West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1879-02-08

appoint none but Democrats az managers.
was agreed TO by three Commissioners, one
OF these being a Republican, and the APP
pointIlents were so made unanimously.
The Republicans applied TO have their
party represented, but none was appointed
Witness was a member of the County Dem.
ocratic Committee, but did not act as such
after his appointment as Commissioner
J, Barker Jones, a Democratic Commits
sioner OF Election, testified TO the same
effect.
John NJ. Freeman, colored, Republican
Supervisor at Palmetto Engine.house, testi-
fed that the arrest by his order Of a Demo
cratic voter for repeating resulted in wit
ness being knocked down and kicked but
the Intervention OF Democrats saved him
from more serious injury. When he re-
turned into the voting place he found his
poll-list was gone. Up TO that time 9i5 votes
were polled, and about two hours later
when the poll closed, the total vote
proved TO be over $500. Witness saw
the Democratic tissue ballots stuffed into
the box, and saw large numbers in the box
when - was opened. Witness saw num-
Der OF persons voting tissue tickets. He
knew OF no ostracsm OF colored Demo-
Gratis by the Republicans, and thought the
Ostracism was Just the other way. At the
close of the examination Of this witness,
the ballot boxes were opened by the com
mittee and no ballots were found in the
box used at Palmetto Engine House, and at
two other polls. One box was examined,
and the whole were then given TO the com.
mittee OF Republicans and Democrats
tor examination and report as To the
number and kind OF ballots therein
A. w. Green (colored), Republican Dep
uty Marshal, At Palmetto Engine.house,
testified as to the fight in which Freeman
| was struck. The ballot box, when opened,
a hal L.. a.
the poll until the count was finished in the
! morning. Witness saw full size Democratic
ballots, with tissue tickets folded up in
! them, in the boz. Pretty nearly all the
tissue tickets were put up in that way.
| There were more ballots In the box than
| names on the poll list, and one Of the Dem.
ocratic clerks was at work throughout the
night adding names To the poll list to max e
the number agree.
r. 5. Cathcart (white), Democrat testified
that lac was at Palmetto Engine.house nearly
all election day. Freeman, the Supervisor
when the fight took place was protected by
Democrats. Green, previous witness ana
Deputy Marshal, proclaimed himself @
Democrat, and was so drunk that witness
put him in chair to sleep, and found him
there still asleep hours after. A large mum
Der of colored people vo,ed the Democratic
tickle, and the tissue ticket was voted
openly. Many white Democrats from other
Wdrub VOltu at Palmetto EuglnC-hOuSe
COlored men told witness that means mus
be furnished of voting secretly, and he gave
them tissue tickets.
The Teller Committee, January 25, took
additional Republican testimony, showing
the voting Of tissue tickets, wrapped ~
! large tickets, at various precincts in Rich
land County. Gen. johnson ii. Good
| Controller General, described meetings n
Sumter, October II, testifying that both
races were excited, and the whites expected
to be attacked by negroes. The block ms
OF the street by colOred people threatened
! to lead to trouble, and an alarm was rung
| but order was restored with difficulty
/ White and colOred Democrats from Sum
ter County testified that there were from ,
/ 500 to 1000 colOred Democrats in the c un
ty, and hundreds of them were seen to vote
the Democratic ticket. Two testified to be
ing cursed, jeered at and threatened by
colored Republicans, one being obliged tC
| leave his church.
w j. Whipper, colored, Republican, de
scribed the turbulent conduct of the Demo
cras, and demand for the division o
time in Hampton County. Three Repub
leans from COlleton County testified to in
! timidatiOn and the use of tissue ballots in tina
county. In one large ticket there wer,
| tifly-nine tissues. This testimony was
fatty contradicted by the Democrat,
County Chairman, who swOre to the thor
oughness and peacefulness of the Demo
| cratic canvass, which, with the accession
of prominent Republicans after the Re
! publican nominations were made, gave TN,
Democrats the county by q decisive ma
! jOrity.