The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-10-09
INFAMOUS INTRIGUE,
CALICO CHARLIE's CONTRACT
FOR CATHOLIC CONVERTS.
The ShOetlnR Selling Son OF Seneca Proved al
migrate to His Party Friends and VIOls-
tor Of the SeItS LaW-FIst Footed Facts
to Make Deacon COWles and the
st. Gehan HOWlers Bquirm.
Special dispatch to the Enquirer.

| special dispatch TO the Enquirer
Columbus, o., October 8.-The original letters
In the YOttman- Bauer intrigue OF Char les Foster,
together with the short hand notes Of the inter.
views with the principal actors In the affair, are
| now In my possession. They prove, beyond ca
vii, chat Charles Foster, who was one OF the most
blatant Of the No POpery howlers in the St. Geg.
han campaign OF 1875 against Governor Allen,
| descended 10 the most hypocrticAl intrigue over
known In Ohio politics.
No Catholic will be Influenced by the corrupt
bargain that has been exposed, and 1t was thro'
their cooperation that the corrupt and indecent
effort to barter and transfer votes OF their church
members was brought to light One weeps, how.
ever at the thought Of how the crushing expo.
sure Of the trading FostOria trickster must strike
those who have heretofore thought him honest,
and whose main stay in politics has been
hatred Of Popery and Catholicism, such as the
campaign 1875 was run upon.
A few weeks since the Enquirer, upon the very
hest authority, charged that Charles Foster had
inaugurated a scheme through one Father Volt.
man, pastor Of the Catholic church at Canal Full.
ton, Stark county Ohio. by which Father Volt.
man pledged himself to transfer in several local.
tiles certain votes Of Catholic Democra Is to him
for Governor In consideration that Foster should
procure for Father VottmAn Chaplaincy in the
United States Army, or in more direct and terse
terms, a corrupt bargain and tale with promise
Of future delivery-fHt, of the appointment Of
Father Vottman, and, second, ON the day OF
election such Democratic votes as Father Vott.
man carried in his pocket by virtue Of his priest
ly character.
Both Of the parties thus implicated in viola.
ton of the Seitz Law, rushed II to partisan pa
pers witha full fat and solemn denial
Deacon Cowles, High Grand sachem of the o.
A. u, at the instigaIion Of Foster, declared the
charge that Foster had made promise of q
chaplaincy, willfully and infamously false.
Father VOttman, witt less expletives but equal
emphasis through the Columbian of this city, de
MED the charge and took cover unde er the cry
| of persecution.
The Youngstown News of Sept 6, 1879, under
the sacerdotal spur OF Father Vottmau, referring
to this corrupt bargain and sale, says: "a few
days ago Mr.. VOttman passed through Youngs.
town. and the facts in the case are plain ly shown
Ar. Vottman, as a priest, severed his connection
with the Catholic church.
"He is ereIting no Influence among the Catholics
| any more than ThUS. Ewing is exertiDg among
| the MethOdSts. Mr. VbLtman has no promise of q
SN'5'S'0"ee$N
| Charles F0Ster"
"Mr. VUIman II working for Mr.. Foster, ia
| working on his own responsibility among people
OF all religions, and ia paying hih own ex-
penses"
This charge Of bribery and corruption was def.
nite and positive In its character, and the denial
Of the parties implicated was prompt and une.
quivocal. AS honest men we were forced either
to withdraw the charge or institute an investiga-
ton. The latter alternative was followed.
The facts di.closed In this investigation abund-
antly subsantiated the truthiulness, In every
particular, Of the original charge, and stamp the
transaction as clear aud direct violation Of the
seitz Law.
The facts are as follows: Rev. Father Vottman
is priest In good standing In the Catholic
church. and was In June, and on the first day Of
October, 1879, the pastor in charge OF st. Phillip
and st. James church at Canal Full on, O.
In the first part Of July, 1879, Charles Foster
sent his foster brother, or as some say bis half.
brother, U. Portz, from FOstoria on a mission to
Father Vottman, Pastor in charge Of st. Phillip
and st. James church, at Canal Fulton, star4 Co.,
Ohio.
He arrived Saturday evening and stayed with
the priest until Monday mornisg.
Immediately after this visit, Father Voitman
talked Of the Chaplaincy In the army, and felt Of
the Democratic members OF his churck, with
view of getting their support for Foster.
About the 9th Of August, 1879, Father VOttman
wrote q letter to member Of the church at
Youngstown, Of which the following is an ex.
tract:
II would urge upon you the necessity Of hay.
ing as many OF our Catholic friends as possible
present at the meeting on August Is, when Mr.
NJ. yYtn hnN natvr s.A
should URGE all Catholics TO vote for Foster as
against Ewing. Mr.. Ewing is an aposlate from
the Catholic church.
"Bring as many OF your Catholic friends as
possible TO the meeting. l will try to be present
and introduce you TO Mr.. Foster. Yours. &C.,
E, J. VoTTMAN"
Father Vottman became uneasy about the de-
lay In receiving his appointment as Chaplain,
and complained Of It to Mr.. Foster, whereupon
Foster, about the middle Of Augu st, wrote to
Father Vottman ss follows:
81 do not know how the campaign will co. but
continue your work and you shall have your ap-
pnintment before the election, for we cannot
Afford TO do without your services and influence
among the Catholic Democrats.
Yours, CHAs. FOSTER"
few days after the receipt Of this letter by
VOttman he told several members Of his church
that he had received letter from Foster saying.
"that his (Vohmsn's) appointment was all right,
and would be received Oy the mall" and about
August q, or 2S, Vottman told several Of his
Catholic friends that he had received his ap-
pointment of Chaplain In the United States army
and that Foster got 1t for him.
On the 2Sth Of August Father Vottman wrote
several postal cards in Latin to his brother
priests, OF which the following IL q copy
"CARISIME: POsittonem in militia accept re-.
mini diCas nlsu sacerdoti veni quomodie potest.
Il, ]. VOTTMAN."
OF which the following is a translation:
"DEAREsT FRIEND: have received position
In the military service. Speak OF II TO no one
unless to the priests. Come at as early Gay as
you may be able u. ]. VoTrMAN."
On the same day he also wrote q letter. the
same import TO friend at Celinaville, o. On the
day he received his appointment he showed 1t to
at least TWO members Of his church at Canal Full.
ton, who are Democrats, and he told them Foster
had got 1t for him.
The foregoing settles beyond all controversy
the fact that Father Vottman had received an
appointment as Chaplain in the United States
Army and that Foster procured 1t for him.
Immediately after Father Vottman had receIv.
cd his Postttonem IN Militia nom Foster, hts half.
brother, N Portz, appeared at Caual Fulton,
ermed with the following manifesto from Father
Bauer: Catholic priest at Fremont dated AHRust
| 6, 1879:
II good word nom me can help Fosters
election ~ any way aud exert the least good In
huence t0ith day party aad person iuhateUer he
shall have tnat good word; Mr. Foster is true
Republican, bnt none OF that Rampant, fdnatical
sort. II beh0OUes Catholics 10 help etert snch man
q order q fotatergct @e ,otcssd tendency Of he H.
hoerdt and base sort Of RepubHcdas / LnluK Cain.
ocs w0uu SerUe their religion in The be st pos,ible
mauner by voting Tor "a gentleman Ike Foster
| 1t would be narrow m nded inRratitnde m vnte