The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1867-09-26
TIE OTTUMWA COURIER.

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TIE OTTUMWA COURIER.
THOMAS BEDWELL.
It should be kept before the peo-
pie that Thomas Bedweil, copper
head candidate for Sheriff, was =
member ofthe Board Of Supervisors
in so and '63 Of this county, and that
he, together withsevcn other copper.
head members, voted to give . certifi-
cate Of election as county clcrk to
Hugh Brown . man that they knew
was not elected, instead Of to John
E. Gillespie, a man that they know
was elected, and since great things
are claimed for this gentleman on
the score ofbigh toned character and
honesty, we propose to ventilate this
transaction, and direct the attention
Of the voters Of Wapello county again
tc piece Of political chicanery and
fraud. without parallel in this coun-
ty since its settlement.
At tho time wo speak OF, Elijah
Seels was Secretary Of State and byI
virtue ofh,s Office, clerk ofthe board of
State Canvassers. His bungling
clerk in transmitting tho return of
the soldiers vote to tho Wapello co.
Board, accidently omitted to give
Gillespie credit for the vote of the
Both Iowa, which was large and cast
almost entirely for him. By this
error Brown was apparently elected,
but the next day Secretary Sells dis.
covered the error, and Immediately
sent corrected return, certifying to
it undcr oath, and setting forth cir
cumstantially the vote Of each reci-
men for Gillespie, as returned and
sworn to by the commissioners, who
took the vote, and By the State can
vassers, who counted il. Sells also
explained how the error was made,
and instructed our clerk of the Court
to whom his clerk had sent errone-
GUS returns, to file tho corrected re.
turn in it's stead. In the meantime
the Board Of this county met TAos.
Bedwell being in his place ss Super
virsor from Agency City tp., and
proceeded to count the votes. Mr..
Brown (tho incumbent) fled with
the Board the erroneous return, de-
nying that he had any other, until
being sworn and interrogated under
oath he finally, with great reluctance
pulled ontof hispocket thecorrcctones
with Sells instructions''to file tho m
as the true return. And yet in the
face Of all these facts, with the false
and true returns before them, with
the vote OF the regiments in detail
also before them, sworn to by Mr..
Sells, the commissioners and State
Board, the copperhcad Board Of
8 to 6 republicans deliberately and
wilfully gave the certificate to Brown,
and thus deffauded majority Of the
people Of Wapello county, and the
gallant SOLDIER boys in the front of
their suffrages, and swindled Gil.
lespie out of a lucrative Office. The
records ofthe county will show that
Thomas Bedwell voted for the out
rage, and yet hc now comes before
you asking an Office at your hands,
and is urged by his friends especial
y on account Of his being the soul
Of personal and political honor, and
integrity.
We in common with the men who
have known Tom Bedwell for many
years repect him personally and re-.
gard HIM as an honest man in all his
business transactions, but be is such
q violent partisan, that be allowed ia
this case, his honest convictions. and
better judgement, to be overborne by
party drill, and the party's necessi-
tics, and became party to q scheme
Of political villiany, not one whit
more respectable than that for which
many men have served the State
in tho penitentiary.
People Of WapIlo county who will
you vote for for Sheriff? The man
who at home voted to cheat you and
your soldier boys ont of their votes,
who invariably voted sgainst apropri
tons from the county funds to sup
port soldiers families? Or will You
vote for the faithful soldier, Lieutep.
ant kirkpatrick who all this time.
was in the ranks in the front, stand.
ing up - . wall bet xeen you and the
enemy?
The reason why the United States
bonds are not subject to State and
municipal taxation is that tho Cor
etitution ofthe United States will not
allow it to be done. AS early as 1919