The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-12-07
Funder Frauds.

Colonel W e. Sims was in Richmond on the
I'd, and was interviewed as follows by re
porter of the Wing:
Reporter-"I see in the Wing of this morn
ing that you stated before the State Board O
Canvassers that the so-called Democratic
party ofthe Fifth district practiced fraud and
resorteG to acts of intimidation in the late cleo
tion.' l would be glad to hear the nature Of
the frauds.you spoke Of"
Col Sims-"Some registrars allowed outside
parties to take the registration books and reg
lister Cabell men without affidavit. In some
cases they postponed acting until it was toe
late, in order to deprive my friends of theil
ballots. Some judges allowed Cabell votes to
be received regardless ofthe registration books
and without inspecting them. At some pre-
clncts judges refused to open polls until the
middle of the day, and in the meantime aided
in provoking collision between my friends
and Cabell's, the result of which was to fright.
en- away all the timid men who had intended
to vote for me. In some cases my friends
were driven away from the polls by violence
A United States supervisor was elected from
the polls by Democratic bully and kept
away long enough to give opportunity for
stufing the balot-box. Liquor was freely used
on the day of election and the Cabell bummers
would march their drunken men up in squads
from the houses where they had been made
drunk laborers were paid from one to five
dollars each to remain at home whenever they
could influence them in that way; laborers
were threatened with loss of homes and en-
ployment if they voted for Wise and Sims,
and many were kept away by this means.
Mechanics and merchants were threatened
with loss of patronage and were thus intimi-
dated threats of social ostracism also had eff
feet"
Reporter-"Do you intend to contest Col.
Cabelps seat?"
Col. Sims-"No; 1 have not the time or
means to devote to the matter, and have. no
idea that Democratic Congress, whose
Southern Democratic members were generally
elected in the same way that Cabell was, would
award me seat on any evidence. Such frauds
will right themselves in time, and public SEN
timent will change in my district"
Reporter-"In what respect?"
Col. Sims-"The so-called Democracy there
which arrogates to itself all the honor, wealth,
aristocracy and intelligence of the district has
created among its members the idea that any
device by which negro or poor white man
can be deprived of his ballot, or any falsehood
by which the white race can be aroused against
the negro, is commendable. do not mean
that all Democrats hold these views, but the
ideas control it,"
Reporter-"Wha is the future prospects OF
our party in your DISTRICT"
Col. Sims-There will be no loss, | think, in
the next representation to the Senate or House
ofDelegates. There will certainly be gain
of two delegates in Halifax and one in Gray
son, and very probably Senator in Hale's
district and delegate from Carroll"
Reperter-"What effect will the adoption of
the Constitutional Amendments have in flu
ture elections in your districtg"
Col Sims-"I think it will increase the CO.
alition vote about two thousand five hundred,
and the Democratic vote about five hundred"
Representative you compared the vote of
your district this year with former years 2"
Col, Sims-"Yes; the returns show it is
the heaviest vote eyer poiled at any election.
1t is nearly two thousand more than was ever
polled at National or Congressional election.
This of itself indicates fraud, when you CON
slider the fact that the vote of most, if not all,
the other districts have fallen off"
Reporter-"How does your vote compare
with John s. Wise's in your dstrict?"
Col. Sims-"Wise beat me nineteen votes"