Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-04-18
Bully Ytn,ubte 5OurnaI.
Augusta. Tuesday Morning, April IS.
BallOt-Box StufYlng in South
Carolina.

The Bourbons of South Carolina do q
large business in ballot-box stuffing. and
what is more. they defend and glory in it
In the trial which recently occurred in the
Acton Precinct, their defence was as pc.
culiar Is audacious. They admitted thai
the ballot-box was stuffed with tissue bal
lots, but accused the republican supervisor
Of doing the deed, although the ballots
were of the democratic sort. The District
Attorney in his argument for the govern
ment showed up the utter absurdity o.
. republican federal supervisor stuffing q
ballot-box with democratic tissue tickets
but without effect upon Bourbon jury
men.
In the Richland County cases il is al
legged that the ballot-box stuffing was done
by women. The facts as related by per
sons who are believed to be Trustworthy
Witnesses, are as follows: The Chairman
of the Election Commission Of Richland
County, instead Of delivering the ballot
boxes to the managers, gave them first to
the Crawford Campaign Club. composed
Of women, who by means of strings
fastened tissue tickets to the inside of the
lids OF the ball0t-boxes. These lids
worked on slides, and in taking them of
the strings we're broken and the ballots
ell-as at the Acton Preclnct-in the
box.
At the municipal election recently held
in Columbia means a. disgracefnl as the
above were used. A correspondent
of Congressman Mackey of South Carroll
ma gives the following account of the man.
ner in which the Bourbon mayor Of Col
umbia was elected:
"In our Mayoralty election Agnew was
elected BY large majority, but was cheated,
not exactly in the usual style, but it amount
ed to the same thing. They had the voting
precincts at the tops Of houses (tOp floors
with narrow stairs leading up. Ballot boxes
were hidden behind boards 40 that you had
70 lean over to vote. They say that ali da :
long the managers were picking out Agnew
tickets and substituting Ruett tickets in the
boxes. The county Board refused Agnew
any representation on the Board of managers,
and yet it was claimed a great victory. Now
they are bulldozing the merchants who voted
for Agnew by going round and saying they
cannot trade with them any longer for defy
ing the democracy. What a free country?'
Agnew was the Independent candidate.
and was supported by many democrats as
well as by the republicans generally. He
Eoru,orlv Manor Of rnI,r,b;, o.1 I, &,
administration of the office gave general
satisfaction, especially to the business
community. He is one of the leading
merchants of the city. and received the
support of many merchants who are NOM
inally democrats, but who are dissatisfied
with the policy of the bourbon leaders.
The returns of the election. as published
in The News Courier, of Charleston, show
on their face that ballot stuffing was re-
sorted to against Agnew; for at one pre-
cinct an excess Of ninety tickets was
found in the box, about one-fourth of the
entire legal votes OF the precinct, and at
another precinct an excess of thirty tick
cts was found. In every ballot box were
found more tickets than there were names
Of voters on the poll list The demo-
cratic triumph at Columbia was hailed
with JOY by the bourbons throughout the
State. and in many places bonfires were
lighted and cannon were fired in honor
of the victory.
Ballot box stuffing at the South is
tremendous evil. 1t ought to be de-
nounced and opposed by all parties. 1t is
a wrong that has the possibility in it of
more disastrous results than the defeating
OF republicans for local Offices; but while
it hands over several southern States to
the bourbons which they could not obtain
by fair elections. they sustain it at the
polls, maintain it in the courts by perjury.
and even the women are accomplices in
the schemes by which it is carried on.