Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-01
SHAMEFUL MAINE
A STARTLING RECORD OF FRAUD.
How James G. Blaine's State vas Carried
for the Republicans-The Whole Story
Of Coercion and Purchase Laid
- Bare Before the People.


BoSroS, October Sl.-The Gilobe pub
fishes iour-column preliminary report
OF its investigation into the alleged Re
publican frauds, intimidation and cor
rupton in Maine prior 10 and at the
last State election, 20 be followed at
once 10y afidayits substantiating all the
geneId charges made. The report, after
reviewing the struggles against the DOM
inant party in the State OF Maine, says
that during the closing days of the last
campaign rumOrs Of corruption on
the part OF the Republican party
filed the air. II became known that
the local leaders in various sections
had begun to boast that the election
would be carried. Il was asserted by
them that they had plenty OF money
and that the contrary was the fact with
the opposition, and Immediately after
the election il was held that the charges
assumed a more tangible form, The
week had not passed before a score Of
definite charges reached the GtOoS office.
They we're 80 astounding IN character as
20 be- almost incredible. Still, some OF
them were accompanied by such proof
as 10 leave little room for doubt The
corruption was said 90 be 50 wide
spread. so glaring and so open
that the Gi0bS az last determined
upon secret investigation in
L. 4 N.s.fr. h al =.
in the interest Of a Tree ballot, the puri-
" Of elections and true Democracy, "a
Government Of the people, by the peO-
pie, and for the people The work was
begun on Monday, September Is, one
week after the election took place. In
the course Ot the investigation the GLOBE
representatives have had much cordial
and valuable assistance from these GEN
tlen en-, without which IL could not have
heen 50 successful. The search for eyl-
q nee has been made in towns and
ties all over the state, and the re-
suh is that appalling evidence has been
elected from thousand sources, Repub-
leans themselves have made verbal and
written confessions Of crime and fraud.
The Democrats and Greenbackers have
pointed out facts % prove the work OF
bulldOziug and the most debasing cor
ruptions The records OF the election,
the official documents of the County
Courts, sworn statement OF sovereign
citizens, written instructions OF Repub-
hcan leaders and committees have lent
their involuntary aid in fsrritlng out
crime. The result has been the un-
earthing of the condition Of affairs I'm
State which has borne an hOnOred name
which will astound the reader. The
public will be iuCredulOus az first, but
when the whole part Of the intrigue Is
uniolded in detail. and the names Otthe
participants and their share in the work
given. there will no longer be
room 20 doubt in the mind Of
Any persons who Is willing 20
believe i'm the truth. Nothing 50 sub
yersiye Of the will and rights oithe
people. and - disastrous 90 gOOd gov
rrnmen, has been spread before the
American people since the history ot
the Presidential steal was given tO the
world. The report specifies the ntiml-
datiou Of llUOr dealers Iu certain cities
bv Republican municipal officials no
held pending indictments over them to
coerrt them into voting with the Re
publicaus, ami SAYS the sentences passed
we're not enforced, and the criminals
already imprisoned were set at large
without PARTON or any legal form by
the submission Of their friends 20 Re-
publican threats concerning the pur-
chase % votes The report says the
minor officers Of the revenue,
postmas,rrS, town officials and
others who belong IN the ranks
OF the Republicans have been induced,
under threats Oi losing their positions,
% 30 and repeat that which they freely
aCknOw lodged their COu>ClturtS forbade.
They have been forced 20 take money
from their pockets and that contributed
from other sources, anil - into the mar
ket and purchase lukewarn, dlsgruntled,
weak-minded and dunprincip.cd members
ofthe opposition, for such sums as they
could agree upon, taking contemplate
advantage Of the misfortune and ueCcs-
-itir, Oi those whom they called their
felloW-Citizens aud neigh nOrS. The eyl-
dencc cleaned from all sections Of the
State. in IN. nyes, "a ION, shows this
system Of purchase and pressure was
grnetal all over the commonwealth, and
lad its origin IN the headquarters Of
the party, and IN a certain head
of the organization. For instance,
scores Of men are found, who try % eX-
cuse themselves in the shameful prdc-
tice Of buying votes by remarks like
this: II always take care 10 pay men
for their time, 80 that there would be
nothing criminal about It, Stage
divers and mail agents have been EN-
ploved specially i'm this service, and the
coercion Of men by the use Of liquor -
recorded. In brjbing the rura, voters
written orders for groceries and boots
were distributed rs given Tor voting
che Republican ticket. Physicians
and LAWYERS testify o. th,Ir dread ui
ruin Of business AMI social standing lt
they avJw themselves Democrats. To
such an extent l. this true, that In a
prosperous and Pupu.uus city m
Maine men ShO have ca,.s to
argue or causes to defend hesitate
about employing Democratic lawyers,
aud some OF them the peers Of any ot
their Republican associates mn all that
constitutes a man or q LAWYER have be-
come absolutely Impoverished through
these depressing evils. In some lOCalI-
ties this OstraCISm has grown 20 be a
terrorism. Wursmen In the manutac-
turing towns Gul 10 'o their interest 10
vote as their EMPLOYERS do, iorwhIle not
uryrd tD iu words, ,ary see those who
are iudcpguirn, rut Oft from work soon
alter election. In several cities the
chccs lists have been tampercd with,
au.i nuu-resiCruts names added. Voting
Wa done on dead mems names, amt
votes oi unna,urjlizcd persons accepted.
Bates aud other college students have
voted. auG reu from Massachusetts, ant
Vermont uty, u-rd the ballot Illegally.
Clerks from Washington, it ~ alleged.
voted iu TOXINS whTrp they were never
seen before by anybody gho could r.