The Kansas herald of freedom., 1858-04-03


stances the same persons voted again and
again, without question or challenge from
the judges; that one man stood at the
window and voted six successive times
before leaving it; and that one of the
judges, W. Franklin, openly conDived at
these bare-faced and monstrous frauds.
The judges of election announced the
vote, at quarter past 4 o'clock, as 467.
One witness testifies that from that time
until the close, not more than twelve bal
lots were cast; another thinks not more
than twenty, and yet the vote returned is
99o. The testimony shows that Thos,
Ewing voted just before the polls closed;
that the vote was then announced by one
of the judges 864, and that but two votes
were polled after his. lie voted but once,
and knows no other person Of his name
in Leayenworth county, or in Kansas.
Yet his name appears recorded three
times upon the list: first as the 550th
voter, again as the 953d, and again as the
99Oth.
The Board are of the opinion that when
Mr.. Ewing voted but 500 names were
written on the poll list, and that all bus
two of the names occurring after that
number were subsequently forged by Off
GERS of the election.
1t appears that between $50 and 500
men were in Kickapoo on that day. A
number of them, but not to exceed fifty,
were from Missouri. The evidence shows
that the legal vote was about $50 to 400,
and that fully 600 votes were illegally
cast, or were fraudulently recorded by
officers of the election.
Learenteortb Citg.-At the election of
the 21st of December. at this precinct, the
vote returned was 229 for the Constitu-
ton with slavery, and q for it without
slavery. Challengers representing both
the Lecolnpton and Anti Lecompton par
ties were in attendance, and it does moi
appear that any illegal votes were cast, or
that intimidation or violence was used to
prevent residents voting.
At the election of 4th January. 1858.
for officers under the Constitution framed
at Lecompton, there were 1481 votes
polled at this precinct, and an average
majority for the Anti Lecompton ticket
of 925 votes The Board was in session
at Leavenworth for more than ten days.
and sought for evidence as to frauds al
legged to have been committed here on
that day; but no person presented him
self or was heard of who could testify to
such frauds. Several prominent citizens
belonging to the Lecompton party, in-
Guiding one of the judges of election,
were examined, and their testimony is
herewith presented. The election appears
to have been conducted without any fraud
or violence.
Delascare Csty-The returns of the
election of 2lst December. 1857. at this
precinct show vote of 254 for the Con-
stitution with slavery, and one for it with
out slavery. Every man who presented
himself was permitted to vote, without
regard to his place of residence. But one
was challenged. Printed legal opinions
were circulated along the Missouri border
opposite this precinct, to the effect that
every man who might be In Kansas on
that day would be legal voter. Large
numbers Of Missourians were present and
voted. One of the clerks Of the election
states that there were forty or fifty of his
acquaintances living in Platte county,
Missouri. who voted at this precinct; and
that a number of them were known to
John Miller, the judge, who received the
ballots and cried out the names. One
vote was cast in the name of VIM. Nc
Alexander, who was resident of Platte
county, Missouri, aud died there six
months ago.
The vote at this precinct for officers
under the Constitution was said to be a
full one, and there were but ITO ballots
cast. Of these 60 were votes of Anti
Lecompton men, who probably did not
vote for the Constitution on the 21st;
leaving but 110 legal voters in the pre-
cinct who probably voted for the Consti-
tuition on the 2lst of December. Taking
all the evidence into view, the Board are
OF the opinion that of the 255 votes poll
ed for the Constitution on the 21st, about
l45 were illegal.
At the election at this precinct for Off
GERS under the Constitution, on the 4th of
January, 110 votes were returned for the
Lecompton, and 60 for the Anti -Lecomp-
ton ticket. A company of q. S. troops
were in attendance, and obeyed the or
ders of the Dep. U. S. Marshal, who pre-
served order and protected challengers.
One judge cried out the name of a man
as voter who was not present. John
Miller, Judge of the election, who re-
ceiyed the tickets handed in, ordered
challenges away from the window; elet-
tioneered violently for the ticket headed
semocratie ticket" opened and exam
ined the tickets as they were given in;
held ballots headed Democratic ticket -
In his left hand, and was seen to put one of
them into the box in place of one headed
| Free State ticket, handed him by a
voter. The evidence warrants the belief
that he substituted other tickets in his
hand for Free State tickets handed him
by voters. A warrant of arrest was is
sued for him; but he fled before the polls
closed, and has not since been publicly
seen in Delaware. Neither John Miller
nor G. B. Rednan, two judges, signed the
returns. There was no available means
for the Beard to ascertain the extent OF
the official fraud committed by this judge.
Aside from that. there appears to have
been but five illegal ballots cast.
Delcicare Agency.-This precinct is in
the Delaware Indian Reserve. The elec-
tons are held at the crossing of the Kan
sas river, BY the Leavenworth and West
port road. The precinct is commonly
known as Delaware Crossing,
There We're no polls opened at this pre-
cinet on the 2lst of December, IS57.*
On the 4th of January, 1853. polls were
opened here for an election for officer:
under the Lscompton Constitution. Jane:
/ C Grinter, Isaac Munday and Theodore
F. Garrett were the judges. and james
Ffndiay. of Westport, and William VII.
son the clerks. Forty-three votes were
polled.f The ballots were not counted
but were said by Garrett to be all Demo.
cratic. The names of the voters wers
written on three pages of cap paper fast
ened together with red waters, with the
heading of return before the list O
names on the first page, and a certifcass
stating that oil the votes were Democrat.
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