The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1885-01-14

majority of from 5000 to 5000 for Me-
Gee.
The opposition were rs conscious of
our strength as we We're Of their weak
ness, and got up "Big" mass-meeting,
To which, ! am sorry to say, some of
our leading citizens lent their names,
for private reasons, presume. At first
they ignored McGees candidacy wholly,
said he was poor man, the son of IA
mechanic" a.. and could never he
elected. They thought to blow him
out like IA candle, but he proved to he IA
"Pr iirie Match, the stronger the gale
the bigger the flame; so they saw at
once the necessity of not only earnest
work, but fraud at the polls. They, it
seems, resolved upon Selling the polls
and intimidating voters, defying regis
tration &c., To not elect their man, but
To put him in the Mayors Office.
Scene at one poll to illustrate. our
County Clerk creature of the said
ring, "A reporter of the Times, who it is
said lis To be Mayors clerk. and Assis-
tant Chief of our Fire Department
openly buying votes. After officers of
lOll become too drunk to acc. said
assistant chief takes charge of pcll,
while one member of fire department
under him brings in the voters. An
other, a colored man who was bringing
in McGee voters 10y strings like "Mrn-
chauseu's ducks" was approached by
one of the rings athletes and knocked
down.
The real trouble is Colonel, that of
getting the substantial citizens inter
ested, and have to rely upon men vino
are for sale" too often. We had the
victory for ;he people lin the election
of Niece but they refused 10 grasp
it, told Reeds brother such methods
as were used at our last election would
he a. bad for him eventually as fpI any
other citizen. tie agreed with me hut
claimed ignorance of it. | told him
they were geRCrdi, but few prec ne. :
excepted. told McGee he should
contest the election upon the following
grounds, viz:
LIST. Officers of polls, almost all Reed
men.
2d. Polls near the large factories
closed between II and ! p. NJ, 10 ex-
clude votes of workingmen dsring
dinner hours, knowing the worLmen
to lie for McGee.
Sd. Money openly and freely used Ivy
city and county officials
ith. Drunkenness of officers of polls.
5:h. Assistant Chief of Fire Deoart-
ment i'm charge of polls while other
firemen brought in voters.
6lh. Regislrative laws set at dcfi,nce.
7Ih. Minors allowed to vote provided
thy voted for Reed.
81 Violence tn McGee's POLL men
10y Re"i'S athletic bummers.
J.n. Reed not in the city l. molths,
so therefore not eligible even under the
amended charter, which was amended
10y Reed.
lotb. McGee votes recorded for Reed
and acknowledged by poll clerk, and
| changed II different times al one pre-.
cinct, aud it is presumed to have been
done all the tin when polls were not
watched by McGee's friends.
am told Reed did not leave Jetftr.
son county till the l2th of January last
| If this be so he is not eligible. The
people will ultimately arouse to their
duty and the longer they defer it, the
more difficult the job will be. The in
tluence of said ring now extends up tC
the Court of Appeals, and ~-v"- rne
Governors chair l h"iieve, for 1t Is
claimed Knott meyer received his nom
ination fairly, and you well know what
a disturbance was raised at the +. Town
convention where Lewis was finally
nominated iHtIi pan sttIiiS 10 Dt 10
raise such a disturbance that no BUSH
ness can be done till their man is finally
nominated. | regard them as very
disorderly gang that should very
promptly he sat down upon.
| think the reason they stopped
Reeds votes was they did not know
how they were MAJ king them in other
parts of the city and feared they might
get beyond the registration.
| deemed an explanation due you as
to why McGee got only p per cent. of
the vote east, and should have written
earlier, but have been so busy since.
Rings always seek, obtain and per-
petuate their power by prosecuting the
free expression of the voice of the
people-at the polls.
| thank you for your kindness to
McGee at the start of the canvass, and
hope he may be able to repay you at
some future day.
Truly your friend,
BENZ. l.. Afford.