Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-08-08

voted out Of 105 votes cast. leaving
eighty illegal votes. After the voting
was over the Missourians went to their
wagons and commenced leaving for
home. y.
The most shameless fraud prscticed
upon the rights Of the settlers at this
election was in the Seventh district. -
Il Il Z remote settlement. about IS
miles from the Missouri line. and con-
|tained iu February, A. d. 1855. three
months sfterward. when the census
was taken. but IS voters. and yet the
poll books show that 604 votes were
cast. The election was held at the
house Of Mr.. Frey Mc0ee. at the place
called "fl0." But lew Of the actual
settlers we're present At the polls. A
witness who iovmsrly resided In Jack.
son county, Missouri. and Was well
aequsinted with the citisens Of that
county says that he saw . great many
wagons and tents At the place Of cleo
ton. and many individuals he knew
from jackson county. He was In their
tents and conversed with some Of
than. and they told him they bad
come with the intention Of voting. He
vent to the polls. intending to vote for
Glenneiin. and bic ticket being Of a
different color from the rest. his vote
was challenged BY Frey Mc0es, who
had been appointed cns Of the judges.
but did not serve. Lemuel Rslston.
= citizen Of Missouri, WAS acting 10 his
plaos. The witness then challenged
the vote Of q young man BY the name
Of Nolan, whom he knew 10 reside In
Jackson county. Finally tho thing
ives hushed up. - the witness had =
good many friends there from that
county. and Il might lead 10 q 6ght u
he challenged any more votss. Both
voted and he then went down TO their
camp. He there saw many Of bis old
acquaintancss whom he knew had
voted at the election Ia August pre-
vious In Missouri. and who still real
dsd in that State. By . careful COM
parison Of the poll lists. with the Gen.
sus rolls. We end bat 10 names on the
| poll book who we're voters when the
census Was taken three months after
wards. and We are sntis6ed that not
more than so legal votes could have
been pollsd vi that election. The only
residents who are known TO have vo-
ted are named by the witness and are
IS Ia number-lhus leaving 684 ille-
gal votes cast Ia remote district,
where the settlers within many miles
we're acquainted With each other.
The total number Of white inhabi-
tants Ia the Eleventh District, In the
month OF February. A. d. 1885. In
cluding men. women and children. was
50. Of whom - were voters--yet the
poll lists In this district. show that
246 votes were cast at this election.
For reasons stated hereafter, in regard
70 the election on the 3olh OF March.
your Committee were unable 10 pro-
cure the attendance Of Witnesses from
this distriot. From the records IL
clearly appears that the votes cast
could not have been by lawful resi-.
dent voters. The best test In iheOab-
senos Of direct proof by which 10 a..
certain the number Of legal votes cast
10 by . comparison Of The census roll
with the poll book-by which 10 sp-
pears that but = resident settlers voted.
and $50 votes were illegally and fraud
ulently given. e'a. s.
The election In the Fourteenth dis.
triet was held st lhe house Of Bsnjae
min Harding. few miles from the
town OF st. Joseph. Missouri. Beforr
the polls we're opened. large numbe-
Of oitixsns Of Buchanan county, Mis-
souii. and among them many Of the
leading eitisens Of St. Joseph. were at
the place Of voting. and made major
iiy Of the company present. AT the
time appointed BY the Governor for
opening the polls. two Of the Judges
were not there. and Il became the duty
Of the legal voters present to select
other Judges. The Judge who Was
present suggested the name Of Mr..
Waterson ss ono Of the Jadges-but
the crowd noted down the proposition.
Soma discussion then arose ss TO the
right Of non-residents to vote for
Judges. during which Mr.. Bryant was
nominated and elected by the crowd.
Some one pominated Col. John Scott
20 the other Judge. who WAS then and
IL now . resident OF So. Joseph. At
that time he Was the City Attorney Of
that place. and so continued until Ills
spring. bat he claimed that the night
before he had como TO the house OF Mr..
Bryant, and had engaged boarding
lor . month. and considered himself =
resident Of Kansas on that ground
The Judges appointed by the Cover.
nor refused TO put the nomination Of
Col. Scott 10 vote, because he was not
. resident. After some discussion.
Judge Leonard, citizen Of Missouri.
stepped forward and put the vote him
self, and Mr.. Scott was declared by
him % elected by the crowd. and
served as Judge Of Election that day.
After the election was over he return.
ed TO 81. Joseph. and never since has
resided ia the Territory. It Is mani
fest that this election Of q nonresident
lawyer as Judge was imposed upon
the settlers by the citizens VI the
State. When the Board OF Judges
was thus completed the voting pro-
ceeded, but the effect Of the rule adop-
ted BY the Judges allowed many. II
not . majority Of the non residents TO
vote. They claimed that their pres
enoe on the ground. especially when
they had q claim In the Territory,
gave them q right to vote; under ths,
construction OF the Law they readily.
when required. swore they were ''res-
idents." and then voted. By this
evasion. ne near as your committee
can ascertain fiom the testimony, as
many as fifsy illegal votes were cast in
this district out Of one hundred and
fifty three. the whole number poIled.
4 The election Ia the Fifteenth Dis