New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-12-22
TJIE ONO FRAUD.

It is no wonder that the Republicans of Ohio
highly approve the dissenting opinion Of Judge
Johnston regarding the election frauds. Few
Judges have ever stated more strongly the case
of Justice against that most dangerous OF all
crimes. which uses the name and the forms oil
law to corrupt and prostitute the lawmaklng
power. But rarely has any judge had such an
opportunity. The decision in the Ohio case
ought to be the turning point in the history of
that State. If the people do not take care to
have il reversed and the law so changed as to
render similar usurpatIons impossible here
after they will have no right to complain II
they lose even the shadow of government.
New evidence has come to light since the late
decision was rendered One OF the Prohibition
candidates, who worked at the poll here the
most glaring fraud was perpetrated. now testl-
fes that he was present at the counting OF the
votes in place of an absent Judge, and sat ut the
table with the Democratic officers and a Re
publican who was too far gone IN liquor To
know what took place. He asserts that he as
sisted in the count until about l o'clock, when
all the ballots had been counted, and memo
randum of the results had been made. Up to
that time the necessity for the final forgery IN
order TO count in the Senators from Hamilton
County was not known and the frauds which
had been previously completed were merely
recognized by the officials, who cOunted rs
legally cast 200 more votes than there were
voters registered in the precinct. he vital
part of this testimony Is that it establishes,
first, the number of votes actually found IN the
box, to which both parties agreed down To ii
o'clock and second, the fact that both gave TO
the Republicans in that precinct Isl, against
726 Democratic votes. Wishing to get rid of
him, the Democratic judges kindly assured the
Prohibition candidate and counter that they
would give his candidates their % votes, and
he left Shortly after men came in hack
bringing the demand for 200 more Democratic
majority from that precinct, which Was manu-
featured b. taking of all the Republican votes
except X, and putting on additional Democratic
votes instead. The return already made up
was changed by palpable alteration OF '2O To
926 and thus boldly altered IL was counted by
the County Clerk and his count was sustained
by the Supreme Court. 1t is believed that
sufficient ground exists fer demanding new
hearing by the Supreme Court, the Democratic
Judge, AthcIton, who was defeated ut the cleo
ton. having now left the bench and the Repub-
lican Judge then elected having taken his seat.
BIT it is hard to see on what ground judges
who soemny declared they had no power to
rcqnire the CLERK 10 correct pllpable irand
can now require the correction because the
proof of fraud is more complete. II Is 4 Gucs-
ton however whether. II the registration law
was unconstitutional. as the court has decided
any votes cast under that law in the City of
Cincinnati were valid.
When all il said. tho responsibility for this
state of things, which is n disgrace 10 any
American city or State, rests with citizens who
call themselves respectable and Iawabiding.
If such notorious crimes are perpctratcd, and
are suffered to control an election, the blame
belongs to citizens who for party's sake tolerate
the, leaders, the legislatures and the courts
which render those crimes possible. 1t seems
incredible that any respectable Democrat can
countenanca acts 50 Infamous. One would sup
pose that the Democrats who have been fraud
ulently returned to the Senate would be in
stantly turned out by decent Democrats in that
body, as unworthy to sit in tine same chamber.