Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-03-22

Mr.. Chambers states further; that this Off
cial letter of the clerk, while showing Rho
derrick was not appointed, certifes that Hawn,
Traynor and Etchison, were the registrars at
the time of their acting as such, (two other
gentlemen having been Displaced Ito make
room for two of them, because doubtless
thought to be less subservient to tile Gov
ernor's secret tool,) charged to make out and
seal the books containing the registered names
of all the loyal voters and they acted, aud,
as they swear, and as is otherwise proven,
they did make out and seal up the books ac-
cording to law. and left them in the hands of
the clerk. Mr. Faymau; and one Under
donk, partly by threats, took the books from
him-so swears Hawn, Traynor and Etchison,
the registrars, Fayman the clerk, and Under
donk also, before the grand jury he Cum
derdonk) swearing falsely that the registrars
were drunh, and not proper persons to have
the books they, on their behalf, swearing
they were not drunk. | say Undertook
Juisely ,swore, as here is three to one.'
Now, this Undcrdonk. though detanct
commissioner, ccnfessedy had no more right
or authority to take possession of the books
than a blind dog. But it is proved he did,
and Fayman says and swears to the fact,
threatened to send him to Jail in the bargain.
Whether all this is only put on, aud there
was corrupt collusion between these t,oo acor-
tAics, Underdonk and Fayman, is hard to
guess for where men are SO reckless and
will swear any way, it is very difficult to ar
rive at the truth.
And it is also an abundautly proven fact
that these bucks after being thus forcibly, as
it were, taken possession of by Underdonk,
were shamefully altered, so much SO indeed,
that the registrars themselves who made them
out and sealed them up swore before the grand
Jury they were not the same, or if they were
the same, they were so blotted and defaced
they were not recognizable. Some Of the
commissioners, James Stevenson for instance,
of Boliver township, as he swore before the
grand jury having none), went it blind and
conducted the election without books. Yet
it is notorious, the law commands these books
to be made out by the legal registrars, and
requires the commissioners appointed and
sworn to have these books containing the list
of registered legal voters before them to guide
them in the discharge of their duty. And
yet it is thus proved by these registrars them
selves and some of the commissioners, that
this was not so at the last election in Jefferson,
that even the two books produced were falsi>
fed, Moler and Dukes numes and how many
others we cannot know having been stricken
out &c. And yet Senator hoonce, and tho
two gentlemen Delegates pretendedly but
falsely returned elected, are now acting aud
active members of the present West Virginia
Legislature to whose notice these facts are
graveIy brought by Z. II. Chambers invoking
action, and yet no notice is taken of it. This
is all plain enough, so | will proceed to direct
attention to some further details Of Mr. Cham
bers damaging disclosures
Mr. Chambers further informs the Legis-
lature that these legally appointed registrars,
Hawn, Traynor and Etchison, and their clerk
Fayman, and Rhoderick the blank commits
sioner, and this man Underdonk with so many
Offices and donors on his single head with
others, were all had up before the grand jury,
of which Mr.. Chambers, it would appear was
a member. And although they display much
contradictory cross swearing, involving many
shocking pejuries they each and all proved
the above stated monstrous facts and which
brought the grand jury to be almost unani-
nous in favor of finding indictments against
these corrupt officials and perjured williams,
and they so reported to his Honor Judge Jos.
A. Chaplue.
Mr.. Chambers language is, "thc jury were
nearly unanimous for indictment, but it
being late in the day, aud court having ad-
tce reported to the judge accordingly, who dis
charged us without our being able to finish
our work y So it seems the court having
adjourned it may be because his honor had
been otherwise advised of what had transpired
with regard to these books, and this curious
election, he discharged the grand jury rather
abruptly on purpose.
What was the judges sworn duty in such
a case? to discharge the grand jury and pre-
vent it from completing its work, and fuding
an indictment, or dIJOWrn it over to the next
morning, under his solemn charge, to finish
their work ? The conduct of these officials
and all connected with this barefaced base
election had transpred before his Honor's
eyes. and all the facts, all their rascality,
perjury and fraud.
The grand jury being NEARLY unanimous"
and any twelve of their body agreeing being
capable and in duty bound to find and return
the indictment, it was the sworn duty OF the
Judge to have received this grand jury's find
ing, and ordered it filed for prosecution.
And where was our States Attorney all
this time, that We hear nothing of him ?
Had he never heard of these actings and
doings? Was he present in court? Did he
know his duty, or did he not? If he did,
he shirked it-tha is plain.
The writer of this knows this sham elec>
ton is over, and the Senator and Delegates
returned, in their seats leeislating, and even
voting for or against constitutional amend
ments, and the frauds and perjures connect
ed with that election past, and the last grand
jury discharged and prevented from finding
au Indictment; Jm his great object in writing
at all, is to call public attention to the fact
that it is not too late yet to indict and punish
these scoundrels, one and all.
Aud the sapctity of the ballot, though con-
fined to the loyal few, at present, and the
purity of elections, though eligibility is alike
limited, the character of the State, bogus"
though it be, public and private morals; pub
lie and private justice; the common good and
the common safety, prompt US all to see to it,