Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-08-07
From Washington.
WASHINGTON, July 81, 1879.

In accordance with last week s let
ter continue the extracts from Hon
Chas. G. Williams speech.
S. S. Hanna, United States super
visor testifes as follows:
"As [ was going to say, about hal
an hour before the polls were about t,
close that evening, about forty demo
Gratis came up to the polls and askec
me what business I had there; saiC
| was United States Supervisor, an,
my business is to supervise the cleo
ton they told me had no business
there; several pistols were drawn OF
me, and [ was driven away E; DIR. Byrd
who was captain of the company, tolC
me to leave the place [ came away
and after | came away and they voted
they came down, and there came very
near being a collision there near the
polls. was not allowed to 90 back
there any more. When the voting
had got through. the managers SEM
word for me to come back up and helE
them canvas the votes [ asked i
those men had taken the proper oath
| asked that because, before / left
they had commenced voting without
any oath being administered thew
had voted regardless Of the oath OF
anything else. | went back up and
helped canvas the votes. | asked the
democratic managers they wore all
democrats-what was the number OF
votes on the poll-list [ could not
keep list. [ had asked the men as
they came up to vote, or after they
had voted, what their names were. So
that ! could put Thorn down on the
list, and came as near making full
Hist as | could the colored men cen
orally gave me their names; [ think
all Of them did the white men gen
orally would not give me their names
at all they told me I had no business
there, and had no right to keep any
polllist, therefore | had to do the best
| could under this disadvantage. [
saw before | was driven away that they
had commenced stuffing the box.
Question. What did you see?
Answer. | saw men rushing right
up and voting without taking any oath;
nor was it required | stayed on the
steps as long as | could see what was
going on. They said they intended to
carry that precinct no matter how folks
voted.
Now, as matter of good faith, al
low me to refer to one other passage of
the gentlemen's speech, and see ii all
the absolute fairness and truth exists
on that side the Chamber. He saws ::
No one can doubt this who witnessed
the elections conducted under bayonct
lule in the south in 1876, when the
soldier, with drawn sword in hand. di-
rected who should vote. Lest this as
founding statement should be doubted.
L quote from the uncontradlcted testi-
mony taken In the contested election
case of Tillman Us. Smalls. At paoe
$40 Mr.. [. |. Adams, tsstifying as to
the voting in South Carolina in 1876
at box No. 2, known as the school
house box, makes the following sworn
statement:
Question. State. Mr.. Adams.
what you saw while standing in the
school-house waiting to vote.
ANSWER. | saw Lieutenant Hoyt
Jump II the window; from three to
five soldiers followed him; he went I'M
very near the box and drew his saber
and had the soldiers fix their bavo-
nets.
80. When he drew his sword, was
his attitude threatening one?
"a. 1t was /; it would have frighten-
ed timid man, to say the least of it.
30. What did the soldiers do af-
ter they had fixed their bayonets?
A. They remained in their attitude
until | left. [ was there about thirty
minutes. There was a company out
side the house in plain view of the
building"
Mr.. Abraham Jones, an aged and
most respectable citizen, testifes, at
page 595, as follows:
80. Have you not been a member
OF the Legislature, and have you not
filled other offices in the county?
GA. [ was elected to the Leeisla-
ture six times. and have held other Of.
fees ever since from the time I was
twenty-one.
20. Did you vote and if you
did, where did you vote?
"A. At Morrison's school house,
that day
80, How long did you remain
that day.
"a. was there from two O'Clock
until nearly dark.
%. While you was there did YOU
see ~ intimidation by the whites