The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-02-28
LETTER FROM IroDDRIDGE

a communication from some one OF this
place who signed himself observer.
in regard to the organization OF the
county court OF this county. If it had
not been that "Observer's" communi'
cation contains an ungentlemanly at
tack upon w. II. Hoskinson, the eff
cient president of that court, the late
Of this county and others.
we should treat it with that silent con-
tempt its author deserves, but since this
il the case, we desire to "rise to ex-
plain" ....... .,... has ID
Observer asserts that when the election
returns were examined it was found that
a slight informality existed in the rteurns
from Southwest township, and that by
throwing out the v, te OF that townsbipn
would elect C. 3. Lewis, Judge OF this
Circuit. Samuel Mcmillan, to the Leg.
islature, and Mr.. Hoskinson, President
OF the County Court, and that in view oil
these facts, the Board determined to set
aside the vote of Southwest township
Now, in justice to the Su pervisors,
since this subject has been referred to,
the public should have plain statement
OF facts that they may fully understand
the system OF frauds by which the radi.
calls determined to carry the election OF
August 22d, 1872. ..
When the returns came In from
Southern Township, to the surprise OF
both Radicals and Dem ocrats, they
showed Radical majority OF from 45
to 80 votes. In the palmy days o. Rad
icalism. when they had the Registration
machine in full operation, they never
succeeded in obtaining, in that town
ship, more than Is or 20 Majority, and
az The election held to elect member
OF the House of Delegates and State
Senator, the Democrats carried tine
township by strict party vote. The
returns rom that township in the face
OF these facts naturally awakened sus-
plcion in the minds OF the Democrats,
out nothing more would have been said
about an investigation before the Su-
pervisors had not William Maxwell,
the Radical candidate for sheriff. ap-
peared be ere the Supervisors with bis
counsel, one OF whom was Observer, and
flied his notice contesting the election
over himself OF Colonel FLOYD Nicely to
tat office: this Immediately led to a
thorough investigation at the instance
OF Colonel Nicely, of the poll-books OF
Southern Township. 1t was found
that the list OF the votes of that towns
ship, which is part OF the poll-books,
had not been counted up, and the mum.
Der set down at the foot OF the list, and
that no certificate of the number OF
votes cast had been made at the bottom
OF sad list aud signed by the Inspector
and Clerks a. ls premptorily directed by
section SO OF chapter 3 of the cooe.
Here was room for fraud, and law for
the preventation Of fraud having been
violated. Here was prima facie evidence
OF fraud. 1t was also found that in the
final certificate of the result instead OF
setting down in words at length tn
plumber OF votes each candidate received
A. directed by law it had been done in
figures and could have been easily
changed, and that the Justices who
swore the officers of election had failed
10 certify that some of them had been
sworn (if they were sworn)
In view OF these facts the Supervisors,
under their official oaths could do moth
ing else but set aside the election in
Southwest township, but before doing
20 they took the counsel OF some OF the
best LAWYERS OF the State, men who are
not residents of the county, and who
could have no interests In the matter,
and they all said, under their oaths,
the Supervisors could not recognize the
poll books OF Southwest township, as
the paper described by the law az q
poll book Mr.. Hoskinso did not act
a. a member OF the Board while this
question was before that tribunal, and
took no part in the matter; did not con.
test Crews election, who was his OPP
pouent As for Col Nicely, he beat
Maxwell in the contest, without throw.
ing out the vote OF any township
In the case of HsrrIson, Us. Lewis
and Wade, rs. Mcmillan, the evidence
shows that besides the detects in the
poll book OF this tow ship aforesaid,
that the polls were closed before suns
down, and that without consulting the
other officers OF election, the Radical
Inspector took the ballot box, unsealed
and with no fastening on it except a
string tied to the. lid, and buttoued to
the aide OF the box, and carried 1t in that
condition, in company with another
Radical, who was one OF Stevenson g
reiectors, a distance of three miles from
the voting place to the house OF Re-
publican, where they both took supper
that they had it in their possession, in
this condition, TOR about two hours, and
reioiued the other officers Of election at
store three miles from the voting
place, where the tickets were counted
1t was in evidence that the officers Of
election, all OF whom are Radicals, ex-
cept one Inspector, were not with these
men while they were carrying the bal
lot box in this condition, but a small
portion OF the way, and that they kept
out Of the way OF the Democratic In
spector entirely. who was not with them
from the time they left the voting place
until he found them at the store. 1t
was proven that tickets could have been
taken out and others put in without the
knowledge of any one except the two
men who had the box. On the Radi.
cal tickets the names Of the candidates