The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-01
THE BALLOT-BOX.
IN 1apoRrANr ELECTION TRIAL.


IN IMPORTANT ELECTION TRIAL.
Curious INSTRUMENTATION Parties
Out-general Each Other-Mysterious
Disappearaneeo of Votes-Mysteri n 8
Handwriting on the Wall.
One of the most important causes growing
out of an election ever tried before South
Carolina Judge and Jury, is now in progress In
the United States DGtrlct Court in this city.
The charges are bronght against: the commits
sioners of election for Beaufort County, and
are to the effect that they did not COUNT the
votes end make proper returns according to
law: that they erased from ballots the name OF
one candidate for Congress, and inserted the
name OF another; and,- finally, that they alb
stracted votes from the ballot-boXes, and sub
stituted others therefor. The case has been
on trial since Wednesday last, and the prose-
cution have not yet concluded their evidence.
A large number of witnesses have already
been examined, and probably hundred more
yet remain to undergo the ordeal. The follow
Ing Is summary of the chief points In the
testimony thus far adduced:
Mr.. James McGreyor, manager of election
for Beaufort precinct, testified that the duties
of his Office were properly performed, from
morning till night. When the polls closed at
six o'clock, paper was pasted over the aper-
ture in the top OF the box, duly endorsed,
70 he hal
pose of delivering it to the commissioners
He was prevented by the crowd from do
ing so, and it was demanded that the
box be put under the guard of COM
mittee representing the several political
parties. 1t was finally agreed that the box
should be carefully wrapped in ribbon, ard
sealed with private seal, which being done
it was transferred to the keeping of the chair
man of the committee on elections. The count
commenced on the following week, at which
time the appearance OF the Beaufort box re-
NAMED unchanged. When the count was
ended the ballots were put on string. SUBJ
seauently, the ballots oil the several precincts
were seized by the United States marshals,
and the commissioners were arrested. The
counting was conducted openly and fairly IN
the presence of representatives of the DeLarge
party, the Bowen party, and the Reform party
-tallies being kept by them. On several occa-
sions ballots were taken from the box folded
together, and the fact was noted BY one OF the
commissioners. Witness saw no attempt to
alter, erase or cancel any ballot, and saw no
ballot In which one name had been substituted
for another.
Mr.. B. Sans, OF Beaufort, corroborated the
above statement.
Mr. d. G. Judd, United States commissioner
and clerk of the court for Beaufort, testified
that he marked his vote before depositlng 1t in
the box, with small ~" In the folded hands
printed on the back of a Bowen ticket, and
also erased the name of Ransier, substituting
therefor the name of General NJ. G. Butler.
Was present at the poll not more than i've
minutes, and took no active part in the cleo
tlon. After the counting ceased, an affidavit
being made that the ballots were in the hands
of the commissioners, and that the latter In
t4nteA. to make bad use thomI xatf--lestFey
the evidences OF guilt, witness issued war
rant to Deputy United States Marshals Fuller
and IIanifan 10 take possession Of the ballots
in behalf OF the United States. This was done,
and they were delivered 10 him (the United
States commissioner at half-pas5 IL o'clock
that night. The next morning, witness ex-
amined the votes, to find, If possible, the bal
lot he hud marked. The string of ballots was
about a yard long. They were arranged In
tiers. Found the Beaufort ballots, and paper
with handwriting, which he recognized, and
the figures SCI. Counted the votes, and think
they did not correspond with this number,
there being a deficiency offve or six.
Mr.. Corbln called the attention of the court
to the fact that the poll list shows the number
of voters to have been 55l.
Witness delivered the. bundle TO the United
States marshal in Charleston on the 18th OF
December; it meanwhile having been securely
kept under lock and key in his house in Belu-
fort, the only change In their condition being
the separation of the votes Of the Beaufort pre-:
cinct from the string. he made no erasures
or alterations. Being cross-examlned, witness
said he had lived in Beaufort since 1862. He
voted for Mr. Bowen this year, but at the pre-
ceding election voted against him. On other
occasions, In New York, had marked his ticket
for subsequent Identification. Hearing that
other persons than himself could Identify their
votes, he appointed day for the purpose, and
Issued warrants for the parties to appear and
make o. sworn statement of the facts. Witness
seized all the ballots the marshals could find,
but discovered only ten or eleven precincts on
the string. The vote declared by the commits
sioners was largely in excess for Mr.. DeLarse
Believed the election to have been conducted
fairly. and corroborated the statements OF
other witnesses rs far as he knew.
Mr.. Corbin put in evidence the ballots them
selyes-Mr. OConnor on the part Of the de-
fence obyectng thereto, but being overruled
by the court, who admitted them, not as the
identical sufrrages Of the people, surrounded
with the proper legal safeguards, but subject
to any imputation which might be cast upon
them.
Mr.. VIM. D. Hanifan, United States marshal,
detailed the manner In which he foun1 and
secured the ballots. They were in the fire.
place In the sheriG's Office on string. He
put them in an empty box, locked it, and de-
liv.red the same to Mr. Judd, at half-past II