New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-14
FRhTDS IN ALABAMA.

most outrageous fraud practised at the recent cleo
tion in Alabama. Ex-Governor Vim. III. Smith,
of that State recently appointed United States Dis
trctAttorney for Alabama. has written the follow
ing letter to Marshall Jewell, Chairman OF tho
National Committee:
The Republicans in this State put forth candidates
for any OF the state oices agreeing 10 VOC ior tne
Greenback candidates FOR STATE officers ana Grecnback
mis- that the leaders Of that party pledged them
selves that If they succeeded henceiorth there should be
IN Alabama free ballot ana fair count by thus voting
the cpuDlcans expected To secure fair count OF tleir
votes for Garfield and Arthur In November next. The
Democrats knew OF this intention OF the Republicans 10
vote tie Gieen5ac and Independent tickets. aud it
alarmed them very much knowing, IA tney ga, mat
these elements constituted large majority fthe voters
By he laws OF Alabama the Probate Judge Sheriff
and Clerk of tie Circuit COutor two % them, must.
;hcIr county appoint three inspectors ele.
each place Of voting two OF whom shall be members OF
the coul ties of tie state the Jndre of Probate sheriff
and Clerk Demo ,rats at least two of tIom are
consequently, II was ia their power 10 carry
ont the law IN good iath or 10 make use
OF their power fer fraudulent partisan pur-
roses They dd the latter III every county where
ors as would do the dirty work necessary ovcrcome
The Known majority o. GreenDackers independents ana
Rpubycln majority. independent OF the gnback and
OF ihc Circuit Cour; beng ID mocrats ana ne clerk being
candidate for reel ct!On and the sheriff candidate
for Iax Collector, selected the inspectors utterly dsre
gardng any SUGGESTIONS 0i the udEe 0l fI0bae WHO
Republican and also candidate for re. lection.
lQr each VOfngpiaCe the Clerk ana Shcllu cfed
the Democratic ana Is"puDicah inspectors taxing care
every material case 10 select cO0red man as liepub
Ican inspector ana refusing to accept as Republican
inspectors weltknown. high ghminded honest wAtc Re-
publcans suggested by the PROBATE Juage Ine Demo
Gratis selected f0I INSPECTORS were in almost every case
men uotOrlOusy doubtful character Tor political non.
c>ty. the colOred men. with few EXCEPTIONS could
neither read nor write Thus the preparation was made
/ beforehand for the count Of the ballots.
claimed by the Republicans that the colored men
election; that White men voted against the Demo
man before aud Jar more Waite men refused
th,, Not fl-fal he ID srnnrr
clani carried the election IA tits county by
about 700 majority, and the vote has actually been
counted that way. / VIII Illustrate by gIvng YOU what
believe be the facts ~ relation to counting the votes
IN Precinct 10. IN this county known as McGees
AZ this voingpaco the sheriff and the Clerk,
Dy iHIs,aNc " S1pppNov: m wr,te ana who had tha
nerve to contend Tor fur count. Ihi5 so frlis-
cra;s had to TO the means described In TN, am
dayi to collect the ballots The final count OF this
| Adrerti,er the sh INST colored by iho name
Of ii. il. Draper as each color man hassed .ii, was
informed how he intended 10 vote, until he htd taken
Govn ls; OF 1872 names Alter thAt lac tAhed eieh
The frauds yotinsp.ace IN this country are
Just as apabe s ~ ms one ana can De rH'i proved.
The Democrats clam tbdt aF2e huip'I," {" 'oor, Inr,i
voted the m0cratc ticket The Republican. deny it.
sdpposc you publish an open letter Ietns me if3uds
tn truin, and in oder % sctt, t"e qu.stoh whether
th- -uoclats have committed these lIuuos or whether
tc Renublcais nave i,H' you Ii' "r 10 ,i i
~ tic Dem ci'icN 'i'ntl Commute u srhi"h cPual
number of Trustworthy Republicans ana Dent crats 10
Thc K pnb c,tis c,n and viii get in tls comfy the at.
LIZA. .,' ''' tncy voted a'Sln,t the D.,mocrsis Z
M ste election. Ittlc Dsmcrlts urccl, your propo-
fYn, We viii prove The fraud by cXli1 n- GCGO men
who voted as we say they aid II TIE - bi.crats de-
raud.
DETAILS OF THE FRAUD.
Accompanying the communication Is the affidavit
of A. Oliver, the colored inspector of elections at
McGec's Switch 1t sets forth that the election was
conducted properly, 50 far As be was aware until
abont noon when the two Democrat Inspectors
announced that they were going to dinner, and re-
queste him 20 20 outside hat they conld lock the
door, and % away. This he refused q dO. aud they
finally concud d 20 allow HIM 10 remain. leaving ono
of tLcir number to keep him company. The
rolls we're closed at o'clock. a. the law directs.
but the inspectors refused proceed with the count
u, that time. claiming that the Law directed them
to wait until p. III. The counting then
bagun At Q y. IN. III votes had been counted cut
of G72 which had been poled, AMI OF these ll6
were Republican and % Democratic. At the
| hour named one OF the Democratic inspectors pro-
! posed that they 60 out and get something 10 dru..
and the two Democrats went INTO the adjoining bar
! room. They returned III 4 short tine, and Dr..
| McGcc. one of the Democratic inspectors. said:
Buckley and jeff. Smmon, age running
! Ike -; this thing must BE- ohaugcd.' Then
! he Knocked tie candle over, cXtiDguish-
| iug it, At the moment the ballot
! box was removed amid much noise and confusion.
Soon after tho box was ro.urned 10 t5e table.
striking the hard of Oliver - 1t was brought back.
\ light was then procured, and Oliver discovered
that the balo:-box bad received considerable ae-
ccsson TO its contents nud that tie loor from tho
uace where the ballot-box had bfcn - the door Of
the west room was Uttered with ticket, which we're
| not there when ihc light was extugui>hed. Wien
Oliver discovered this state OF 3, ho arose aud
said:
Gentlemen, this is an unfair deal. anl viii not
| stand it
Dr. McGce said: I've ere in the majority. and
vii. rule. We have let you have it Your" way al
| day now we are going to have 1t OF ~.'
! Gentlemen" Oliver responded, " / won't stand
| il. Yon will have 10 give Inc c.cdi; Tor beng
| honest"
| Don't You make Institutions that yol tho
| only honest man in the house. DR.. McCoe rcpled.
They then began to curse him. and d. Mcf'ce AL
yanced toward Oliver in IA thrcatcnin; manner.
The negro then lcd from the room.
After consulting with his coloreI friends outside.
Oliver concluded 20 90 in again, bur Wa met by the
declaration OF the other inspector, that haN-
ing gone out he must stay ont. He declares that
about sixty whites voted at McCec Switch on tLat
| day, and that the others were cClofci men. io
| knows all the colorcd men there well, and thegc
were not more than ten of them who were Demo.
| Gratis. Because OF the threat made ohver %
| not witness the close of The conht. AD3ut h'Ji
| m bonr nfter snndown "A Deputy Sheriff with posse
| of about TWENTY-FIVE citizens, ana lNcnty-tbreo
| militiamen, armed with musketS, appeared ihi inc
vicinity of the polling place. Onvef SAY the!e Da'l
Leen no trouble at the polls between Democrats aud
| Republicans or between colored men and white
| men; nor had any threats OF trouble been made IN
Another correspondent, writing from Mobile, Ala.
| says: ~, -
a,temnt tho election OF single electOr In the Atlantic
and Gulf states. favor, of course placing electoral
| t,cIefs I'm the field, by which means frauds
| NAV NOT only be made clear. but the National