Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1879-01-31
THE TELLER COMMITTEE.

CHABLEsroN, s. o., Jan. a.
The Teller Committee, consisting Of sens
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
IL 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
| II was also testified that the Democratic Su-
! pervisors had no clerks j. n. Gregg (col-
| ored), the Republican United States Super
| visor at Eagle Engine House, was the first
witness, and testified that the election was
| quieti when the polls closed 1t was found
| that there were a number of tissue Demo
cratic tickets in the box, and that there were
l5S votes more than there were names
| OF persons who voted; the excessive
| votes were drawn out by blndfolded
manager Mr.. Hutchinson, Republican United
States Supervisor testified that at the polls In
st. James, Goose Creek Parish, there were l35
tissue Democratic tickets and the same ex-
cess over the number of votes; the excessive
ballots were drawn out, majority withdrawn
being Republican votes; the election was quiet.
w. j. Elfe (colored), Republican United States
Supervisor at Washington Engine House, tes-
titled that eighty-one votes were turned away
by the managers for different reasons; soon
after the counting of votes began the lights
went out and witness fled through back
window and went home; nothing has ever
been heard of the ballot-boxes or ballots. e.
G. White, Democratic Commissioner Of
Election, testified that the resolution to ap-
point none but Democrats as managers
was agreed to bv three commissioners one of
these being a Republican, and the appoint
ments were so made unanimously. A. Barker
James, Democratic Commissioner, testified to
the same effect. First saw Democratic tissue
ballots In the rooms of the Democratic com
mittee; after the election he found in the bal
lot-boxes a number of tissue Republican bal
lots; the object OF the Democrats in issuing
tissue tickets was to enable the colOred people
to vote secretly for Democratic candidates
without risk of moestatiou. G. X. Brest,
Democratic County Chairman, testified to the
same effect
CHARLESTON, s. O., Jan. 2.
E. NJ. Pinckney (colored minister, Repub-
lican, testified to the existence of three com
panics 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
polls, and in the evening captured the ballot
box and stuffed it. John NJ. Freeman (col-
ored Republican,, Supervisor at Palmetto
Engine House, testified that the arrest,
by his order of Democratic voter
for a repeater, resulted in witness being
knocked down and kicked but the interven-
tion of Democr ats saved aim from more serl-
GUS injury; when he returned into the poll |
ing place he found that his poll-list was gone
up to that time 9l5 votes were polled, and
when the poll closed the total of the vote
proved to be over $500; witness saw Demo- |
cratic tissue ballots stuffed into the box
knew of no ostracism of colored Democrats by |
Republicans, and thought the ostracsm was |
Just the other way. a. w. Green (colored |
Republican, testified to the same effect. II, |
s. Cathcart (white Democrat), testified that
large number of colored people voted the |
Democratic ticket, and the tissue ticket |
was voted openly. G. D. Bryan presi- |
dent of the Democracy of Ward l. testified |
that only three tissue tickets were voted in |
his ward; the white residents of the ward |
went to Palmetto Engine House at Market |
Hall in Ward in consequence of the crowd |
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;
did not know of colored Democrats being |
killed for voting such ticket, but knew OF
white men being killed while protecting col
Ored voters
CHARLESTON, s. c., Jan. @.
J. J. Young (colored Republican,, Super
visor of the Thirtytwo Mile House poll, testi-
fed that when the ballot-boX was opened an
excess of 34l ballots was found, all of which
we're Democratic tissue ballots; the surplus
votes were drawn out and all but five with
drawn were Republican votes; witness stated
that tissue tickets had been used by Repub-
icans at the primary elections in Charleston
some years ago. Sam Lee (colored Republic.
any, from Sumter County, testified that
early in the canvass, at precinct meet
ing in that county he was notified that
no Republican would be allowed there; wit
ness insisted and twenty armed men threat
ened to shoot him and then rode off; witness
described 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 if he did not
call the meeting to order he would be taken
back to Sumter; he was knocked down and
taken in buggy to Sumter, and told that If
he would not promise not TO call another
Republican meeting In the county he would
be killed; the election was quiet, but there
were 2l5 names more on the Democratic
pol-list than on the list witness kept;
these votes, he claimed, were tissue tickets
voted in large Democratic ballots. On cross
examination witness testified that he was a
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. II. Stewart, colored school teacher,
was called and corroborated the testimony
of Lee as to the Rafting Creek meet
ing. On cross-eXamination witness admitted
that he and Lee made speeches at the meet
ing without interruption; the Democratic
meeting was held at the depot, some distance
from the Republican meeting; heard no shots
fired during the day; heard that the leading
Democrats did their best to prevent the diff
Guilty. j. Coglan, (white Republican, aged
seventy-six, 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 him; some red shirts
approached him, and he drew his pistol and
bade them keep off; witness corroborated the
testimony of Lee and Stewart as to the cleo
tion.
CHARLESTON 8. c.. Jan. "a.
Butler Spears (colored Republican,, of
Sumter County, testified that he was pursued
and fired at by Democrats, and w. II. Single
tn.. testified to finding packages Of tissue
tickets in the ballot box at Swimming Pen
precinct. G. NJ. Noise and Marion Noise,
white Democrats of Sumter, testified to gen
eral good feeling toward colored people in
the county, and non-interference of Demo-
Gratis with the Republican meeting on Oct
60, I,., tal trtttl