The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-10-07
IFrom the Lynchburg Ncwsl
Card from Major John W. Daniel.


7 friend called my attention TO the Richmond
1 Win Of September 18th, containing an arti-
Gle headed "Is This Forgery" wherein
/ i presented so-called fac Siniie OF q
ticket voted in Iynchburg in 1879, when
was the Conservative candidate for the
State Senate. The ticket referred to
has upon il the printed names OF
Wicklile and others, the Rcadiuster
candidates for the General Assem-
bIy. which arc scratched" with q
pen. and the name OF the CONSERVATIVE
candidates are inserted in theirs stead in
writing. The WING claims that was the
beneficiary OF the scratched ticket; that 1t
was forgery; and desires to know who
did il.
/ cannot Judge from the rude fac S'hlde
given whether the particular ticket copied
is genuine, but | am familiar with the cn-
cumstances under which such ticket was
used by a few voters IN The eiection OF
1879, and propose TO relate them
l. After / was nominated for reelection
TO the Senate BY the Conservatives OF
Campbell and Lynchburg, the Readiuster
party nominated against me one George NJ.
Wicklife alias DR.. Wofsham, who bad
come to Campbell county under the latter
name q few years ago as fugitive from
Justice in Louisiana. Holding the posi-
ton OF Auditor in that State under car
pet-bag rule he had embezzled public
funds to large amount, and had
been impcached and convicted OF the
crime by the Senate OF Louisiana.
Escaping, he had hidden himself in a
remote part of Campbell county under the
alias Of WOrsham, aud was there enjoying
his ill-gotten gains. RearTeSted and taken
South under a Tequisition, lac had managed
TO cyade the clutches OF the law, and had
come TO the surface i'm 1879 rs Readiustcr
nominee for the Virginia senate. His re-
cord, fully certified, was sent 20 LynchbuTg
and ventilated, and the more respectable
portion OF the ReaGiuster party revolted
against the election OF such man.
ON the night before the election three
colored Republicans came voluntarily to
see me. They stated that they and a num-
Der Of their cOlored friends could not and
would not vote for Wickliile, although he
was Republican, and that they desired to
vote for my colleagues and myself. And
they asked me 20 give them some Conser-
vatiye tickets. replied that | had no such
tickets. and had not seen any rs yet; that
had nothing TO do with their preparation,
the matter being in charge OF the EXccu-
tive Committee, and that ] had no uneasi-
ness about our election, which was assured
by q large majority.
They then said: eve have several
patches of the Wicklife tickets, and if we
can yet Conservative tickets Of the same
size number Of us colOrcd men VIII vote
them; but ii we vote Conservative tickets
OF different size there are bitter and pro-
ScriDtiye men OF our own race who will
attempt to intimidate and prosecute us; and
can YOU not have such tickets printed for
usY" I said no; do not care to bother with
il. They were insiStent; and then said,
1--WE think you should help us to vote
without undergoing intimidation and per-
secution; and will you not erase the names
in the Wichlile ticket and insert those OF
the Conservatives this will enable lis to
vote as we pleascI"
Thus urged said ii that is all YOU wish
| will do it, and picking up a pen erased
the names OF the Wicklitic candidates on
one batch OF these tickets and inserted
those OF the Conservative candidates.
2. 1t must he obvious TO any mind en-
lightened by the slightest ray Of intelligence
that there was no wrong OF improperly in
this act. | did it openly, without conceal
ment OF any kind. Scratched tickets are
rightfuly voted in every election. And
these tickets altered in my handwriting
were not intended to deceive. So far from
being designed or calculated to deceive,
with them deception was impossible, rs
the most iilterate and unwary could not
fail to see upon the face OF the tickets that
they were scratched. Ii any one will glance
at the copy in the Whig the eye will at
once verify the assertion that the possibility
OF deception in the use of such ticket is
absolutely excluded.
3. ! heard nothing more Of the matter
until December, 1879. In the mean time, by
the converting of the Legislature and the
election OF William Malone as United States
senator, il became evident that the coalition
between Republican and ReadiusteT dele
gates had been perfected and from the
character OF some OF the ReadiuSter candi-
dates for judicial and other offices, Wick
life concluded that his opportunity had
come. He came TO Richmond as a candidate
for county Judge Of Campbell. exposed
his record and rendered his election i'm
possible. Soon after this il came TO nv
knowledge that Wicklitfe, embittered by
his second defeat at my hands, was endea-
voring to induce the three cOlored Repub-
licans before mentioned, and others, by use
OF money, TO make affidavit that had been
guilty OF improper conduct in the election.
But the three Republicans voluntarily gave
me their statements, which hold, certify
ing the facts as | have related them and ut
terly disproying and upsetting Wicklii1e's
Subsequently it came 10 my knowledge
that Wicklitlc, who became q frequent yisi-
tor at the Wing office, took one or more Of
these alleged forged tickets TO that Office,
and laid them before General Malone and
the managers of the Wing paper. His alb
surd and ridiculous preteDSions, / was
told, met with no encouragement, aud no
notice was taken Of the matter. Nothing
daunted, he got Jack Averett, leading
cOlored Republican OF Lynchburg, to go on
a similar mission to General Malone and
the Wig, which met, as ! was told, the
same rebuff.
Still persistiag, WiekliiIe went to Mr. II. I
II. Riddleberger and other Readjuster sena-
tors, showed them the so-called forged I
ticket, and urged that they bring it to the
attention OF the Senate with charges against .
me. He was again rebufied, Mr.. Riddle .
berger scornfully declining, as he himself .
told me, to be made fool Of by '|that fell .
low WickItie."
Yet, again Wicklifle made a fourth effort.
He put the matter in the hands Of Cephas
Davis, colored Republican Readjuster
senator from Mecklenburg.
i mentioned the fact TO Senators Riddle
berger and Wood, both Readjusters, and
10 Senator L. w. Early, Republican, tell
ing them that II there was the slightest cir
which, in their Judgment, called
Ior investigation or explanation that |
challenged and defed any proceeding; but
I on inspecting the papers In Cephas
Davis's hands (Which never saw or cared
o see) they seemed obviously frivolous,
hen did not wish 10 be bothered about