The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-13
THE BALLOT-BOX.
EVIDENCE OF THE DEFENCE.

The Other Side OF the S:ory-BenufOr1
Tor DeLnrgc-Chicanerya ut the Polls
Something Rotten. y
I .
To prevent any misapprehension on the sub
ject 1t may be stated that the object OF the present
record is not to preserve the exact language OF the
witnesses on either side, or to prove or disprove
auy OF the facts alleged, but simply to give the
general reader an idea OF the character OF the
points at issue, and report the salient facts
brought forth In the investigation. Much mas
been developed in the chief and cross-examina'
ton, which, while bearing strongly upon the case,
would not Interest the public, and our space for
bids more than an outline OF the evidence.
Robert Smalls, senator from Beaufort, being
called on the part Of the defence, testified that ne
took an active part in the campaign and election.
His impression Is that the county was largely In
favor of DeLarge but that the town, proper, was
in favor OF Bowen. Witness scratched great
many votes on the day Of the election In favor OF
DeLarge, and believes large number OF the same
were voted; Heemployed four canvsssers to dis
tribute these tickets Witness says>he recognizes
many of the changes made'on the tickets as being
In bis own handwriting, and they were made be-
fore the election. In answer to juryman calling
attention to discrepancy In the style OF the s'g'
nature, witness says he sometimes wrote DeLarge
with large "L" and sometimes With small ~
His handwriting was different when standing,
and some of the tickets were written IN the street.
He has every reason to believe that the mass OF
the changes observable are in bis own handWrt'
ing.
Mr.. A. F. Hall, of Beaufort, was called to testify
that he was present at the counting Wnen
Ezekiel,s vote was called by Mr.. Williams, ana
read or as being for @. O. Bowen. BE could pesl'
lively swear rhat 1t was in the evening. (Wltness
for the prosecution testified that the calling OH OF
the vote was in the day time. aud that MT.
Bowen's namewas not there
DIR. S. B. Thompson, OF Hilton Head, testified
concerning the condition OF ana!rs at Hilton
Head. lie saw no Bowen tickets the day OF the
election, and saw no one there who represented
Mr.. Bowen, except o man named Segrln, who was
scratching DeLarge tickets at the poll Witness
wasnot at fhe poll more thanhve minutes. sVoted
forR. G. DeLarge j
Samuel Green tesiasd thasshe was member
OF the legislature and was present at the count
ing. That he distinctly heard Bowen's name
calied on Mr.. Ezskleis ticket, snd went tethe
nile where Itl lay AID examined it. Witness had
been In court before His father was manager
Of Lady's ISLAM poll. Witness did not swear two
women had not voted there. but !ndge Bryan
produced his notes, AMI h,wed that the women
were convicted OF ths offence, and read the
language used on the trial.
Al. R. Delaney testified at length with refe.
.rencato the Hilton Head box, OF which ne was
.pfessiit. Believed that the majority were for De-
Large before the election, and had no reason to
change his impression. The election was peace
able. a system prevailed at the polls OF buying
mn csnyassers aud inducing them to change
tickets. witness knows Of no clafaor against
himself personally.
. Mr.. Francis E. Wilder was called, and testified
substantially to the facts already eliolted con-
cernlng the Hilton II .ad precinct.
william Fields, u coiored man, testified that
parties in Beaufort had offered him 1fty dollars
to testify that the ballot box he carried TO the
polls contained papers In 1t before 1t reached the
hands Of the managers.
Mr.. Franklin TalbIrd called for the defence, tes
tideda to the construction Of the boxes chieny
from new lumber, bat called attention to the
fact that one OF the boxes had the bottom remoV-
ed and others contained double rows OF nails.
w. q. Morrison testified that he had marked sew
eral tickets by writing Ranser's name in the place
Of General Butler and recognized four, but did not
identity as Ills handwriting the same change on
the ticket Of Mr.. Judd, said to have been made
since the election.
Messrs Alfred Williams, L. S. Langley and R. H.
Gleaves were now respectively put upon the
stand, and testified substantially to the facts
which have already been given to the public, de-
scriJing in detail the manner In which the boxes
were prepared, sent out, received, opened and
counted The defence here closed.
The government put In some rebuttlng evidence,
and among others the testimony Of the carpenter
who made the ballotboxes, who testified that
they were not In the same condition as when
turned of from his hands, the nails being changed
In some Instances, and the sides and bottoms be-
Ing cracked, whether intentionally or from shrink
age he could not say. The last witness will prob.
ably be examined this morning, when the argu-
ments will commence.
'lTo BE Continued