The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-08-27
WAYS THAT ARE DARK"

peculiarities Of the recent election in
this county, especially as relates to the
office Of Sheriff. 1t is we'll known that,
under existing laws, the Sherifalty Of
Ohio county is the most valuable office
in the State. There may be, and there
probably is, some exaggeration in the
popular idea Of its profits, but there is
no doubt of the fact that it pays we'll
and allows its incumbent TO retire al
the end OF four years moderately rich
man. 1t is this that creates for the
Office the strongest possible competition
and gives to the question as to who
shall be Sheriff an influence that over
shadows all other considerations in such
a canvass as that we have recently
passed through. The adoption or re-
lection of the new Constitution, the
Governorship, and all other matters in
issue were completely swallowed up In
the all absorbing question as to who
should be Sheriff of Ohio county.
Under these circumstances it might be
expected that very full vote would be
polled- and that every Involvement
would, be resorted to to gain single
vote
Now look at the result. Less than
two years ago, at the election held on
the 2lst Of October, 1870, Mr.. SHALL
CROSS received for the office Of Sheriff
of this county PSI votes, and Mr..
Brown received 236l, thus beating his
opponent by a majority Of 30. On
last Thursday Mr.. Jingle received $3.50
votes, Cor AS more than Mr.. SHALL
CROSS and POS more than Mr.. BROWN in
1870 and on the same day, according
to the returns, 1906 votes were cast for
Mr.. BRowN, thus giving him a majority
of 400 over Mr.. TINGLE. Two years
AGO, after a full canvass, 1912 votes were
polled in the county; this year there
were 5532; an increase of 1920. That
the legitimate vote Of the county should
increase by this enormous number
nearly twenty-five per cent, intwo years,
is simply absurd! 1t cannot be ac-
counted for on any suppositlon that
does not fix the brand OF fraud
upon at least 500 votes, or one
half of the reported increase.
OF course there has been some in
crease in the voting population of the
county; there has been the usual num-
Der of naturalizatious and the usual
number Of young men who attained
their majority but it is quite unexam-
pied and unprecedented that the
increase should amount to twenty-five
per cent of the rhols voting population.
Certainly no better evidence of fraud is
needed than simply the citation Of this
single fact. 1t is, moreover, a remark =
able circum stance that a very large
majority of this remarkable increase
stands recorded in favor Of Mr.. Brown.
Look at Madison township, for in
stance, which shows an increased vote
OF 90, only of this number being cast
for Mr.. Jingle and 95 for Mr.. Brown.
A similar circumstance, but which in
wolves an additional element among
the ways that are dark, appears in
Richie township where Mr.. Jingle
received 81 votes less than were cast for
Mr.. SHALLCRoss two years ago, and Mr..
Brown appears to have l49 more than
were cast in his favor when candidate
before. The increase in the vote is
ISL Richie is in reality Democratic
township. 1t was carried by Mr..
SHAlLcRosstw two years ago by a majority
of 4S, and, for years past, has voted
uniformly and consistently for the nom.
inees of the Democratic party. And
vet in that township last Thursday,
Mr.. BRowN had a majority OF lS5 and
Governor JACOB 100. BRowN and
JACOB appear to run upon the same
ticket, side by side, while between
TINGLE and CAMDEN there is only the
difference Of two votes in Richie town
ship. Ifthere was no collision there
between the BRowN men and the JACOB
men, this was a most singular coin
cideuce. Does it not, rather prove
that protested Democrats deliberately
"sold OUT their regularly nominated
candidate for Sheriff in order to obtain
votes Tor jacob We are firmly of
opinion that Ohio couoty would never
have given a majority for Governor
JACOB, except in pursuance of an ar
rapgement for Mr.. TSeLE's slaughter
as the price Of JAcoB's success. The
vote Of nearly every township in the
county shows that JACOBS friends were
BRowN's friends also, and that the
Democrats who abandoned their party
to vote for JACOB generally voted for
Brown. This is the most striking
result OF .aths JAess movement" in this
.Soasy,s and fh efs Is at least some eyi-
dence for the belief that the men who
originated and. engineered that move