Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-10-31

from the evidence of the two witnesses
produced before you, that on one occasion
q Republican happened to hear sometl irg
that was said by one Of the State Agents
Of the State of New York that frauds we're
being perpetrated; he went to the offics Of
the State Agent in this city, and f,'ind
him willing and ready TO make false votes.
Prudently representing himself as one of
the party they were working for he gained
their confidence, and was allowed to see
the working of their plan. 1t appears
that sthe regular blanks for soldiers are
forged. The names of the officers purpor-
ting to swear the soldiers are written out
by one party, and the name of the soldier
who is represented as casting his vote by
another, and third fills up the blanks
These are then put up, either sealed or un-
sealed, with the electoral ticket of the par
ty they represent; and, as the first witness
testified to you, several dry-goods boxes
full of such votes have already left the city
of Washington. At that time, it will be
borne in mind, that Edward Donohue was
in Washington. He comes to this city.
How is this statement as compared with
that of his accomplice, Ward Newcomb,
and of the first witness, Mr.. Wood Was
it they who induced him TO commit this
fraud, or he them2 Does NeWcomb say
that wood asked him, or was it Donohue
who asked him to write these letters? He
finds Donohue in full blast, writing as fast
as he could, sometimes the mama of a sol
der and sometimes ths name of an officer,
sometimes giving one rank and sometimes
another; the other one filing up their
names; and still third one the full blank.
Thus the persons around the table in the
course of Sunday afternoon, flled up the
number of nearly hundred and if three
persons could in one afternoon manufac-
ture 100 or 200 such fraudulent votes,
what could not twenty men similarly en-
ployed for two weeks effect? The enormi-
ty of the fraud is appalling. HereS.is a
fraud that may well call for the infiction
of the severest penalty known to the
court. The most sacred rights of the brave
mon who are absent from their homes per-
Hing their lives in the face of the enemy
to uphold our liberties, are imperiled, and
fraudulent votes are sought to be given
against the cause for which they are peril
ing their lives. While they are absent in
the field, these piotters at home seek to
cast the ballots Of these brave men without
their consent, and while they cannot be
present to speak for themselves or defend
their rights. The prisoner who, though
one of very numerous family of children,
cannot show that he has even brother in
the field upholding the flag ofthe country
is here proven to have conspired with
others to defraud our brave soldiers of the
exercise of the sacred elective franchise
A crime so enormous as this calls tor Wig
orous punishment, and do not hesitate to
say merits the extreme penalty Of death.
During Col. Fosters address the prison
er was evidently more than ever impressed
with q sense of his critical condition, and
at the conclusion left the court in charge
of the guard in a manner strikingly in
contrast with the defiant air with which he
entered it. -...-.... /
The courtroom was now cleared, and
the Commission proceeded to deliberate
upon the case. Of course decision cannot
be known until it has been passed by the
President. The Commission occupied only
about an hour in coming to decision,
when the doors were re-opened and the
court adjourned.