The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-09
THE BALLOT-BOX.
moREoFI ITS MYsEER1ots LESSONS.

Z
MoREoFI ITS MYSTERIOUS LESSONS.
--.- .,e--
Active Penmen-The Wonders Of Chiro-
sraphy-Writtng Candidates Int o
Omce-Who Did It!-The Cat stillsin
the Meal Tub.
II will be remembered that our last record OF
the trial OF the Beaufort con uilssouers or cleo.
ton closed with statement BY ar. C. q. Wright,
EUnted States assessor that he discovered no less
than three prominent hand writings in the changes
on tickets from Bowen to DeLarge, running
| through boxes from precincts fifty miles apart
Mr. S. @. Millett, ex.president Of the Port Royal
Railroad, testified that he voted the Reform
ticket at Beaufort, and for c. @. Bowen as
the candidate. for Congress. Previous to the
election. had many conversations with one
| OF the comm 'ssloRers who was bitter partisan,
and, while the latter did not say he would stuff
the baliot-box, he did strongly intimate that 1t
| would be useless for anybody to .'butt against
him or his party.n Thit waa the common talk
| around Beaufort. Witness did not profess to be
an expert, but was familiar with handwriting.
Knew that of Mr.. Williams, one OF the commits.
sioners, but was not 80 well acquainted with the
handwriting OF Gleaves and Langley his two
Eassoeiatea on the board. Witness here examined
ftfckets.from Gray's HILL Cypress Greek, Beaufort,
&C., and states that he discovers two or three
handwtltings prevailing In those boxes. Would
not swear it was Mr.. WillIams's hand; but wit.
ness has seen him write two, three or four hands.
If
ner, on United States treasury notes, so that one
could not tell the difference. Williams is the
greatest expert with q pen witness ever
saw. There are certainly three different
hands ruhning Though these boxes, and the
same person wrote the chahses In all. Witness
however could not Identify anybody, because the
writing is inSpencil. On examination, witness
states that he was not q Bowen man, but as be-
tween TWO evils, he voted for @. G. Bowen. There
had been great hue and cry against the COM
missloners and witness wrote TO Governor Scott
that he considered 1t q crowning crime TO appoint
three such men to count votes, when two OF them
were running for ONCE. Does not pretend to
recognize williamss handwriting, because 1t is In
lead pencil. Had no interest In. the result OF the
trial, except that q great crime had been CON-
mitted In the community which demanded
punishment. 1t was common by-word in town
'sYou have got the voting, but we have got the
count" Witness now made more careful ex.
animation OF votes In the several boxes, and tes
tilted TO the remarkable similarity In the changes
from Bowen to DeLarge which are everywhere
evident. In the Peoples precinct great num-
Der of changes were In the identical hand OBJ.
seryable In the Beaufort box, yet the two places
are forty miles apart.
Mr.. q. q. Judd was recalled to testify as TO the
manner In which he separated one precinct from
another, and was enabled to arrive at the results
reported by him. He stated that 1t was done BY
comparing the number OF ballots and their ar.
rangement. when strung, with the tally list fur
nIshed by one Of the committee OF citizens who
had compared 1t with the report OF the commis-
sioners. There was one large bundle OF $50 which
had no Indication as to where It belonged. In
making an examination Of the ballots, they were
kept absolutely separate There was no reason
why the halot.bo2es could not have bsen de-
posted in the county vault as 1t was In perfect
~ secure condition, and all the keys had been
rendered to the commissioners.
Witness testified that Bythewo ood told him Mr..
Williams had promised to give him money to
keep away, and it was the reason why he fB.) did
not wish to appear before the grand jury. The
character OF Bythewood for truth and honesty
was unknown to him. but he was common
drunkard, and had been incarcerated in jail and
punished times without number.
Henry PoTlitzer testified that while standing
back OF the chair OF Mr.. Williams, one Of the com.
mlssoners. while he was calling out the names on
the tickets, he saw Williams read from mis-
printed or blurred ticket the names OF Scott and
Ranser but omit the name OF G. @. Bowen. which
was less defective than the other two. Thought
the omission very strange one, aud spoke OF the
fact several times in Beaufort.
John Proctor, deputy marshal testified that
he was sent 10 Beaufort to arrest the balot-boNes
and bring them to Charleston. On the evening
OF the fh.of January, he found them-stored under
the house OF Mr.. Williams, one 9f,the commission.
ers, with the exception Of two which were used
to prop up a boat near by. There were twenty
four In ALL, They were examined nrSt On these
premises, then put upon cart and carried to the
house Of Mr. Judd where they were further ex.
amined by two carpenters y>.whom they were
constructed. These carpenters stated that some
alterations had been made In the boxes since they
were turned out OF their hands, and called atten.
tlon to some Of the nails which did not correspond
with those originally driven. They also gave wit
ness several Of the nails as specimens Of those
used by them nsthe construction Of the boxes.
This examination was made in the presence Of q
number ofpersOns Ten OF the boxes were there.
upon brought to Charleston, and the remainder
were left With Mr.. Jadd. United States commits.
The carpenters stated they had made 20, but
only "a could be found
In some Of the boxes the carpenters said, they
found the nall holes In such condition as led
them to believe the heads OF the natis had been
drawn through, and whoever did ltswas not par.
ticular In putting other nails Ia the same holes
(The boxes were now submitted to the Jury for
On the tenth day Of the examination upwards
of forty witnesses were examined from Peoples
they voted. and the character OF tla changes
which appear when votes could be identified.
The prosecution then announced that Its case
was closed. and the court adjourned until Mon
day, when the defence examined three witnesses,
whose testimony we shall publish tomorrow.
!. THE ACADEMY OF MgsIo.-At the request OF
the admirers OF Mr.. Watkins's dramatic produc.
ttions, fTrodden Down nas his choice drama, was
repeated fastnight, and, as on the OCCASION ofits
first presentation, WAS warmly received. There
are few plays more aboundng In striking drama
| Il hxron