ABSTRACT of testimony taken in Harrodsburg, Mercer county, Kentucky, in behalf of Thomas P. Moore. (Packet

No. 9.)

Abstract of testimony.

I have acted as deputy sheriff for this county in connexion with
Basil Prather, upwards of nine years. I acted as presiding
sheriff at the late election in Harrodsburg, Mercer county,
Kentucky, and Abram J. McMordie and Peter Jordan acted as
judges, and Benjamin C. Allen as clerk. I presided throughout
the three days of the election, and McMordie, Jordan, and
Allen were all present throughout. The election was conducted
as fairly, openly, and peacefully as any I ever witnessed in my
life. George W. Thompson, high sheriff, positively refused to
attend at any one place of voting in the county during the time
of election, alleging an apprehension of the cholera as the rea-
After the election was over, he repeatedly interfered with
my duties, pertinaciously insisting on taking part in the com-
parison of the polls, when they were compared in this place in
August last. From knowledge of G. W. Thompson, and other
circumstances, I have no hesitation in saying that he was so im-
pelled to act by certain warm friends of Mr. Letcher.

son.

I was present at the comparison of the polls. Alfred Hocker
moved to inquire into the alleged irregularities of the election
in Garrard county. The motion was opposed by Jesse Yantis,
the deputy sheriff of the aforesaid county, and overruled. We
had counted all the polls when Mr. Hocker announced his inten-
tion to retire with his poll book, alleging, among other reasons
for so doing, our refusal to enter into the investigation which he

Abstract of testimony.

at the late congressional election. I have this day seen the
Harrodsburg poll book, and find a mistake in the addition of one
vote more than he was entitled to.

I think one Ephraim Sujer staid all night at my house on the
first night of the election. He appeared to be a Frenchman.
He told me that he voted for Letcher; that, for the last five
years, he had been following the river; that he had just come
into the county, and that he was in pursuit of a runaway negro
who had escaped from him at Louisville. So far as the last
election in Mercer county came under my observation, I believe
that it was conducted as fairly as any that had preceded it,
since I have been in the habit of observing elections. I was
there a part of each of the three days.

I heard of the old man by the name of Sujer being in the neigh-
borhood. I went in search of him once to employ him, but did
not find him.

I know George Whitfield Dale, son of William Dale, of Wood-
ford county, who removed from Woodford county to this county
about five years ago. I have no knowledge of his having re-
moved from Mercer county. I think I have seen G. W. Dale
within this county within twelve months past, and I think in the
neighborhood of Harrodsburg. I think he told me that he lived at
Colonel Briscoe's, in this county. He may have left this county
and this congressional district, without my being apprised of the
I konw of no other George Whitfield Dale in this or in

fact.

Woodford county. I have resided four years in this, and
thirty-six years in Woodford county. I have known a man
commonly called George Dales, who was reputed a bastard,
and several other George Dales in Woodford county. I will
not say but what there might be other George Whitfield Dales
in this and Woodford county, but I do not believe there are.
Samuel Clamack attended as a witness in this controversy in
November last. After he had deposed, and left the room,
I, at the instance of Mr. Moore's agent, requested him to
return to answer a few more questions. I heard a gentleman
say to said Clamack, to break and clear out, and Clamack
mounted his horse and did so. I met him at a cross street,
took the reins of his bridle, and led him back. He said he
wished to get away, because he had been told that they would
penitentiary him. I do not know why he was told to break,
nor why he was afraid of the penitentiary, unless he had sworn
lies, and was afraid of the consequences. I know of no bad
votes for T. P. Moore; he was not hired to keep witnesses
from attending on the part of Letcher. There was a free
liquor house opened in Harrodsburg, during the election by a
Letcher man, but I know not for whom.

I know nothing of my own personal knowledge as to the impro-
per manner in which the election in Garrard county, was con-
ducted. I had a conversation with James Spillman touching
the absence of the sheriff a part of the time of the election for
Congress. I understood from Spillman that he was deputed to
cry the votes by General Kennedy, at Lancaster, when he was
called to his sick family. He occupied that station until he had
cried forty or forty-one votes. I have a general acquaintance
with Thomas Kennedy, now high sheriff of Garrard country.
I know of no bad act of his, but general rumor speaks unfa-

vorably, of him. I have understood a daughter of his married
a nephew of R. P. Letcher. I live in Garrard county; Spill-
man lives there; he was appointed high sheriff of Garrard
county, by the Governor, on the death of his uncle, and for the
remainder of the time for which the latter was commissioned.
I believe his character is fair, so far as I have heard. My im-
pression from his statement to me was that Kennedy was acting
as sheriff when he deputized Mr. Spillman to cry the votes.
Mr. Thompson, a constable of Garrard county, who has been
engaged in summoning witnesses for Mr. Moore, said to me
that he wished to have my deposition, and on Sunday last, when
I was at Harrodsburg, requested me to give it. I had private
business at Harrodsburg, which brought me here. It was the
important business which brought me here. Thompson left a
letter at my house yesterday, which he requested me to carry to
Major Moore. I have lived in Garrard county for the last
eighteen years; I had lived there before. I have known Gene-
ral Kennedy for twenty-five years past. I have understood that
he was a member of the convention which framed the present
constitution of Kentucky.

He was elected to the Legislature as a Representative from Gar-
rard county, perhaps several times. I have voted for him at
the late congressional election; I voted for Major Moore at the
precinct at Edmund Smith's; I was only at the election one day,
my impression is that it was the first day; I was not very active