The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-09-01
Brennen's Badness.
North Vernon SUM-

Last week Jim Bremen, the Madison bal
lOt-boX stuffer, brought suit against Sheriff
Nugent and others for the balance due him
for stuffing the ballot-boX used in the city of
Madison at the October election, in 1878
From the Madison STAR the leading Re
publican paper in Jefferson County we clip
the following in connection with the trial.
Bremen was put upon the stand and. interro-
gated TO what the bill was for. and in answer,
said that il was balance due him for services
rendered in the October election of 1875. He fur
Their stated that il was due him I'm accordance
with an agreement between himself and the de-
PENDANTS; DIR. w A. Collins, John W. Linck and
Gus 10 the October election, the conditions being
that he was to take from the ballOt-box 100 Demo
cratic nck;ess ana substitute therefor ITO Re
receive $500 and he was to be allowed the
appointing of the inspectors and clerks of the poll.
That in accordance with this agreement he APP
pointed Gam Thomas and Patrick Donlan inspec-
tors and left the appointing OF the clerks to the
other parties. He described That the manner of
the substitution was: The Democratic ucGts
were put in one corner of the box and when thus
arranged he took out fifty of the first 200 and sub
stitued fifty Republican. and took out fifty Of the
second 200 and substituted GO Republican. These
he delivered to Linck in the rear OF the Jail that
night AT 80 O'Clock. He paid for the service,
first 500 by Linck at his (B. 50 Office couple of
weeks after the election. Some time after he was
paid SIS by the same party. In January he got
$50 more; in April $50 and 81. On May 2the
swore 10 an affidavit that he had not done this,
for which he received S75. In December he re-
ceved $50 more This is all he received, and
claims judgment for the remainder.
Since the trial Brennan has gone crazy,
and has been lodged in Jail. If it is true,
as il is believed by many the treatment he
has received at the hands of the parties who
he swears under oath hired him to stuff tn
ballot-box, ii is enough to drive him crazy
The Columbus Democrat well says:
Republicans and Republican papers may de-
nOunce him crazy, but all that does not change
the fact that over 400 citizens of Madison have
made oath that they voted the straight I'M
! scratched Democratic ticket, yet the number
| found in the ballOt-bOx was far short of this
which settles the fact that the ballot-bOx was
raped by some one in the interest of the Republi-
cans of Madison. Who then did it? Jim Bremen
swears that certain men standing high as citizens
/ did. Whether he swears true or not we do not
know, but certainly no one will deny that the
| ballotbox was raped As long as Bremen denied
that the ballOt-bOx was tempered with, these same
] Republicans and the Madison Courier said he was
worthy of belief and told the truth, but when he
/ tells another story duplicating them they de-
nOunce him as unworthy of belief, nOtwith-
standing his sworn statements were made before
| he became insane, If he is insane at ALL lOne
| thing is certain Had not the ballot-box down
/ there been tempered with Hon. Charles L. Jew
EFT, of Scottsburg, would to-day be Judge instead
| of Judge John y. Allison. Major simpson,, editor
\ Madison star, and stalwart Republican, all the
time charged that the Republican leaders there
hired Bremen TO stuff the ballotbox for them,
and he has never taken hack what he said.