size?-A. Yes, I think they were.

Q. They were easily distinguishable from the Democratic ballots?-A. I cannot say as to that; I should say that they were.

Q. Explain how the voting was done on the day of the State election last fall.-A. It has been usual at all national, State and local elections (the national election occurring on the same day as the State election) for the overseers of the Manchaug establishment and the head men of the employés and others to stand on either side of the poll and have the men to come up in single file, so that as the men carried ballots in their hands they could readily be observed and the fact ascertained as to what ballots they were that the men voted. As we have a law in Massachusetts that enables voters to vote with sealed envelopes, we have tried to have the men vote as they saw fit by means of the use of the sealed envelopes. The corporation also saw fit, last year, as they did in the campaign of 1876, to prepare envelopes already sealed to give to their operatives, and the men have deposited those sealed.

Q. Was there in the election of 1878, at this poll, a narrow passage through which the voters passed in single file, and were persons connected with the corporation present at the poll in such positions that they could see the ballots as deposited ?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Who were those persons?—A. Charles Chase was one, and Mr. Knox the other.

Q. Is Charles Chase connected with the corporation ?-A. Charles Chase is the brain-motor of the corporation.

Q. State what position he holds in connection with the corporation.A. Nominally, he is the book-keeper.

Q. Do you know what position Mr. Knox holds ?-A. He has been an overseer, and, I believe, was recently turned away.

Q. Was he there in the employ of the corporation in the fall of 1878?A. I understood so; I cannot say it was so from my own knowledge. Q. Mr. McArthur, then, was inside to receive the ballot?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Mr. Chase and Mr. Knox were on the outside to supervise the ballot? A. Yes, sir; that is to say, they were standing, leaning over, here indicating], where the people were coming in. They might not have been exactly opposite, but the voters would have to pass through here. I had to run that gauntlet myself.

Q. Have you seen any of them interfere with ballots in the hands of voters?-A. I have not seen it, but voters have told me of it.

Q. On the day of the election ?-A. It was on the day of the election that they told me.

Q. What did they tell you ?-A. I have distinctly in mind a case in which a Frenchman, an operative, who knew me, came to me. As I had introduced the French speaker to that meeting from the veranda, these men took me to be their friend, and they knew me to be one from whom they could get ballots in safety. I inclosed the tickets that I gave them to vote in envelopes and then requested that they should, before going to vote, seal these up. This gentleman came back to me imme diately after depositing his ballot, and said that before he had voted he had been accosted by Mr. Chase, who asked him what had he got; that he replied, "I have got the ballot in an envelope;" that Chase then asked, "Who gave it to you?" to which he answered, "A gentleman out here." "Who was he?" "Well, I don't know." Then Chase, handing him an envelope, said to him, "Take that and put it in." He told me that he took the envelope in his hand, finally put it in his pocket by the side of the other envelope which he had, and was very careful to leave that in his pocket when he voted. He brought the one that Chase had given him and showed it to me.

Q. What ticket was that one that Chase had given him?—A. It was the Republican ticket.

Q. Then this man did vote the other ticket?-A. He did vote the other ticket, if he made that statement correctly.

Q. Did he tell you that any threats were made to him at the time by Mr. Chase?-A. He told me of nothing but the command that Chase gave him. He also said to me, "I am a good workman; I can work where I have a mind to. Mr. Chase may turn me away just as quick as he pleases."

Q. Did he say that Chase had said that to jest -A. No, sir.

Q. What is that at the election place which is termed "a narrow passage "?-A. A row, say, of constables standing on one side, and a row on the other, with a width of space for a man to pass through.

Q. When was this occurrence to which you refer ?-A. In the election of 1878.

Q. Was there a distinction in the appearance of the envelope which the Frenchman returned to you from others used there?—A. I did not observe any. There was a report that those envelopes had a private mark upon them. I cannot vouch for that, because I did not hear the report until after that and did not search for it.

