Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1876-09-27
An Infamous Plot Exposed
THE "ADDITlON, DIVISION,
AND SILENCE RING AT
THEIR OLD WORK.
now GAMER on PROPOSES
TO C1RRY ONO AND
IND/IN.I
FULL DETAILS OF THE CUNNING
SCHEME OF FRAUD.
lSE'ECgAI..l
New York, Sept. 3

equals IN lnfHrna! Ingenuity the plot
of Cameron's hrnchmcn, Mackey,
Manu-, and Kemblc, to detraud the
voters Of Ohio and Indiana nj the AZ
proaching election. The scheme is
known IN all its details, aud We do
not say u word about i, which cannot
be proven beyond Il doubt. The con
spiracy is marked 10y such diaboica
ingenuity that ii seems at fist glance
like visionary romance. but II care
fnl eyam,nn'inu wih convince anyone
that unless previously exposed, it was
so cnnnlngIy contrived az almo,t TO
defy detection. Like all great work
OF art, it Is marked by simplicity, and
all who know anything OF The history
Of Pennsylvania know that Mackcy.
Mann, and Kemble.a masters in the
art Of fraud.
Failing in his plan to dragoon the
South, Cameron determined to have
Indiana and Ohio at all hazards. Ha
needed for the job, no ordinary work
men, or prentice hands, but the most
-kiltul in the black art of cheatery ::
men whom he knew, on whose bold
ness and dash in yilainy he could rely.
and who az vet had never failed. SO
he summoned his old and nusty pals
his fellow pupils under his father
and, with his counsel. the infamous
scheme was perfected, and put ito
operation. II vas agreed tha; not
word should be written. 50 that no
evidence might remain. The lcss.n
III the addition, Division and ST.
lcn"c' letter was not forgotten.
Twenty-Five men were picked ont,
supposed to b., til, most reliable for
such work i'll the whole State of
PENNSYLVANIA. Each man was G ven
his instructions separately. so that no
one might known the destination Of
another. or the details of his mission.
Two chiefs were chosen, each 10 con
mnnlcaie with a seclectc, member of
the State Committee OF Ohio and In
dion" FINDER the nrdn"g Il thaan
chiefs each subordinate was to take
charge of n designated district, and
select tie ,ind &c or Inspector OF elec-
ton to carry out the scheme in each.
Thc-scheme, in detail is. The select
Ell Judge or Inspector. after or during
the voting, drops 4 given number of
radical ballots in the LOT to tie tonnted.
The count disclosing by compari-
son with the tota! OF the poll-list an
excess OF ballots over lawful voters,
the question arises what to do with
the deficiency. After hesitation. the
Republican election officer will pro
pose, with apparent fairness, to settle
the excess by Withdrawing an equal
number of votes from each side. For
example, the excess being ten, to
throw oft five Democratic and five
Republican ballots. This proposition
seems, on its face, fur, and the Dem
ocratc inspector, unless unusually
suspicious or keen, is very likely, in
the hurry and excitement 4 canvass
ing the votes, to agree to the request
rather than vitiate the poll or confess
that fraud has been committed
through his neglect. So the ten
votes are Withdrawn, five on each side,
But THE TEN VOTES FRAUDULENTLY
INTRODUCED SILL REMAIN IN THE
COUNT. An average change of ten
votes in each of the 5S2 polling pre-
cincts of indiana would make Il fraud
of $500 votes, and the same opera.
ton in each of the 1900 precincts of
Ohio would make change of $4,000
votes. Of course wherever the Ring
Agent found a dishonest or stupid
Democratic official, many more than
ten votes would be introduced. In
some places the scheme would fail al
together. BUT THE CONSPIRA-
TORS ARE COUNTING ON AN
AVERAGE FRAUD BY THIS
PLAN OFTEN VOTES AT EACH
POLL, OR 1920 VOTES IN TdE
TWO STATES. Tbs IS THEIR
CALCULATION. 1t does
not matter whether the votes are dump
ed from the boxes before counting, or
each vote be taken from the box sing
ly, there will be in either case ample OPP
portunity during the day to introduce
the fraudulent excess. Neither does
it matter whether the votes are with.
drawn by equal selection, or by chance.
"A slight difference in the size or fold
ing of the ballot, Or in the texture of
paDer. will pnablo tho iustructod nv