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Q. But was not that well understood in the mills, that the superintendent and overseers were anxious for the election of Talbot?-A. I presume they would have liked it if he was elected, of course.

Q. Weren't they out, all of them, and pretty active at the polls on the day of the election?-A. I don't know who was out; I wasn't down there long myself. The superintendent I worked for used to let them go out one or two at a time to keep the work running. He went down himself and came back. He wasn't very long down there.

Q. Were your taxes charged to you on account or did you pay the money?-A. I paid the money last year.

Q. When you went up to pay your taxes, Mr. Fletcher introduced the subject of politics, and asked you for whom you were going to vote? -A. Yes, sir.

Q. Didn't he first tell you that he was going to vote for Talbot and supposed you were too?-A. No; He asked me first if I was going to vote for Butler.

Q. Didn't he first say "I am going to vote for Talbot and I hope you will too"?-A. No, sir.

Q. But that you could vote as you pleased?-A. He didn't say whether I could or not.

Q. He didn't say anything of that kind, about whether you should vote as you pleased?-A. He didn't say anything further to me at all nor anything more than that Mr. Talbot was the best man.

Q. Didn't he tell you that Mr. Butler's election would bring ruin upon the country?-A. He said it wouldn't be a good thing, of course, those greenbacks, and so forth.

Q. And would bring ruin on the country?—A. I don't know as he said anything about ruin on the country.

Q. Did he not say it would injure the manufacturing interests of this State very much to have Butler elected?-A. I don't recollect his saying anything about that.

Q. He used some kind of argument to persuade you that it was better to elect Talbot, didn't he? He must have said something to you as he introduced the subject?-A. He introduced it as I told you.

Q. Did he not tell you that the election of Butler would be very injurious to the interests of the manufacturers?-A. He brought it out so that those greenbacks would amount to nothing and such stuff as that.

Q. That it would ruin the country and ruin the business?-A. Yes.

Q. Didn't he say it was hard enough as it was then, and that, if Butler was elected, a great many of the factories would have to stop entirely?-A. I don't recollect his saying anything of that.

Q. He must have used some argument. Was not that the way that he talked on the subject?-A. Yes; something like that.

Q. He may not have used those very words, but that was the idea?— A. Yes; something like that.

Q. He did not convince you that that was so ?-A. No.

Q. Still he tried to convince you that your vote was going to be very injurious to you and the country?-A. He might have thought so, but I didn't.

Q. I am talking about how he argued the question with you. He did not tell you that if Butler was elected, greenbacks would not be worth anything?-A. Yes.

Q. He told you that, that they would not be worth anything, that you could not buy anything?-A. Yes.

Q. Did he not tell you that the work would stop there?-A. No; he didn't.

By the CHAIRMAN:

Q. Who talked with you first about coming down here?-A. Mr. Moore and Mr. Hilton.

Q. When was that?-A. Last night.

Q. They wanted you to come down and testify?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Who paid your way down?-A. Mr. Hilton.

Q. You came down with Mr. Hilton; I suppose that your pay goes on for the day up there?-A. I presume so.

Q. You are still in their employ ?-A. O, yes.

Q. What did the other fellows who were working there and who were Democrats say to you about voting for Butler?-A. They didn't say anything.

Q. Didn't any one of them say anything to you about it?-A. No, sir. Q. Didn't some of them talk to you about it being a little risky to vote for Butler ?—A. No, sir; they didn't.

Q. Not one of them ?-A. Not one of them.

Q. Didn't any one of them say to you that if you talked too loud about Butler and voted for Butler you might get discharged?—A. No, sir; I never talked to any of them about it, but did what my mind brought

me to.

Q. Didn't they say that if they voted for Butler or talked for him they might get discharged?-A. They didn't say anything to me of that.

Q. It was a pretty general talk in the mills there; they spoke out?— A. O, yes, there was no hinderance.

Q. You talked out pretty loud that you were for Butler ?-A. Yes, sir; the same as I do now.

Q. How many there besides you voted for Butler; only one ?-A. That is all that I know of; he came to the ballot-box at the same time. Q. What is his name?—A. Mr. Moy.

Q. Was he a Frenchman ?—A. An Irishman.

Q. Were there other Irishmen there?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Were they Democrats before?—I presume so.

