The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-12-26


pers of 1868 were proof Of citizenship
unless proof of actual fraud were made
1t seems that day or 30 before the
election, Davenport caused one of hi'
employees to "swear before him to abou
four thousand printed complaints" against
persons registered, charging each one o
them with "usiug certificate of natural
ization unlawfllly issued" These 80
called complaints were sworn to in
lump, and not even read by DAvenport'f
Instrument, Davenport issued warran
for the arrest of the accused, and placed
the same in the hands of marshals ht
detailed to the various polling places il
the city, so that they were there at the
opening of the polls, the proceedings
being kept strictly secret Here is wha
followed:
As soon as each voter who had regis
tered upon papers issued in the year 6s
presented himself, he was arrested and
taken from the polls, unless known to he
in favor of the Republican ticket, when
he was not molestod, Early in the day
the men were arrested and taken away
to intimidate others. When the result
had been accomplished, those coming
later were told that if they did not vote
they would not be interfered with. If
they did vote they we're arrested on the
spot. In many cases those arrested were
taken in the first place to the Republi'
can headquarters of the district, and
from there to DaVenport's rooms. The
others were taken there directly.
On the upper floor of the Postofice a
large "save pen" had been provided,
into which these men, guillless of any
crime were thrust like wild beasts, until
it was packed with a struggling mass OF
suffering humanity, and there they were,
kept in that condition for hours without
food or water. In addition to those thus
confined, the court rooms of the Circuit
Court were crowded with other prison.
ers waiting the slow process of having
their case disposed of by three Commits.
acknowledgement, deuel. ald Shields.
There were several other Commissioners
in the building, or where their services
could have been obtained, but these ca
ses were only brought before these three
one being the instigator of the whole
and the other two clerks
employed by him in his Office as clerk Of
he United States Circuit Court, and
subservient to his will. In ad
lition, it was physically impossible for
hese three NJ en- to hear the vast number
II cases brought before them during cleo
ion day.
Then we have this description of the
process adopted, which had been agreed
lpon beforehand, in hearing the cases
The men were called up one by one
nd asked a number of questions, partic.
Ilarly if they had voted. If they had,
nd if their naturalization was regul4r
to their statements. they were
Informed that if they waived an exami-
ation they would be released upon their
wn reCognizances to await the action of
he grand jury, and were accordingly dis
harged. Ifit appeared not to be regu-
ar they we're held to bail. If they had
lot voted, they were told that they would
e required to give bail varying from 81
90 to $5 900, unless they would pledge
themselves not to vote, being also told
hat they would be arrested second
ime if they broke their promises, it
aving been previously y announced by
Jom ~ missioner Davenport, that he would
xercse what he termed his legal right,
f taking twenty-four hours to examine
nto the suAiciency of any bail which
night be offered, and would commit the
arty arrested in the meantime. This
yas equivalent to informing those men
hey would be locked up for at least a
ay if they refused to give the required
ledge, and with more or less demur, it
,as given by all. Nor was the threat of
for its violation an idle one.
The persons thus arrested and incar-
Grated for hours like felons included all
asses of society, from merchants 20 day
.borers. Among them were a number
soldiers and sailors who had been nat
ralized upon the honorable discharge
ley had received from the navy. One
T these had lost his right arm, but even
Q was not released until he had promis-
4 not TO vote, the Commissioner natu.
ally having great trouble in explaining
, him why he should not be allowed to
xercise the right of q citizen, for which
Q had shed his blood
With scarcely an exception the persons
rrested had gone to the polls with the
lea Of only being there for a few mo
rents, and their arrest caused great
ardship Some had sick and dying rel.
ives who needed them, or were sick
lemseIves; others would lose their stu
ions by their absence; several were car
zen who had left their teams standing
| the streets and did not know what had
ecome Of them; many were lightly and
Oorly clothed and suffered from expo
ire. In short, every possible injury
,st could be imagined, from the sudden
rrest of this great number of unsus.
Getting citizens in a great city, was suf-
red by these men.
The number arrested can only be as
,rtained by Congressional investiga-
on, as the petition says Davenport re-
Ised access to his records; but it is
nown 1900 warrants were sent out.
ot less than fifteen hundred persons,
owever, we're arrested and jailed in his
ave pens. The probable intimidation
voters is estimated by the petitioners
not less than seven Thousand, basing
,e calculation on the 1868 haluraliEed ]