The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-18

disorder, that several hands were thrust in the
window at one time when the polls were opened;
that tickets were received very rapidly and placed
IN the'box; that It was an mpOssibllity to tick of
ihe names OF every voter, or TO see who were yot
ng; and that at other times challenges were dis.
regarded, and band of persons known to be from
another city were allowed to vote, some faint per-
ception of the truth can be arrived at. 1t is due
TO the respondents to say that these allegations are
contradicted 10y one of the officers, but he is I'M
supported by any OF his brethren inside, or friends
outside OF the polls; he Is not sustained by salts
factory proof of the integrity of a single attacked
vote, and he so thoroughly contradcted by other
quire us to attach little if any Importance to his
statement have tried in vain TO establish some
theory by which this poll may be simply corrected
and not destroyed. l have found this to be i'm
possible, and in such state OF facts justice seems
to require that each party should prove his vote,
and that to the extent of his failure herein the poll
TO be stricken out The contestants have proved
1876 votes The respondents have proved i, but
they were all unassessed voters, and they failed TO
show any qualification save that oil RESIDENCE
The contestants did not prove the qualihcatlon
the legal ballots might have been obtained ltwas
doubtless supposed that if man were noted on the
than to prove for whom he voted. Where, how
ever, return is attacked for fraud or uncertainty,
the party failing to establish the entire qualica-
tons OF his voters can claim nothing.
by reason, therefore, OF the Intentional and gross
raudSthe sQaestjO fdlsi as well as the SupDreSSiO
teri which staid the record of this election divl-
SION and the utter uncertainty of arriving at cor
rect result we must reject this entire return.
the Sixth of the Fourth Ward, The evidence here
establishes condition of affairs well calculated to
elicit the condemnation of all justminded men.
The list OF taxables was kept back by the Judge,
and by some other means until about eleven
o'clock" The Importance of this book in the con.
duct OF an election cannot be oyer-eStimated.
Judge King laid great stress upon it in Knea5s'
case e Parsons 5sl), and his remarks have been
frequently quoted and always approved. The as
sessnent list is the chart by which the officers are
to steer. Its accidental loss, its abstraction by
stranger would not endanger pole honestly con
Quoted. But its suppression or falsihcaton by an
officer Of the election is of the strongest badges
OF fraud: Prior to the appearance OF this book i'll
200 votes were polled.
More than one-half of the whole number of
votes received in this division We're placed in the
box whilst this important record of the election
quiled to be consulted and marked at the reception
of every ballot was in close confinement in the
Of all the persons who did vote are not noted on
this book as voting Every such omission left wide
open door for great fraud. ThTty-five persons
voted who were not on the list. Forty challenges
were diSregarded, A gang OF twelve OF fifteen
oring to guard the purity of the ballotbox by the
exercise of the right OF challenge was threatened
with personal violence, and when he perseyered
the window by Deputy Sheriff. An inside officer
who endeayored to stay this fiow of fraudulent
votes, was threatened and ntimidated. Strangers
voted III squads and bunches. Personations were
and of the dead. Only one naturalization paper
was shown, and that was wrapped up and handed
back uneXamined.
This is the case-almost without its parallel even
in the history of election fraudS-whch is made
out by number Of the contestants witnesses. On
the part of the respondents there is hardly at
tempt at contradiction. Some evidence was sub
mted in defense OF the presentations, out as to the
general conduct OF the election only one witness
the Judge, was examined. In answer to the Seri-
Gus case presented by six Witnesses he favors us
with answers to three questions on his eXamina
tion i'll chief in which he states that he was the
Judge, that no challenge was diSregarded, and
that all the voters were sworn with the exception
9f those whom he e knew to be legal voters in the
asked word as to the suppression of the assess
ment book, the specific frauds, the gangs of stran
gers the arrest of one challenger, and the Silenc
ing of another by terror. On these and the other
points of the case lie is mute The Wholesale en-
dorSement he undertakes to give to the poll is de
stroyed by his cross examination He sWears that
lie knows Levi Fish, and that he did not, to his
election record kept under the supervision Of this
witness, shows that the name Lew Fish was
swearS that he was not in the city on election day
He did not vote, but, although personally known
to the Judge, was personated. Further comment
would seem to be unnecessary We md here un-
contradicted frauds upon the records OF the cec;
tion-irauds in the reception OF yotes-aMd, super
added 10 all this the employment OF force in fur
theiance OF setteu 9eslgl 10 oYerwhGl m the Poll
with illegal votes. NO Court should be asked to
perform the impossible task of purging this poll,
The Seventh and Eighth Divisions of the Fourth
Ward may be considered together In both Of these
Divisions we ind
!. Direct falsifcaton Of the records, not only by
the omission to note on the list OF taXableS the vO
ing OF many persons, but also by the actual mark
ing of numbers as having voted when in fact they
did not vote 1t is unfortunately too evident that
these books were tampered with in order to give a
gloss to numerous and glarng violations OF the law
| 2 We also find that in each of these Divisions a
| number of palpable frauds were committed. Large
numbers OF strangers voted, the ballots taken
| in so rapidly that there was no time to search
| for the names given by the voters; Bummers
Aims House People" were brought up, and the
| votes showed in" Parties came up to the polls
with names written on paper; sometimes the
voter would whisper the name, and when the
officers did not hear it, the persons outside would
"sing IL out" No questions were asked. Votes were
| were put in the box before the names were an
nounced. Many frauds and presentations are di
lectly proved. In addition to all this, we also find il
the Seventh Division of the Fourth Ward that force
was employed to drive of legal voters. One respect
able citizen went To the polls three times At tiGS
| "a voucher was required; when he returned with
| qualified voter Of the Division, his friend wa
| Knocked into the gutter, because, although be
longing to the party IN the majority, he was aOou
to vOuch for political opponent. The witness
adds-"When they found that he was going t,
if would vote the ticket they showed me lwOulC
have 10 difficulty. told them no, L would not
| When they found out / was going to vote the tickle
| had in my hand they commenced upbraiding Mr.
| Means for going TO vouch for me. f" they KEEP
him away from the window, = and when the'
| found he was coming up, ana that he was deter
mined to come up TO the window, they knocked
| him down"
| the polls all day" We also find number of per
sOnatiOns in both Of these divisions
| AS to the Eight Division OF the Fourth Ward, tht
! respondents briei does not furnish the name of
| single witness as called by the defense, and i'm thi
| Seventh Division but one witness was eXamned il
| answer to all these charges. He simply states tha
| only one challenge was disregarded, and that sew
eral were not allowed TO vote because they haC
The frauds upon the records, the frauds inside
the box, and the force outside, are all uncOntra
eed ana Sro Of tSs snre suf ne
presented for the first time in these cases No mai
can with reasonable hope OF arriving at the truth
attempt the impossible task OF separating the goo
from the evil in these polls A lew scattered grain