Q. For whom did those other fellows vote at the Presidential election?-A. For Tilden, I believe.

Q. Did they vote this time for Talbot ?-A. I don't know.

Q. You only know that two men, you and another, voted for Butler and these other men voted for Tilden ?-A. I don't know how they voted this time.

Q. They talked out, did they?—A. Yes, sir; I don't know how they talked.

Q. But you know that they did vote for Tilden?-A. None of them told me that they voted for Tilden.

Q. You know that they voted for Tilden the year before?-A. I suppose they did.

Q. Do you know how they voted in 1874, Democratic ?-A. Yes, sir.
Q. You do not know how they voted last year?-A. No, sir.
Q. The talk in the mill, you say, is, very free?—A. O, yes.

Q. How does it happen, then, that you do not know how these men voted last year?-A. I didn't work in the mills then, and I didn't go around to these meetings.

Q. You were then promoted to be a watchman ?-A. I was then, but I left it.

HUGH DUFFY sworn and examined.

By Mr BLAIR :

Question. Where were you born?-Answer. In Rhode Island.

Q. Where do you now live?—A. In Webster.

Q. How long have you been there?—A. Three years.

Q. For whom do you work?-A. For Mr. Slater.

Q. For this corporation, the woolen company that is spoken of ?—A. Yes, sir.

Q. How long have you worked for that company -A. It was two years on the second of last May.

Q. Did you vote last autumn?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. For whom did you cast your vote?-A. For Butler.

Q. Did you vote freely ?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Was there any threat or intimidation or effort to hiuder you from voting as you pleased ?—A. No, sir.

Q. Nor during the canvass preceding the election day?-A. Not any. Q. Was there any intimidation from any one? A. No, sir.

Q. Neither by Mr. Slater nor any of those in control of the work?A. Mr. Slater never spoke to me.

Q. Nor any of the overseers?-A. Not about how I should vote. Q. Did you know of any intimidation or threat by overseers or any body in the management of the work, upon or to any of the operatives?— A. No, sir.

Q. Was anything said to them to the effect that it would not be well for them or that they or their families would suffer in any way or by loss of employment if they voted for Butier?-A. No, sir.

Q. Some witness has testified that Edward Farrel, an employé in the mills, voted for Talbot because he did not dare to vote for Butler, fearing that if he did he would lose his place in the mill; and the same witness went on to say that Hugh Duffy was another who voted in the same way; that is that you voted for Talbot because you were afraid you would lose your place in the mills; that is untrue, is it?-A. Yes, sir. Q. How did you go to the polls?-A. I went down in the carriage. Q. Who drove the carriage?-A. John Whalen; he is dead now. Q. Were there others in the carriage?-A. Two more; they were all Butler men.

Q. Was this in which you rode one of the company's carriages?—A. No, sir; it belonged to George Morse's livery stable.

Q. This man who drove it was driving for livery men?-A. He was driving for anybody who was going down, not for Butler men particularly.

Q. There was a good feeling among the men going down; they discussed politics ?—A. O, yes.

Q. Did they talk as freely among their overseers as among others about that?-A. Some of them did; my overseer asked me if I wanted one of his tickets; I said no; he said that that was all right.

Q. Do not these operatives feel that they are just as independent as their overseers or employers are ?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Do you not think, as far as you know them, that the working people in this State are just as independent and resolute in carrying out their will as anybody?-A. They were, down there at election time, I know.

Q. Do you think Mr. Slater any better than any other man because, simply, he is wealthy and has control of a great corporation?-A. No; I don't.

Q. Do you think that the operatives generally look upon their employers as any more independent or respectable than they are themselves?-A. No.

Q. That is your feeling, so far as you know; that is the general feeling of the laboring people of this State?-A. I judge that it was.

Q. You judge that it was by the way that they voted ?-A. Yes, sir.

By the CHAIRMAN:

Q. Do you think that a laboring man is perfectly independent of his employer?-A. Yes, sir; I think he ought to be.

Q. That is not the question. Do you think that he is, down there ?— A. Yes, sir.

Q. You have always acted and voted as you pleased -A. Yes, sir. Q. You attended the Butler meetings?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. You often attended the Butler clubs ?-A. I was there three times. Q. Were you out to hear Butler speak?-A. No, sir.

