The Van Buren press., 1873-01-07
From l.. r. Gazette. !

torneys, yesterday, filed before Hon H..
c. Caldwell, judge OF the U. $, district
court for the eastern district of Arkan-
sas, at chambers a compliant against 0.
A. Hadlsy, acting governor; James NJ,
johnson, secretary Of State, and NJ. L.
Stephenson, and +. j. Searls, candidates
of the opposite party forsupreme Judges,
and John Il. Bearden, candidate on the
reform ticket for the same place with
Judge Harrison, setting forth that o. A..
Hsdley appointed for registrars parties
pliable to his will, and who would aid
him in the execution of his unlawful
plans and fra idalent devices that it was
made condition precedent to their ap-
pointment that they should in all things
and by all unlawful means within their
power assist in the accomplishment Of
said end; that among the unlawful de-
vices Of the defendant Hadley, it was
through the fundamentally Of these of
fcers that large number of the citizens
Of the State, qualified voters, were de
prived the right of registration, or in
many cases when registered their names
were unlawfully stricken from the regis
tration books by reason Of their race,
color, previous condition or otherwise,
amounting to the number OF $4,000,
nearly, if not all Of whom would have
voted for complainant. That in the
further execution OF said unlawful scheme
a large number OF citizens who are col
ored and who were in a previous condi.
ton of servitude, were either refused reg
istration, or when registered their names
were stricken or eifaced from the list OF
registration on various frivolous and
unlawful pretexts, amounting to one
thousand and upwards. nearly all Of
whom would have voted for complainant
That said defendant, Hadicy. adopted
the means aforesaid to prevent said
voters from casting their ballots for de-
feudant-which votes, il counted, would
place complainant S election beyond con
troversv That on the lay Of election
sxA parties who had been deprived Of
the right to register, and those whose
names were stricken from the books, of
fercd to cast their bsllots for complain
ant they wer. refused the right to do
so, contrary to the act Of congress ap
proved May 81, 1870, and entitled An
act to enforce the rights of citizens OF
the United States to vote III the several
States of this Union, and for other pur
poses, ;" and the acts amendatory there
to. Complainant further a ers that he
believes the said Hadley, combining aId
conspiring with James NJ. Johnson, to
whom the election returns were to be
transmitted, combining and conspirine
with the board OF registrars and Of re
view and the judges Of election appointed
by them, have caused dishonest and
false count, and have faIsiiied the returns
and certificates of the result-saia count,
canvass and certificates are so false and
untrue for the reason in part that large
number of,the ballots deposited at said
election by persons OF color have not
been counted. That he believes the votes
and ballots SO suppressed and cast for
him, in connection with other votes lille
gally suppressed, are sufficient to elect
complainant. Complainant further AYERS
that clerks Of several of the counties,
conspiring with said Hadley and John
son, made out falls fed and incorrect
copies Of the registration, they having
previously frsudulsntly altered the sams
by striking from the original copies the
names Of legal voters to II large number,
among whom were citizens Of color.
Complainant further AYERS that said John
sbn opened said returns well knowing
that many Of them were fraudulent, and
th val pt nd In
den had been duly elected by msjority
OF At least - votes, yet combining and
conspring with the said Hadley to car
ry out successfully their long before con-
ceved idea and plan to defraud said com
plainant and said John L. Bearden out
Of their offices, to which they had been
elected, and fraudulently publishing =
false and incorrect count Of said votes,
as follows:
For NJ l. Stephenson, 40,763 for f.
j. Searls, 40, 500; for VIM. NJ. Harrison.
39,l36; fer John L. Bearden, 30,230
And the said Hadley, for the purpose of
carrying out his conspiracy, has commits
stoned said Stephenson and Searle--when
said Hadlsy and Johnson well knew that
complainant and Joha 7. Bsarden were
elected by at least 10000 majority over
them, and said published statement was
known to be false and fraudulent made
by their co couspiratsrs, the registrars,
boards ofrevicw and judges OF election
and in addition thereto, said James NJ
johnson rejected large number sfvotss
returned for complainant on slight and
frivolous grounds.
Complainant further avers that in
many instaNccs supervisors were pre-
vented from examining the registration
aed were prevented from being present
when the votes were caAvassed, whereby
many legal voters, who cast their votes
for complainant. were deprived Of their
right Of suffrags-and inasmuch as no
general supervisor has been appointed
said supervisors cannot make their re
turns.
Complainant further states that when
parties have spplied to said Johnson on
his behalf for inspection Of returns, he
has refused to allow the same, and stated
he would not permit any person now to
make such inspection, all Of which was
done, as believed, to conceal the fraudu-
lent action in relation to said returns
Complainant further charges that said
Hadley and johnson, combining and
with other persons, even
after the election, discovering that in
spite OF the fraudulent acts, said com.