Q. Do you know of the control of any of the employés by the employers there?-A. Yes; there is a boast made. They boast that they

can bring up a hundred voters to vote as a unit. I do not say that they do it; that is the boast.

Q. How many of these voters do you know are Democrats?-A. I know from their professions there are many. They have come to me and told me they were Democrats. I should think that a majority were Democrats.

Q. What are their nationalities?-A. French, mostly. Some are English.

By Mr. PLATT:

Q. What is your business?-A. I am a mechanic and farmer.

Q. I presume you are a pretty active Democrat?-A. No, sir; I am an Independent.

Q. You take an active interest in elections, I judge?—A. No, sir; not as a Democrat.

Q. You did in 1878, I conclude?—A. No, sir; not much.

Q. Where is this hall situated with reference to the works of the Manchaug Manufacturing Company ?-A. The factory works are on one side and the hall is on the other side.

Q. Is it an independent building?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. There is no manufacturing carried on in that building?-A. No, sir.

Q. The hall is in the building which contains the post-office ?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Where, with reference to the manufacturing works, was the meeting held which Mr. Thayer addressed ?—A. I should think it was some eighty or ninety rods, more or less, distant.

Q. Do you remember the name of this Frenchman who gave you a ballot and told you on the day of election that Mr. McArthur had given him a ballot and told him to vote it?-A. I do not remember his name. I was quite busy at the time. I regretted very much that I did not get his name. But the French having such peculiar pronunciation of their names, I probably should not have recollected it had he given it to me. Q. Does he live there now?-A. I could not tell you.

Q. How many votes does the Manchaug corporation cast in the whole town; in other words, what is the proportion to the whole vote of the manufacturing vote of the mill?-A. About four or five hundred, I judge. That is a mere guess. I ought to know it, but it has increased very much since I have given special attention to that point.

Q. You think that a considerable number of men in that mill are Democrats?-A. Yes, sir; there is no doubt of it at all.

Q. You think that a considerable number vote the Democratic ticket? -A. I think that sometimes they do; that is, when they can. I think they do not do it as freemen.

Q. But they do it?-A. They do it on the sly; they hide around. Q. Do you think that they mislead the company as to the way they vote?-A. Yes, sir; in some cases I think they do. I do not mean the company, I mean the agents of the company.

Q. May it not be true that that company has kept for years in its employ men whom they knew to be Democrats?-A. It may be true.

Q. Are those who stand there making the gauntlet that you have spoken of the agents and overseers of these people?-A. No, sir; they have constables and selectmen who stand there.

Q. What position does the chairman of the selectmen occupy at the polls?-A. He becomes the moderator.

Q. Do not the selectmen permit any Democrats to stand up in this

row leading to the polls and constituting this gauntlet there which you have to pass; may not Democrats stand there?-A. Yes, they may; men of any party.

Q. And the Democrats who stand there watch all the voters?—A. Undoubtedly they do.

Q. The ballots cast are universally of the size of the one I now show you?-A. No, sir.

Q. At any rate, under the law here, a voter has the privilege to put his ballot into a sealed envelope, if he chooses to do so, and to deposit it in that way?-A. Yes, sir; that is, at local elections it has been done; but it may be declined by the moderator. I do not think the law compels the moderator to receive it in that way except at local elections.

Q. Is it not true, as a rule, that there is a greater proportion of Democrats among the French than of Republicans?-A. I can only speak from my knowledge, and it is the reverse of that.

Q. Do you occupy any position in connection with the Democratic party in Sutton?-A. No, sir; none whatever, and never did.

