The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-12-11
HOW U. S. MARSHALS HAVE BEEN
IN THE HABIT OF BLEED
ING UNCLE SAM.
Correspondence of the Cincin-
natl Marshal, Wright,
With the Atty.-Gcn.
Sum of $4,000 Pocketed on
the Pretence of Protect
ing the Voters.
A Rare Record of Cool NIendac-
ity Unearthed by Demo-
cratic House.

! w ASHlNGION, DSC6ulDST u Inc
encouragement, in reply to a letter
from Mr.. Springer, chairman of the
committee on expenditures IN the de-
! partment OF Justice, sent that COM
mittee copies of correspondence on
file in the department of justice rela-
tive to the employment of United
| States deputy marShals at the con-
! greSSional election in Ohio last Octo-
! Der.
/ Under the date, Cincinnati, Septem-
Der "a, Marshal Lot Wright, in letter
to the attorney-general, says: THE
election for members for congress 10
this state is held October ID. 1t is
estimated there will be needed to de-
fray the expenses of said election the
sum specified within. Win you
please approve the expenditure, and
cause warrant to be issued in my
favor for the amount; viz: $8,235,
with which | am to be charged or the
books of the treasury department, and
direct that draft on the esub-treasury,
at Cincinnati, for said amount be re-
mitted me.
For six hundred deputies, two days
each, 5000.
Six deputies for ten days each,
$500.
Six deputies for five days each,
$3.50.
Six hundred metallic badges. at
81 20 each, $3.50.
Ten horses and buggies one day,
$50.
Printing for marshals, $50.
Conveyances on election day, the
necessity for which is uncertain, but
anticipated. $500.
Use OF telephone, uncertain, $25.
For 126 supervisors, at $40, 81 ,260.
Printing for SuperverviSors, $50.
Total, 1926.
desire to say the situation here is
peculiar and it is very difficult cor
rectly to judge as to the necessity of
the foregoing expenditure, but, alter
long and close consideration, l am full
ly of the opinion that / am justified
in calling on you for said money, and
authority to make the expenditure. 1
will try to make it fill the bill, ,and will
/ make it as much less than above as in
my judgment it Is safe to venture, but
shall not be surprised if find it nee
essary to appoint double the aforesaid
number.
shall be glad to have this requisi-
tion acted upon at as early a day as
you can find consistent with your
duty, and to receive such instructions
and suggestions from you as you may
think it wise to offer. Fraud at cleo
tions in this place is the rule, and it is
my earnest desire to break it up, to
bring the traDsgressors to justice and
to fully protect the people in their
rights at the polls.
The sum l ask for appears large,
but is small in comparison with the
object to be attained"
The next letter is dated Gin
cinnati, September 25rh, and is
as follows: II forwarded to you,
last night requisition for funds
for expenses atH the approaching
election. desire to state more speci-
| fcally than therein set forth, what
our trouble is here. As ! stated,
fraud has been the rule here for years.
Without a doubt the last four elec
tions here-two in the spring and two
in the fall-Were thus carried, and the
will of the people defeated All
methods that can be thought of are
resorted to the colonization of voters,
repeating, refusing to let men vote
who are entitled to vote, intimidatiDg,
counting improperly, rendering the
count the reverse of what it ought to
be, improperly certifying, stuffing
changing ballots, buying .votes, and
last, but most infamous OF all scratch
ing with chemicals lin place Of ink
which at first is not detected by the
vote The ticket is placed in the
hands of the person desiring TO vote a
straight ticket. He uses the ticket un-
suspectingly, and, soon after, it is
placed in the box. The fatal color is
brought out, and it is counted as a
scratched ticket. The local authori-
ties are all in the ranks of the demo-
Gratis. The police force is thus under
| their control, and offer no protection,
but, if not scrutlnized closely, en-
| courage fraud. The sheriff is a
democrat, and we have reason to be-
lieve it is his purpose to qualify a
largenumber of deputies on that day
They work in the dark, and it is i'm
possible to find out what their pur-
pose is until the day comes.
In addition to employing a number
OF marshals, stated in my requisition,
if authorized by law ct all, [ would
ike very much TO. employ
a few-say thirty-from now untiI
election, to look after repsaters and
the vote being colonized l have
been unable to find authority for such
work on the part of marnals, but
now apprehent it might be en-
80, and is as follows: Il forwardedsto
you this Gay requisition for funds
with which to pay deputy marshals
and for other expenses pertaining t.
the congressional election. AS you
will readily see, it is large, and while
/ regret the necessity of demanding
the expenditure, it was the very best
[ was able to do under the circum.
stances.
In addition to the above force,
had many others who did excellent
service (not under pay. Yet | was
uGable to get the force necessary to
protect the voters. We hold matters
well in hand in about fiftY-five pre-.
cinctS, but in about six precincts the
vote was not protected, because / was
unable to Go it. Our force suffered
many outrages at the hands of state
and city authorities, which, / appre-
/ bend, will be fully confirmed by what
is about TO take place in our courts
The situation in the precincts not
we'll handled is beyond the compre-
hension of those who have not been
an eye u itaess thereto, and | do not
think any hundred deputies to pre-
cinct could protect tie vote therein.
In one of these wards alone, during
tie night before the election,
over a hundred peaceable, but
defenseless men, without charge, were
thrown into cellar at the police
station and kept there without bed,
food or water till the polls closed
] rChara fhau 1uapa lat out R,.ri-e. tI:e.