The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-20
FRANKLIN COUNTY.

FRANKLIN COUNTY.
A Bold Fraud Frustrated-The Legislature
Certainly Republican.
COLUMBUS, o., Oct. 19.-The official count of
this county was continued this morning. T. E.
Powell appeared for the Democratic candidates,
and spoke three quarters of an hour in favor of
their case citing authorities to the effect that
the returns from precinct A of the Fourth ward
and precinct A of the Thirteenth ward should
not be counted. They are both Republican pre-
cncts.
r. A. Harrison followed for the Republican
candidates, and at the conclusion of his speech
the board of canvassers concluded to receive
and count the returns. The objections to them
were that the judges of election had failed to
properly certify to the returns. Precinct 4 of
| the Fourth ward was counted, and Tailed with
satisfaction to all the candidates
The returns from the Thirteenth ward had been
read through the list of Republican candidates,
there being total vote of 760 in the precinct.
The original vote stood: Republican, SOB,
the head of the ticket, and 203 Democratic.
Three hundred tallies had been added to the full
Democratic ticket, with the exception of
given 200. This made the total vote little over
1000. about 300 more votes than are in the pre-
cinct. The board decided to count the precinct
as returned. This will elect about the entire
Democratic county ticket and Taylor, Republi-
can, for the Legislature, by forty five votes.
Myers and Young, Democrats, for representa-
tives, will still be defeated.
The board of canvassers adjourned to 5 P.
M, when they will meet to sign certificates.
Representatives of both sides have asked per-
mission to appear before the board at that hour.
There is considerable feeling over the discov-
cries in the Thirteenth ward. The returns have
been in possession Of the clerk since Saturday.
In making the count, the State ticket was read
through and it was not discovered that addi-
ton of 300 had been made to the Democratic
candidates until the county ticket was reached.
The addition, however, seems to have been to
the entire ticket county and State The poll
book returns are 300 names short of the tally
sheet. Clerk Joyce (Dem. J. who las mad charge of
| the returns since Saturday evening" says the fig
ures have undoubtedly been changed. His the
ory is that while they were being handed around
in the crowd during the argument before the
returning board on Saturday, some one slipped
out with the tally-sheet and made these changes
in the figures. One of the Democratic judges
says the figures have been changed since the
tallysheeL left their hands. An inspection sho VS.
the changes and additional tallies to have been
made with different pen and ink from the orig
inal. The Republican vote in the precinct was
504 or 505, and the Democratic 200 The
figure two beginning the number opposite the
Democratic candidates has been changed in each
instance to figure 5. The work is done in
very bungling manner. If the precinct is counted
Taylor, Republican, for representative, will still
have forty odd majority over Young, Democrat.
making two Republican members elected and
| one Democrat. If the precinct is thrown out
Taylor will still have plurality of about seven
teen. In either case, Montgomery, for prosecu-
| tor, and Custer, for sheriff, Democrats will re-
ceive certificates. This is all on the theory that
the board at P. NJ, will not reverse the decision
| made to count the precinct In case the return
| ing board saw the correct returns on Saturday,
ard have personal knowledge that the tally
sheets have been tampered with. they will be
| asked to count the vote as originally returned,
and before the change of 300 in favor of the
Democrats was made.
THE TALLY-sHEET CORRECTED
When the board reassembled, at P. NJ, there
was large crowd present Clerk Joyce an
nounced that there appeared on the face of the
| returns from precinct A, Thirteenth ward, bold
fraud, which had been consummated since Sat-
urday evening by some person who had secured
| the tallysheet and made an addition of 300 to
| the number of each Democratic candidate He
would neither sign the abstract nor issue ceEtii
were first deducted from the totals on the Dem
| ocratc ticket
Matt Martin, another member of the board
| spoke in a similar strain, and Justice Fritchery
the third member said they were then unani-
nous on that point.
The 300 fraudulent votes which had been tai
lied up were deducted and the returns read as
| originally returned. This will give Taylor. Re-
publican. about $50 plurality over Young. Dem
ocrat The official footings have not been made
but will not vary much from these figures The
Republicans will have two of the three members
| of the Legislature from this city.
Clerk Joyce offered 5000 reward for the appre-
| hension of the thief who stole and altered the
| tally sheet, and the commissioners were re-
| quested by meeting of citizens who witnessed
| the count to offer a reward of $500 for similar
| purpose.
Fran lin county, official. gives Foraker TO- 665;
HoadE u2O0; Leonard, 5Sl; Northrop, 65 Two
Republ. representatives are elected by plu-
| ralities or 362 and ], l,349; Cheney Democratic
| over Ellis, has 203.
HAMILTON COUNTY.
beginning of the Official Count-Both Sides