Q. You are in the habit of making speeches?-A. I sometimes make a few remarks.

Q. You exercise your privilege of trying to influence voters by argument?—A. Yes, sir.

Q. Who is it that makes this boast that they can cast one hundred votes as a unit?-A. Mr. Chase.

Q. Have you heard him make that boast ?-A. He has sent word to me that they could do it and were going to.

Q. When was that?-A. Repeatedly.

Q. Was it in the election of 1878--A. I could not say.

Q. Did he make that boast in the Butler campaign?-A. I could not say, but it has been repeatedly done.

Q. He sent word to you ?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Do you know why he sent word to you?-A. Not particularly. He is a pretty jolly sort of a man, and likes to carry considerable influence by making it appear that the thing is going to be large in that direction.

Q. Did the conduct of the war come up to the high-sounding declaration of the manifesto?—A. I think not.

Q. Who was the man by whom he sent you that word?-A. I think by different men.

Q. Can you give the name of one of them?—A. I can upon reflection. If it would not make any difference to the committee, I would prefer now not to answer, on account of the effect it might have on that man's interest.

Q. It could not have much effect on the man's interest if Mr. Chase made him the agent to convey that boast to you? The man would not have any accountability except so far as concerned the mission being fulfilled?-A. No, sir; not so far as concerns the mission being fulfilled, but the naming the men before this body might have some effect upon their interests.

Q. What is the usual majority there?-A. The Republican majority is usually, I should say, seventy-five and sometimes as high as one hundred.

Q. How far is that place from Worcester?-A. Twelve miles. Manchaug is farther.

Q. Who is the principal owner of that establishment?-A. As I understand, it is a joint stock company, with corporate powers, under the

laws of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Knights are the larger owners by far.

Q. Who is the president of the corporation?-A. I could not inform you.

Q. You say you are informed that Mr. Knox left there ?-A. I think he left, or was dismissed some weeks since.

Q. He has been in the habit of voting the Republican ticket?—A. I think he has.

Q. They dismiss Republicans occasionally there ?—A. O, no doubt. Q. Is there any way in which you can describe this Frenchman of whom you have spoken, so that we can ascertain who he is?-A. I do not think I could describe him among so many Frenchmen as there are there, so that you would be able to pick him out.

Q. But you would know him if you saw him?—A. I think I would, I might not be able to identify him unless he was dressed as he was then. He would probably know me better than I would know him.

Q. Will you, when you get home, endeavor to identify him?—A. I will, and try to find out his name from parties who, I think, can find his name; because I think his name ought to be preserved. They are changing frequently up there, but I will do that with the greatest pleasure, as I would like to bring him before you.

By Mr. BLAIR:

Q. Do I understand you as wishing to convey the impression that this corporation systematically practiced intimidation and coercion upon their voters?-A. They endeavor to influence by unfair means, as I believe, the votes of their operatives.

Q. Systematically?-A. Yes, sir; systematically.

Q. By threatening to deprive them of employment in case they vote the Democratic ticket ?-A. I do not think that.

Q. In what way ?-A. By intimidation.

Q. By intimidation in what?-A. In danger to their interests.

Q. In danger of what; give us some definite notion of what it is, if it is not danger of loss of employment ?-A. The danger of loss of employment.

Q. I asked you in the first instance whether it was not their fear of loss of employment?-A. You said by threatening. You asked whether I considered that they were threatened with loss of employment; I said I would not swear to that.

Q. What do you mean to say then?-A. I mean to say by intimations thrown out that it is dangerous to their interests for them to vote as they do.

Q. You know that they are intimations ?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Do you know a single instance in which they have discharged a man for voting as he pleased?-A. For canvassing as he pleased.

Q. But for voting as he pleased -A. Yes, sir; in connection with his canvassing.

Q. Give the name of a man who you say they discharged for canvassing and voting as he pleased?-A. Dennis Kennedy.

Q. When was that?-A. In the Butler campaign of 1878.

Q. Where is the man ?-A. He is right behind you.

Q. Do you know of any other instance ?-A. Yes, I do.

Q. Can you give another name ?—A. I can.

Q. Give the name of another person who you say has been intimidated in the manner you have described ?-A. I shall decline to give the name until I have time for reflection.