The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-12-12
BRAND-LEMAN CASE.
now PEOPLE WERE CHEATED
Out OF Their Voice In tho EIection-The
Chief Deputy Clerk Accuses ons of
Ills Employees of Committing tho
Forgery Counter Charges.

CHICAGO, Dec. ll.-Arthur Gleason
Chief Deputy in County Clerk Ryan
office, makes public statement this morn
ing under his own signature, chargin.
Henry Dehl, one OF the employees in tn,
County Clerks office, with having taker
the envelope containing tho ballots O.
the Second precinct, Eighteenth ward,
and thereby aIIowinga n substitution Of the
forged ballots found in the envelope, when
the same was opened by the Federal
grand jury. Mr.. Gleason relates that the
envelope in question was placed with
others in large box in the County
Clerks vault and nailed up. On the day
the County Canvassing Board closed its
labor, and when the first impression had
been created that fraud had been perpe-
trated, Mr.. Ryan sent word to Gleason to
take good care OF the returns. On recent
Of this message, Gleason says he called 10
his assistance Henry Biehl, William ].
Sweeney and VIM. Hayer. clerks in the
office,
\ search was made for the returns.
Biehl finding them in nailed chest,
whereupon the two other searchers were
directed not TO look any longer. Gleason
then went to attend to other duties. Bichl
soon aiterward informed Gleason that he
had placed them in one Of ten drawers in
the vault, numbering 2+0. The only per-,
son knowing the exact drawer in which
these ballots had been placed were Biehl
and Gleason. Gleason says he did not per-
sonally make IN examination OF drawer
240 to ascertain whether Biehl informed
him correctly or not, but took it for
granted he did. tIe did not 20 to the
drawer until November 2j, when he found
them there. Previous to that time he de-
clarcs he never had the envelope in his
hands. The vault in which these ballots
were kept was locked with n combination,
the combination being known only to
-four persnns, Hlehl, John Shields, John
O'Laughlin and Gleason. The ballots
were placed in the vault, where the COM
bination was known only to the four per-
sons, and their location to but two (Biehl
and Gleasou). Gleason then says the evi-
dence shows, beyond doubt, that the
change in ballots waa made while in the
vault OF the County Clerks office.
The evidence also shows that neither
Shields nor O'Laughlin knew where the
ballots were placed and it would have
been exceedingly difficult for nyboLy not
knowing the exact location to End them.
The ballots having been taken from the
vault on the afternoon OF November 81, |
either Biehl or himself is guilty. As he |
declares he did not commi. the crime it |
could have been committed by no other
person than Biehl, and he therefore
charges him with its preparation. The
two persons now directly charged with
the crime are Joseph q. Mackin, Secretary
Of the Coas' County Democratic Central
Committee, who ordered the bogus tickets
printed, and Biehl with the abstraction OF
the envelope containing the original bal
lots to allow the substitution OF the bogus
ones,
Clerk Biehl publishes n card this alter
noon in which by implication he charges
that First Assistant County Clerk Arthur
Gleason committed the Leman-Brand bal
lot fraud. The excitement over the case
is increasing rather than subsiding.