The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-08-28
MAYOR sIsTERuEN
Throws Some Light Upon the Navarro BAL
lot Box stuiiing.
( from tho Navarro Democrat, j

Throws Some Light Upon the Navarro bai-
lot Box stufing.
[rrom the Navarro Denocrat,l
I'D. NAVARRO DEMocRAT:-M Mr.. Matt
Clemens published In your last issue an
explanation OF the ballot box stufling
done at the Democratic primary elec.
tlon for Congressional delegates held
A1Qust ID, 1884. Mr.. Clemens charges
me with having issued o fraudulent
ticket on that occasion. That second
ticket would never have been Issued II
we could have got hold Of any tickets
from Clemens; but Clemens was afraid
10 let any Of his tickets 20 out OF his
hands for fear they would be fixed differ
ent from what be wanted them. | did
NOT have those tickets printed, and | can
pr0ye by the man who had them printed,
that wanted q ticket printed with oil
the names that were on both tickets,
But people living In glass houses should
never throw stones. ! remember very
we'll and 30 does Mr.. Clemens, when he
was elected o delegate to the County
Convention on ticket gotten up by
himself, and q few others In opposition
TO the one put up by the Central Com
mitteeman. q,
In regard to the ballot box stullng, |
have this TO say: was present when
the polls were closed. and recorded the
last name on the poll.book. There
were then l6l names on the poll
book, This can prove by three
good competent witnesses, When
We were done counting out, the
tally.sheet showed that | had 7S votes,
Donn0van rs, P0cOCk 10 and Loew 80, and
that MENTOR had 1903 votes, Clemens
iO2. Moss 80, and Hug 30 votes, the other
candidates had from two to twenty'eight
votes. As soon as we were done count
Ing and before anybody had a chance 10
Sign either p0ll.book or tally-sheot,U Ulem,
ems picked up poll'boOk, tally'sheet, ana
ballot.box, and carried them over 10 his
Dlace OF business. | was called away on
official business at the same time, After
/ was In my office about Ave minutes IL
occurred 10 mo that there was something
wrong; that according TO the tally'sheet
there were more tickets In the ballot
box than there were names on the poll
book. then called on Clemens aud
naked him 20 lot mo see the poll'book q
minute. Clemens told me he was TOO
busy lust then and did not have time TO
ahOw II, waited about ten minutes,
and then asked him again; he said again
no wae too busy and that shouldn't
bother him. then told him II no hadn't
time 10 show 10 TO me he should tell me
where it was and | would get IL myself.
Uothen walked behind the counter where
no had the ballOt-box setting, claiming
that no had laid II on the ballot'boX'
But tho poll.book could not be found,
l asked him to look In some OF his
drawers for III but he claimed II was not
there. He said he didn't know what
had become Of II, Then | told him that
there was something wrong; that ac'
cordlng TO the tally sheet there had been
more tickets counted than there were
names on the poll-book. Clemens got
very red In the face and claimed that II
there was anything wrong was into II
iuet as deep aa no was, having had charge
of the ballot.box whilehe was nj supper,
and iuet before the polls were closed. |
told him no certainly could not impll-
cate mo; thut during the short time |
had charge Of tho poll.bOok the room
was Alled with people, which made II
impossible for any one 10 try TO stun the
box or commit fraud Later In the even
jnR saw several Democrats and told
them tho circumstances, and asked their
opinion as TO whether we should keep
ouiot, or expose the fraud; wo oil
came 10 the conclusion that the only
true and Democratic policy to pursue
was TO expose the fraud,
On Monday forenoon Mr. Donovan.
Mr.. pocock and myself called ut Glenn
ens's store TO see the poll.book; but Us
soon as he saw us coming he bolted for
his side door which leads into bis sit
ting room. called him just as no open
ed The door, and told him we had come
10 500 the poll book; but he paid no at
tention and disappeared. We waited
for some time on him, and when we saw
that he was not coming back we went
away. Clemens remarked TO different
parties that no did not have to show that
poll-book.
Clemens claims he sent the poll hook
and tally sheet to Canton on Monday
following tho election. On Friday OF
the snme week called on Mayor Ptero
OF Canton, secretary Of the Central Com
mittee OF Stark county, to see the return
of tho primary election Of Bethlehem
township. Mr. Piero said no had re
ceiyed some returns from Bethlehem
township, but couldn't exactly remem.
Der what they were like; he had sent
tho names of tho delegates elected Il
the Democrat Office aeked him Il
show me 'bA pollbpok onf tolly.sheet
90 Clemens claimed he hid sent them u
Canton. Mayor Piero hunted oil over
hii Office for them, nnd examined every
~ No.. k.t ,n,,td nak ma than 0u