The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-06
HOW INDIANAWAS CARRIED.
Evidence Tending to Show Wholesale
Corruption in st. Joseph County.
Republican Poles Sell Their Votes for So
Apiece-Iying Promises Made by BOur-
bOnS-LabOrers Out of Work.


The effect Of the coming changeir the national
administration is not what was IL tired by the
Democrats of this section. The uncertainty
with which the future is forecast has led to tina
heroic treatment of reduction in the number
of employees and the amount of output at ali
the large manufacturing establishments of this
place. The same news is heard from Elkhart.
near here and from Indianapolis, Terre Haute
and Fort Wayne. Thousands of men are out Of
employment, and dissatisfaction is spreading.
The Democrats are wondering whether they
have not been blessed with more than they de-
sired, and are trying in various ways to escape
the responsibility that properly belongs to them.
They have plucked the fruit and now they must
eat it The Studebaker wagon and carriage
factories are running force some hundreds
short, the Singer Sewing machine Works have
shut down, and there has been a lockout at the
Oliver Chilled-plow Works for several weeks.
AT the latter place a small force is now enil
ployed, possibly 100, instead of 1000 to 1900,
and it is not likely that very large force win
be called into service for month or two to
come 1t is said that all these establishments
have full stocks of manufactured goods and
they do not wish to produce more until the
country is in more settled condition and the
policy of the new President has assumed definite
shape
Partisan feeling is still strong, and the public
mind continues to dwell upon the election, which
is believed to have been carried here as in the
four other manufacturing places named by
fraud, Misrepresentation and the use of money.
In this county the wonder as to how a Demo-
cratic majority could have been secured in q
Republican community would be very great IL
the answer to the problem was not so easy,
The whole thing was due to the use of money.
Almost the entire Polish vote, amounting, at the
least, to 700 or 500, and a number of colored
votes, appear to have been bought Leading
Republicans, and many Democrats, do not hesi-
tate to affirm it, At an early hour Of the day OF
election it began to be suspected that votes wero
being purchased, and evidence to that effect has
been steadily accumulating day after day. In
various ways it has leaked out that about SIS, 900
was distributed here, and the people now
upon the point of taking some official action,
with the hope of Furnishing the corruptonists
With the exception of one or two instances,
this county has always gone Republicans: A
large number of ignorant Poles, who are en-
ployed in the extensive manufacturing establish
mentS, have always been regarded with more or
less suspicion, though they claimed to be Repub-
lican to a man. This time they were
believed to be solid for the Republican
ticket, but the Democrats concentrated all their
to heir houses ana to their clubs aad the palms
of the leaders among them were freely sugared.
1t is not commended that every man who voted
the ticket got money, but the leaders were well
paid and many of the rank and file who could
not be reached took the money at second hand
and voted the ticket Some were reached
through the church. where a sermon was
preached the Sunday before the election incit-
ing them against Mr.. Blaine and the Republican
party as being hostile to the Catholics and the
Catholic Church. The text for this sermon was,
of course, taken from Burchard and his nom
sensical ALTERATION about Rum, Romanisnl and
Rebellion" .a
OPEN BRIBERY.
This, of itself, would have had no great effect
if It had not been subsequently united with some
very tangible and concrete evidence of Demo-
cratic affection in the shape of beer and money.
In order to accomplish their purposes the moro
nicely, the Democrats began shrewdly by en-
ploying Poles as icketpedders and drivers of
wagons used to carry voters to the polls and.
they have not attempted 20 disguise the pay
ment of money to these, great numbers. Of
whom gathered about the doors of large
shoe establishment the day after the election
to get their pay, that establishment being
under the control of a retired business man of
considerable means who ranks as one of the
Democratic bosses. Envelopes containing So
each are said to have been paid out there OF
these facts there is not particle Of doubt, and
leading men can be found who will swear to
them witness can be found, it is said who
will swear he saw money handed to large num-
bers of Poles under the circumstances described,
though he does not know what the money was
given to them for. The explanation given by
the man who paid it out was that it was for
work" done electionday, meaning such work as
peddling tickets and escorting voters to the polls.
The mere employment of a man to peddie tickets
has no significance, but there is another fact to
be taken into consideration here. These Poles
were all members of the Republican clubs during
A.. ad
Knights" In this capacity they had paraded on
all occasions behind Republican banners and
were conspicuously present at the Blaine recep-
ton held at this place. which, it will be remenl-
bered, was on his route he having delivered
one of his most memorable speeches here. The
employment of Poles, therefore, in any capaci-
ty by the Democrats was palpable fraud and
an act of bribery, for they knew we'll enough
that by 80 doing they were Influencing men to
vote against their convictions. But this is not
ALL Tho employment of Poles to ped1le tick
cts was cunning move, for who could tell
better than they what countryman OF theirs 1T
was safe to approach The tickets thus dis
tributed were in envelopes, it is said by leading
Republicans, and each envelope contained a GER
tain sum of money. Tho exact amount may
have been So Eight dollars may seem little
large but all tho evidence points to that amount
wherever it was distributed in the rank and file,
the leaders, perhaps being oven more literally
rewarded. The exact number who received
money IS estimated at 700, for that is about the
size of three attachments who gathered at the
polling places Of the three precincts in which the
greatest numbers live
The principal colony is in the Third ward,
which has heretofore been Republican; bus
election-day $50 or 400 Poles made their appear
ance in n body, each falling into line. with his
fist tightly closed and refusing to receive tickets
from tho Republican ticket-peddiers as they
made their way to ono of the polls This con-
duet excited suspicion. and q count of the votes
at the precinct confirmed it by showing q large
Democratic majority In their glee the Demo
Gratis have let slip few remarks which are
being treasured up and which rnay prove as i'll.
advised as Joseph Mackin's boast of l,5Oo
majority for Brand in the Sixth sena-
toriai district. 10 appreciate the facts Of
this case it must be understood that these Poles,
who belong exclusively to the laboring class, are