Q. You had the privilege of going, I suppose, if you wanted to ?—A. I suppose so; I didn't ask privilege.

Q. There was no general authority given to allow the employés to go out?-A. No, sir.

Q. Did any of the men go out and hear Butler?--A. Yes, sir; they asked permission to go at noontime, and they let them go.

Q. How long were they away?-A. All the afternoon, some of them. Q. I suppose they were paid for that afternoon?-A. No, sir.

Q. It came out of their pay ?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. You could have gone if it had not been taken out of your pay?— A. Yes, sir.

Q. You have a family?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Do you live in one of the company's houses?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. Are you still employed by the company?—A. Yes, sir.

Q. Who spoke to you first about coming down here?—A. Mr. Moore told me I should be here to-day.

Q. You came down with Mr. Moore ?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. You know that Mr. Moore is superintendent of the woolen mill?— A. Yes, sir.

Q. They paid your way here?-A. They paid my way here because I didn't have the money myself. I suppose it will be paid back.

Q. You were not intimidated?-A. No, sir.

Q. No one complained to you because they thought it a little dangerous?-A. No one.

Q. How many Democratic voters were there in your establishment who voted for Tilden ?—A. I was not there during the Tilden campaign. I was not in the town.

Q. Do you know how many Democrats there were in your part of the works?-A. I think there were eight.

Q. How many voted for Butler?-A. All of them. I think they did, I wouldn't swear to it. They all said before election they were going to. Q. Where did you get your ticket ?-A. I got it from Joe Love, in the hall.

Q. Did anybody else give you a ticket?-A. They handed them to me, but I didn't take them. There were several.

Q. Did you get any from Mr. Fletcher, Mr. Lavaree, or Mr. Moore ?A. No, sir.

Q. Was Mr. Moore at the ballot box when you voted?—A. Yes, sir; he was one of them.

Q. You think that the employés of the Slater works are perfectly free

in every respect and are under no obligations to anybody?-A. Outside of the works, yes.

Q. You think there is no desire or effort there on the part of the em ployers of the men to control them in any way ?-A. No, sir.

Q. The agents and superintendents of the works are all Republicans, are they?-A. I believe they are excepting one, Mr. Bartlett.

JAMES HILTON Sworn and examined.

By Mr. BLAIR:

Question. Where do you reside-Answer. In East Webster. Q. Are you in the employ of the Slater Woolen Manufacturing Company-A. Of the Slater Manufacturing Company, Cambric Works. Q. How long have you been in their employ ?-A. Sixteen years. Q. What is the position you occupy there?-A. At the present, act. ing superintendent.

Q. For how long a time have you so acted?-A. For two years. Q. What are your political sentiments?—A. I vote the Republican ticket when I do vote.

Q. You are not a very active politician, I take it?—A. No, sir.

Q. I judge from your answer that you do not always vote?-A. Yes, sir; I have always voted since I was naturalized.

Q. How long has it been since you were naturalized?-A. Four years. Q. Where were you born?-A. At Lancashire, England.

Q. Were you connected with manufacturing before you came to this country-A. Yes, sir.

Q. You were present at the election last autumn, I suppose ?—A. I went there about a quarter past two, in the afternoon.

Q. How long did you remain ?-A. Until three o'clock.

Q. How far is it from your office to the voting place?—A. A mile and a half, or a mile and a quarter probably.

Q. How did you go there?—A. I went in a team.

Q. Did other voters ride with you?-A. Yes, sir; oue Democrat. Q. Do you recollect how many were in the carriage with you?—A. There were four besides the driver.

Q. All parties went promiscuously in these carriages, did they?-A. Yes.

Q. Have you known, since your connection with the mills-perhaps the question should be restricted to the last three years, under the rule of the committee-have you known in that period of any effort, coercion, or threat of the employers, superintendents, or overseers of this com pany to control the votes of their operatives?—A. No, sir.

Q. So far as you know, have the men voted freely or otherwise?-A. Yes, sir; every man has voted according to the dictates of his own con

science.

Q. This talk of intimidation by the manufacturers, so far as you know, is unjust to them?—A. It is false; yes, sir.

Q. How long have you been in the manufacturing business?-A. I was in the dyeing business, before I came to this country, four years. Q. Have you spent your whole time since coming to this country in mauufacturing ?-A. Yes, sir.

Q. In this city?-A. I was in Boston a small portion of the time. Q. Your business brings you in contact with manufacturers from all parts of the State, I suppose?-A. Yes, sir.

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