The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-06
THE BALLOT-BOX.
ITS ADVENTURES IN THE PAST
ELECTION.


Bold Frauds-The Authors Unknown
Interesting Evidence-How the People
are Cheated--The Trial Still Pend;
ing.
We continue our resume of the evidence
taken In the United States Court during the
last eight days, in the case of the United
States VS.. the Beaufort Commissioners of Elec-
ton.
Mr.. Franklin Talbird, of Beaufort, testified
that he scratched two tickets, and recognized
both among the ballots before him. Both con-
taIne6the name of G. c. Bowen as member of
congress. Since then, that name had been
erased, and R. C. DeLarge substituted, in q
handwriting which witness remarked was dig.
emsed. On examining the Beaufort box since
the election, witness was satisfied chat it had
never been opened with chisel, and that the
manner of removing the votes was still mys-
tery. Is contractor and builder and fami-
liar with wood work His only explanation
ia. that the Bowen party were either out
seneralled BY the DeLarge party, or that the
boxes were opened BY some Northern patented
process entirely new to the people of the
South.
witness was present at a meeting held the
night before the election, which was turbulent
| and combustible. Thought Mr.. Williams gave
up all he ought when he said the committee
mirht put thousand seals on the box, but he
would not allow It to 60 out of sight Party
fnh bot.
Heard Mr.. Judd say there was not an honest
thread in them. Somebody asked witness
opinion, and he replied, ''Gentlemen, you have
all been in the ring together 80 long, you
ought to know each others character" Mr..
Judd spoke collectively. He is cool, calm
and pertinaclous man, Of great Integrity, and
goes in to win when he starts out. Witness,
was at the polls all day, and thought Bowen
was ahead. Voted for Bowen himself, be-
cause he was put on the Reform ticket as q
compromise.
Mr.. Sllas Wright, Of Beaufort, testified that
at nominating convention held in the town
he heard Langley, one of the commissioners,
say: sThey have got the numbers, but we. are
going to win anyhow" 1t was at the time
that Whlpper and all the defendants bolted
and made other nominations at the house of
Robert Smals. Being asked concerning the
Pocotallgo precinct witness stated that The
largest number of votes polled thera under the
military regime was from It's to 200, and that
the average before the last election could not
have been more than 120 at the outside. Wit
ness was present during the counting of bal
lots when Dir. B. B. Sans was ordered out OF
the room for calling attention to the fact that
three DeLarge votes were folded together.
Mr.. Sans was the only one near enough to Mr..
Williams to see whether he arranged the votes
correctly or not. During the first day there
was no one on the part Of the committee who
could have detected him in calling wrong
name. Is United States Assistant Collector Of
internal revenue, and was appointed by Mr.
Sawyer. Took no more than an ordinary in
terest In the election.
Witnesses were called to testify further In
regard to the Grays Hill box, and to prove
that the night after the day ofelection 1t was
in the room of one Of the commissioners.
Robert Bythwood testified that he had been
bought up by the friends of DeLarge. The day
after the election, witness went to Beaufort
and entering the house Of R. II. Gleaves, one
of the commissioners, found him alone, about
o'clock in the morning, scratching Reform
tickets. He had powder cask, trunk and
some other boxes-seveh In abby his side.
One box was on chair, with the bottom off,
This was on Saturday. Witness was with
Geaves, Smalls and oil Of them in the CAM
paien Told Mr.. Ezekiel about this affair that
very day. Said to him: "DeLarge was ahead"
s'How do you know 2" "Mr Geaves told me
he was, and just left him scratching votes"
Witness was afraid ofhs life, and got one of the
town marshals to accompany him to the boat,
when he came to Charleston. On arriving
here, Mr.. Williams told witness he must not
testify about Gleaves scratching the tickets,
for all three Of the commissioners were being
tried, and 1t would hurt him (Williams.) He
also told witness he must swear that Mr. Judd
and Mr.. Wright forced him to go before tile
court, and that he (witness) was drunk. He
then pulled out nine dollars, anu witness took
the money, and said no more about 1t. Mr..
Williams had witness in condlllonwhere he
might get hundred dollars, but, after Mr..
Judd caught him, he had to 60 before the
grand Jury. Witness said he was brlbed, and
was trying to get away.
Mr.. c. Fl. Wright resident Of Beaufort
since 1866, testified with reference to the seiz-
ure of the ballot-boxes, corroborating the evil
dence heretofore published. He was also
present at tile office of Mr.. Judd when num-
ber of person who had marked their votes
were sent for or invited to come and Identity
the same. Witness also examined the tickets
and the changes made, and his observation
was that there seemed to be but two or three
handwritings-two very prominent, and that
they were apparent In various boxes fifty
miles apart. The fact was spoken OF by hall
dozen persons that the same handwriting ap-
reared in the box at Bluffton, Peoples, Cy-
press Creek, Hilton Head, st. Helena, Lady's
Island and Beaufort The change referred 10
was the scratching out of-Bowen's Name and
inserting that OF DcLarge, and it uniformly
occurred on the Reform ticket. Poll
lists were furnished to parties desiring
L1 hakt