New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-02-21

which ran along the whole front Of the house and
into tins window the white men handed In their
votes The piazza was. l Judge, about four feet
from the ground, and the window sill not more
than three feet above the piazza, giving to white
voters an opportunity to see all that was going
on within. White men were also admitted
TO the bar for refreshments during tho day.
but negroes were excluded The window through
which negro votes received about seven ieet
from the ground and Of course mono OF them could
see what was dono with their ballots after they
were handed in. The whole arrangement was sig
niicant Of an intention to delraud the
coored Republicans. E. Il. Gomto. almost the
only white Republican in the county was
a Judge OF election. He was fonnd at
his store. four miles beyond the villag
dressed in butternut suit and dealing ont powder
and shot. bacon, thread tobacco as his patrons
desired. Where the latter came from q mys-
tery for 10 house was visible in any direction. Yet
they did come. white and black and doubtless
found a sufficient reason in the fact that the place
was the cleanest and most inviting to be found in
DAYS walk and that's not saying much lor
il. The old gentleman. with his open, frank
face somehow had the look of Republican,
and proved to be one Of the most stalwart Judg-
Ing from appearances. he has not confined himself
to Diet OF bac0a, corn pome and whiskey, nor
acquired the habit of dOmineerug over his snbor-
dnates. # be ever had any, which habits are apt 10
give to the phvsiocnomieS of Southern planters the
pnched yet hord expression typical OF the race.
When he learned my errand. the old mans mug
nation rose Immediately to the point Of explosion.
d" tell vou said he those fellows are all rebels,
every one Of them" THIS seemed to relieve him. and,
calling his wife to "tond store" he entered
Cpon the naIrationof the event. what formally,
evidently believing that my MISSION was something
Of a judicial nature. "What tell you" lie com
y i4nced " viii swear to anywhere" which dom
onstiatcd the old mans grit. for hs situation
is not one Ia invite open criticism of lis white
nelghbors and he was almost the only man | met
who was willing 10 be known ~ having decided
opinion upon any political subject.
Briefly Mr. Gornto, on election day. took for his
part of the work to check off the names Of colored
men az they voted on q register which contained
their names alone. Al 6 O'Clock he estimated that he
had tailed more than three hundred coorcd votes,
and felt sure they were all Republican, while he
knew the whites had not polled anywhere near
that number. The judges and clerks retredt 10 an adj
Joining room to count the votes, ceremony in winch
all took part. Pretty soon Mr.. GorntO found Demo
cratic ballot folded in the usual way. but iucosng
another from which the margin had been torn so as
TO reduce its size about one half He called aten-
ton to the cheat, and threw the ballot aside.
shortly after he came TO another. and then he found
one Democratic ballot which contained SIX of the
marginless ones. Mr. GOrntO thinks II rather signf-
cant that none Of his Democratic associates found
any # these thngs-at least none were reported.
When the count was complete il was found that 469
ballots had boen cast, Of which the Democrats
hal 22l. Here's croOkeduess," said the old
man, .or have checked off more than 300 colorcd
mems Names and he counted his checks, finding
SOC. HIS associates were all young men.
They abused hun roundlg, and declared
tnat the cocrcd men had voted tho Dem
ocratic ticket. The old man couldn't swear
they diln't, although no felt confident Of
1t, and signing the certificate, hobbled away.
crowd var'Ouslv estimated at from thirty to fifty
colored men, was awaiting the result IL the middle
the road front of the tavern, while dozen or
fifteen whIte men were drinking and enjoying
Themselves according 10 their tastes IN the bar
room. How is It T. asked he cOlOred men, some
of Won been a-vOting the Democratic ticket" SAID
Mr. G1rnto painfully; " there's only % majority"
WIth one voice the cOored men protested that II
was no such thing, and that but one colOred man
whom they all knew had voted tue Democratic
ticket. found no man VINO dOubtcd that the whole
thing was "put up" fraud. and that while old
MIR. Gorut0 had been diligently checking OF the
COlOred mems names as they voted his associates
had been siuing Democratic ballots, as substitutes,
in the box. OF the riot which followed, parallel
in aT0city though not IN extent to that at IeDsaS,
in louisiana Will tell tn. story III another letter
as u was tod 10 me by dozen eye-wItneSses and
part pants.