The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-12-10
THE PURITY OF THE BALLOT.
How 1t Was Protected in Cincinnati
at the Election Held in October.
The Preparations Made and Precautions
Taken by United States Marshal Wright
and How Much the Work Cost.


of Justice relative to the employ ment of United
States deputy marshals at the congressional
election in Ohio, last October. Under date of
Cincinnati Sept. "A, Marshal Lot Wright in a
letter to the Attorney general, says:
''fhe election for members of Congress in this
State is held Oct IA. 1t is estimated
that there will be needed to defray the expenses
Of said election the sum specified within Will
you please approve the expenditure and cause
warrant to be issued in my favor for the amount
of 1925 with which | am to be charged on the
books of the Treasury Department. and direct
shat draft on the sub treasury at Cincinnati
for said amount be RENTED me!"
Mr., Wright then itemizes his protective
penditures-from which it appears that 600 dep
nties was the highest number of marshas
pected to be in service at one tme-and pro
leeds:
''Ldesire to say that the situationIhere is pecu-
liar. and it is difficult to correctly judge as to
the necessity of the foregoing expenditure; but,
after long and close consideration, l am fully
of opinion that am justified in calling you
fOr said money and authority to make the ex-
penditure will try and make it fill the bill,
and will make it as much less than the above
as. in my Judgment, it is safe to venture, but
shall not be surprised if find it necessary to
appoint double the aforesaid number. l shall
be glad to have this requsiton acted upon at as
early a day as you can ind it consistent with
suggestions from you as You may think wise to
offer.
Fraud in elections at this place is the rule and
1t Is MY earnest desire to break il up to bring
the transgressors to justice, and to fully protect
the people in their rights at the polls. The sum
! ask for appears large, but 1t is small in com
parison with the oject to be attained"
The next letter is dated Cincinnati, Sept %,
and is follows:
81 forwarded to you last night, requsition
for funds for expenses at the approaching cleo
ton. desire to state, more specifically than
therein set forth, what our trouble is
here AS stated, fraud has been the
rule here for years Without q doubt,
the last four elections here, two being held in
thespring and two in the fall were thus carried
and the will of the people defeated. All moth
DDS that can be thought of are resorted to--col-
onizaton of voters, repeating, refusing to let
men vote who are entitled to vote, intimidation,
recording the count the reverse Of what it ought
to be- improperly certifying, stuffiDg, changing
ballots, buying votes, and last, but most in
famous Of all scratching with chemicals in place
of ink. which at first is not detected by the voter
A ticket is placed in the hands of a person de-
string to vote a straight ticket He uses
tue ticket unsuspectingY and soon after it
is placed in the box. the color is brought out and
1t is counted as scratched ticket The local
authorities here are all in the ranks of the Dem
Oerats; the police force is under their control,
and offer no protection. but if not serutinized
closely encourage fraud. The sheriff is a Dem
ecrat, and have reason to believe it is his
purpose to qualify a large number of deputies
that day. They work in the dark, and it is inn
rossibe 50 find out what their purpose is until
the day comes. In addition to employing the
men stated in'my requisition, if authorized BY
law at all, | would like very much to employ
gew, thirty, from until ihe day of election,
10 look after repeaters and the vote being colon
lied. have been unable to find authority for
such work on the part of the marshal, but now
Rpprehend 1t might be embraced somewhere and
- 81.
press to you my anxiety about this matter, and
l hope you will do the best for me you can, not
only in the way of finances, but also in the way
OF instructions and suggestions An ounce of
prevention is worth ton of cure, and it is not
improbable that timely care and provision in
this matter may save us the horrors of riot to
winch the one we had here last spring is as an
infant. regret to find it my duty thus to write
you, but l think it is clearly duty on my part,
and am sorry did not do so at earlier day
p ST. have asked to be authorized to pur-
chase 800 metallic badges. Heretofore ribbon
has been used, but it does not have the desired
effect, and it is the judgment of persons here
who have considered the matter that it is vastly
TO the interest of the cause, we'll matter
ofeconomy, to purchase metallic badges"
The next letter is dated Sept. 20, and is the
reply of acting Attorney general Phillips to
hotter from Marshal Wright of Sept. A This
is as follows
''Your letter of the oath inst. asking that an
advance be made to you To defray the expenses
of the congressional election on the l4th proxi-
mo. is received. You are informed that the de-
partment, as a rule does not advance funds for
the expenses mentioned, but pays for them
unreasonable amount for expenses which have
been incurred. upon presentation of the account
when such account has no Objectionable feature
After the expenses have been incurred you will
make up the account and forward the same to
the department, when you will be informed of
the amounts allowed each employe, and be in
structed as to the manner in which the payments
should by made. The department may think
upon the rendering of your accounts, that the
advance you ask for is all right Your letter ins
cludes two items, namely: l25 supervisors at $40,
$i.26O; printing for supervisors, $5O-a mat
ter destinct from the services of deputy
Inarshals, if by supervisors you mean those so
named in the statutes If you mean United States
supervisors, their accounts must be kept sep
srate from those of the deputy marshas. and
will bo paid in the manner and form mentioned
above
In another letter the acting Attorney general
says:
SIN answer to the inquiry in your letter of the
Goth ult whether there is authority of law for
employing special deputies from now until the
election have to say there is no Imitation in
the terms of time during which the appoint
ment of such officers may be effective; but the
compensation is limited by the Revised Statutes
to S. per day for not exceeding ten days service,
aud 40 greater sum can be given
The next and last letter is from Marshal
Wright. 1t is dated Oct. 30 and is as follows
II forwarded to you, this day. requisition
fer funds with which to pay deputy marshals,
and for other expenses pertaining to the cleo
ton. AS you will readily see, it is large, and,
while regret the necessity demanding the ex-
penditure it was the very best was able to do
under the circumstances. In addition to the
above force I had many others who did excel
lent service (not under payl. and yet was una
k0 ept he tn q
We held matters well in hand in
about fifty five precincts, but in about
six precincts the vote not protected because
was unable to do it. Our force suffered many
outrages at the hands of the State and city
authorities which apprehend will be fully con
frmed by what is about to take place in our
courts The situation IN the precincts not well
handled is beyond comprehension to those who