The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1879-01-30
THE TELLER COMMITTEE.
CHARLESTON. 8. c.. Jan,

CHARLESTON. 8. c.. Jan. q.
The Teller Committee, consisting of Sena-
tors Teller, Kirkwood, Cameron, Randolph
and Mcdonald began an Investigation of the
late general election to-day. All the witnesses
examined were from Charleston County, and
It was admitted by both Democrats and Re
publicans that all the election officers, except
ing clerks, were appointed upon the recon-
mendation OF the Democratic Committee
that one Of these Commissioners of Election
for the county was Republican; that the
managers Of election at the different precincts
were exclusively Democrats, and that the
United States Supervisors at the different
polls were not allowed to have clerks, there
being no provision by law for such persons.
1t was also testified that the Democratic Su-
pervisors had no clerks. ]. N. Gregg (col-
ored), the Republican United States Super
visor at Eagle Engine House, was the first
witness, and testified that the election was
quiet; when the polls closed it was found
that there were a number of tissue Demo
cratic tickets in the box, and that there were
15S votes more than there were names
Of persons who voted; the excessive
manager. Mr.. Hutchinson, Republican United
States Supervisor, testified that at the poll in
st. James, Goose Creek Parish, there were 135
tissue Democratic tickets, and the same ex-
cess over the number of votes; the excessive
ballots were drawn out, q majority withdrawn
being Republican votes; the election was quiet.
w. j. Elfe (colored), Republican United States
Supervisor at Washington Engine House, tes.
tit titled ed that eighty-one votes were turned away
after the counting of votes began the lights
went out and witness fed through a
back window and went home: nothing
has. has ever been, been heard OF wtia the ballot ballot
cratic Commissioner of Election, testified that
the resolution to appoint none but Democrats
as managers was agreed to by three commits
sioners one u tness being Republican. and
T. Barker James, Democratic Commissioner,
testified to the same effect. First saw Demo-
cratic tissue ballots in the rooms Of the Dem
ocratic committee; after the election he found
In the ballot-boxes number of tissue Repub-
lican ballots; the object of the Democrats in
issuing tissue tickets wac to enable the col
ored people to vote secretly for Democratic
candidates without risk of molestation. G.. X.
Brest, Democratic County Chairman, testified
to the same effect.
CHARLESTON, 8. c., Jan. %.
E. NJ. Pinckney (colored minister), Repub-
panies of Red Shirts In Williamsburg County;
also gave an account Of an alleged interfer
ence with the Republican meeting at White
Oak; stated that the Democrats refused the
United States Supervisors admission to the
box and stuffed it. John II. Freeman (col
ored Republican,, Supervisor at Palmetto
Engine House, testified that the arrest,
by his order of Democratic voter
for q repeater, resulted in witness being
knocked down and kicked, but the interven-
tion Of Democrats saved him from more seri-
GUS injury; when he returned into the poll
ing place he found that his poll-list was gone;
up to that time 915 votes were polled, and
when the poll closed the total of the vote
proved to be over 3,500; witness saw Demo-
cratic tissue ballots stuffed into the box;
knew of no ostracism Of colored Democrats by
and thought the ostracism was
ina h0 nj
testified to the same effect. r.
8. Cathcart (white Democrat), testified that a
large number of colored people voted the
ticket, and the tissue ticket
dent Of the Democracy of Ward 1, testified
that only three tissue tickets were voted in
his ward the white residents of the ward
went to Palmetto Engine House at Market
at his poll; one colored man brought up eighty
five colored men who voted the Democratic
ticket; intimidation OF colored Democrats by
negroes at the previous election was common;
killed for voting such ticket, but knew OF
white men being killed while protecting col
ored voters.
CHARLESTON. 8. c., Jan. q.
j. ]. Young (colored Republican,, Super
visor of the Thirty-two Mile House poll, testi-
fed that when the ballot-box was opened an
excess of 341 ballots was found, all OF which
votes were drawn out and all but five with
drawn were Republican votes; witness stated
that tissue tickets had been used by Repub-
licans at the primary elections In Charleston
some years ago. Sam Lee (colored Republic
an), from Sumter County, testified that early
In the canvass, at precinct meeting
In that county he was notified that no
would be allowed there;
ened to shoot him and then rode of; witness
the Interference of the Democrats
with the Republican convention at Sumter,
where there was a disturbance but nobody
hurt; he also described the Rafting Creek
meeting, where the Democrats insisted on be-
ing heard and told him that II he did not call
the meeting to order he would be taken back
10 Sumter; he was knocked down and taken
would not promise not to call another
Republican meeting in the county he
would be killed; the election was quiet, but
there were 215 names more on the Demo-
cratic poll-list than On the list witness kept;
these votes, he claimed, were tissue tickets
voted in large Democratic ballots. On cross
witness testified that he was
candidate for Congress in opposition to the
regular Republican ticket in 1874, and in the
canvass charged the Republicans with fraud
and corruption and intimidating colored peo-
pie. j. Fl. Stewart, colored school teacher,
was called and corroborated the testimony
Of Lee as to the Rafting Creek meet
ng On cross-examination witness admitted
that he and Lee made speeches at the meet
Ing without interruptions; the Democratic
meeting was held at the depot, some distance
from the Republican meeting; heard no shots
during the heard that the leadg
Guilty. j. Coglan (white Republican,, aged
testified that he spoke at the
Rafting Creek meeting; after the meeting he
called the Republicans together at the court
house to keep them out OF trouble; the Dem
ocrats threatened to kill bin; some red shirts
approached him, and he drew his pistol and
oade them keep of; witness corroborated the
of Lee and Stewart as to the cleo
lion.
CHARLESTON, g. c., Jan. "a.
Butler Spears (colored Republican,, of
Sumter County, testified that he was pursued
and fired at by Democrats, and w. II. Single
ton testified to finding packages Of tissue
tickets in the ballot-box at Swimming Pen
precinct. G. d. Noise and Marion Noise,
white Democrats of Sumter, testified to gen.
The county, and non-interference Of Demo-
Gratis with the Republican meeting on Oct.
l2. The former said he was disguised with
the conduct Of the Democrats in offering
tissue tickets in the sumter box could
only have got there by fraud. g. ]. Hanna, q
colored Supervisor, testified to being assaulted
and driven from the polls at Kings Tree, In
Deputy Marshal at the same place, was as
saulted by party of Democrats, who, then,
without being sworn, voted tissue tickets by
The handful. Other Supervisors testified to
being refused admission to other polling
places in the county. r. E. Blair and j. w.
Johnson, Republican Supervisors at Camden,
Kershaw County, testified that the polls were
70 crowded by whites that the colored people
could not vote, and large number Of tissue
tickets were found in the ballot-boxes. j. NJ.
Cantey and w. N. Shannon, Democratic Su-
pervisors at the same place, and W. ID.
County Chairman, testified that
after nine in the morning the crowding was
over, and that everybody who chose to do so
could vote, and that many colored people alb
stained from voting at the instigation Of their
leaders. N. 8. Shelton, Edward Benson, Pres
ton Thompson, and other Supervisors OF Co
umbis testified to interference with United
States officers by Democrats; also to voting
Issue tickets wrapped up in large Democratic
tickets, and to fraudulent voting extensively
md generally.
CHARLESTON, 8. c.. Jan. Is.