Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-12-05
The Election Fraud in Ports
mouth.

The Election Fraud in Ports
mouth.
The election fraud in the first
Ward of the city of Portsmouth
shows very plainly how democratic
maiorities are manufactured, and is
a most damning record of the dis
honesty and corruption of that party
ssThe voice of the people" With them
means ballot-box stufing. In our
own county we shall be able 10 show
something similar, but the Ports
mouth democrats have gone far be-
yond their friends here and are entitl-
ed to wear the"horns." Wehope our
readers will not fail to watch the
progress of the developments made
in this gigantic swindle. as it shows
up the leaders of the democracy in
their true light. The Tribune, says:
When, on the night of Oct. Sth, it
was announced that the Democratic
ticket had received majority of 246
votes in the First Ward of this city,
the conviction was at once impress
ed upon the minds of all who knew
anything about that Ward that some
rascality had been practiced. Ex-
actly how the thing had been done
could not then be determined; still,
everybody felt perfectly satisfied
that something was wrong. Two
gentlemen--Col. Henry E. Jones and
Capt. c. A. Barton--at once went to
work to investigate the matter. BY
canvass of the Ward they soon as
certained that considerable more
than fifty.s seven Republican votes
the number credited to our candi-
dates-had been cast, and obtained
the signatures of over one hundred
men who pledged themselves to
swear to that fact at the proper time.
Notice of contest was accordingly
served upon their opponents, and on
Monday, Nov. 1Ith, the work of TAX
ing testimony was commenced be-
fore Esquires Gregory and Lock
bart. Up TO yesterday noon, ninety
mine witnesses had been examined all
of whom swear that they voted the Re
publican ticket in the First Wcrd at the
last election! Several others, known
to have voted the same ticket, re-
main to be examined, while some
have left the State and cannot be
reached.
Now, the question is, what became
of those forty-two ballots? Accord
ing to the returns made by the Judg
es of election, the Republican candi
dates received fifty seven votes in
that Ward, while here are ninety
nine good and reliable men who
swear that they voted for those can
didates. The number of ballots
counted out corresponded with the
number Of names on the poll books;
but the mysterious process by which
forty-t two Republican ballots became
transmogrified into Democratic bal
lots, after being deposited in the box,
remains to be explained. 1t is one
of those peculiar Democratic results
which can only be accounted for by
a politician of that faith. The Judg-
es Of election were Peter Musser,
Republican; Henry Bertram and L
Erglebrecht, Democrats. At 6 o.
clock the polls were closed, the bal
lot box locked, the key given to Mr..
Musser, and the box taken in charge
by Mr.. Englebrecht.
There is conclusive evidence of an
outrageous fraud upon the part of
somebody in that Ward. and now let
the officers of the law do their duty
in ferreting out the scoundrels who
thus attempt to defraud honest men
Of the dearest right of an American
citizen. There is room in the Peni
tentiary for all such rascals, and. the
sooner they are pat there the better
1t is time the Democratic party, or
the contemplate tools employed to
do their dirty work, should know
tn at they cannot thus set at defiance
the laws of the land. and make sure
by fraud and ballot box stuffing what
they fear they cannot honestly ac-
complish.
Proof of the extent of this fraud is
still accumulating. The Republican,
of later date than the above, says:
One hundred and two men have
testified before Justices Gregory and
Leckhart, that they voted the Union
ticket in the First w ard, on Oct. s.
1867. There are more who voted it
who are absent and not comeatable,
who would testify to the same pur-
port. Some scoundrel or scoundrels
put at least fifty rebel -sy mpathizing
votes into the box; and took out ex
actly the same number of Union
votes he put in Democratic. AS
long as this fact was not proved, the
party" tried to crawfish and throw
dirt, and did not appear to be sorry
ror the crime. Now, we suppose,
hey are not sorry for the crime, but
hat it has been found out.