The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-12
TIE CHICAGO BALLOT FRAUD.
Arthur Gleason and Henry Biehl Accuse
Each Other of the Great Crime,
And the Federal Grand Jury Indicts Both
Men Also, Mackin, and the Judges
and Clerks of the Election.

CHICAGO, Dec. ll.-Artnut UleaSOu, ClleI
deputy in County Clerk Ryans office, makes
public statement, this morning, under his own
signature, charging Henry Biehl, one of the en-
ployes in the county clerks Office, with having
distracted the envelope containing the ballots of
the second precinct of the Eighteenth ward, and
thereby allowing a substitution of the forged
ballots found in the envelope when the same was
opened by the federal grand jury Gleason re-
lates that the envelope in question was placed
with Others in large box III the county clerks
vault and nailed up, on the day the county can
wasting board closed its labors. When the first
impression had been created that fraud had been
perpetrated, Mr. Ryan sent word to Gleason to
take good care of the returns. On receipt OF
this message Gleason says he called to his as
sistance Henry Biehl, VIM. J. Sweeney and
VIM, Hayer clerks in the Office Search was
made for the returns. Bichl finding them
in the nailedup chest, whereupon the two ether
searchers were directed not to look any longer
Gleason then went to attend to other duties
Biehl soon afterward informed Gleason that
he had placed the returns in one of the tin
drawers in the vault numbered PA. The only
persons knowing the exact drawer in which these
ballots had been placed were Biehl and Gleason.
Gleason says he did not personally make an ex-
animation of drawer pa to ascertain whether
Biehl informed him correctly or not, but took it
for granted that he did. He did not go to the
drawer till Nov "a, when he found them there.
Previous to that time he declares he never had
the envelope in his hands The vault in which
these ballots were kept was locked with com
blnation, the combination being known only to
four personal---very. Biehl, John Shield,
John O'Laughlin and Gleason. The bal
lots were placed in the vault, where
the combination was known only to eleven per
sons and their location to bat two-Biehl and
Gleason. Gleason then says the evidence shows
beyond doubt, that the change in the ballots was
made while they were in vault of the county
clerks office. The evidence also shows that
neither Shield nor O'Laughlin knew where they
were placed, and it would have been exceedingly
difficult for any not knowing their exact To-
cation to find them. The ballots having been
taken from the vault on the afternoon of Nov
81 either Biehl or himself is guilty, and as he
declares he did not commit the crime. 1t could
have been committed by no other person than
Biehl, and therefore he charges him with
its perpetration The two persons now
directly charged with the crime are Joseph G.
Maclin secretary of the Cook county Democratic
central COMMITTEE who ordered the bogus tickets
printed and Biehl, who is charged with the alb
straction of the envelope containing the original
ballots to allow the substitution of the bogus
ones.
Henry Behl also makes public statement, in
which he traYerses the charges made by Gleason.
He says the crime of removing the envelope
from the county vault was undoubtedly com
mitted by Gleason himself, and he
knows he is not the guilty party, he believes
Gleason to be- and is strengthened i'll this view
owing to the contradictory statement made by
Gleason before the grand jury.
INDICTMENTS PRESENTED.
The federal grand jury came into the United
States District Court, this evening, and handed
up indictments against Joseph c. Mackin, secre-
tary of the Cook county Democratic central
committee; Arthur Gleason and Henry Biehle
cerkg in the county clerks Office; and DR.. Straus-
ser s. p. Shields and Peter Hansbrough
judges, and Edward Kelly and W.
j. Sullivan, clerks of election in the
Second precinct of the Eighteenth ward
at the late election in the returns
from which it had been shown that 200
fraudulent ballots were substituted for genuine
ones over two weeks after the election. The
indictments are found under sections ssh and
55l2 revised statutes of the United States,
which are very broad in their provisions for the
punishment of election frauds. Warrants were
at once issued for the arrest of the indicted per-
sons. Mackin came in soon after, and Biehl
and Gleason were arrested All gave preliminary
bail in the sum $40, 900 each for appearance
before United States Commissioner tomorrow
morning The others not yet apprehended,
and it is believed some of them have left for I'M
known parts Hansbrough lies sick at the
county hospital. DR.. Strausser was arrested to-
night
The grand jury also returned indictments
against W. J. Cling, police court clerk John
Stearns and Frank A. Owens for conspiriug to Sc
cure fraudulent registration before the election.
Neither OF them has been arrested as yet