Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-10-22
THE COUNT IN CINCINNATI.
Infamous Frauds PrOyen-BallOt Box
es Stuffed and VilIainy Rampant.

count of the vot5. of Hamilton county
was adjourned al $50 p. 10. yesterday
after four wards had been canYassed.
The discrepancies between the tally
sheets and the official count were of lit =
tie Importance until precinct A of the
Fourth ward was reached. The total
number of votes announced as cast in
the precinct was 996, divided as follows:
Hoadlv 926, Foraker As, Leonard %. EX-
County Auditor Cappellar objected, and
said that according TO the newspapers
there were but some 700 registered in
the precinct, and if this were true, some
200 fraudulent ballots had been cast.
County Clerk Dalton said that he did
did krOw whether the newspaper state+
ment was correct or not. He had only
to connt the votes returned, and the
count was proceeded with. Another Ob-
lection was made 10y A citizen that the
returns were not certified to properly. Mr.
Dalton advised the cbiecter to make a
memorandum of it, and take advantage
of it if he could.
Julius Dexter, one of the most active
members of the citizens committee of
one hundred, now engaged in investiga
ting alleged election frauds at the recent
election in this county, was arrested to-
day on charge of perjury. The trial
was set for Wednefday, and Mr. Dexter
was released on 1000 bond. The war
rant on which The arrest is made was
sworn out 10y John Miner and Patrick
Kelly, judges of the election at Precinct
Z. Ward 10. Ii charges that Mr. Dexter
made oath to a complaint before Squire
Dunning that they, after counting had
been commenced in their precinct, posts
poned it and then removed the ballot
box. They claim that Mr. Dexter COM
mitted perjury in swearing this. Mr.
Dexter has subscribed $500 TO the COM
mittee'S fund for carrying on the inves ?
tigdtion.
Testimony was heard before Judge
Buchwalter in the mandamus proceed
ing to compel the Judges of Election in
Precinct E. Eighteenth ward, to make a
proper return of the election. Their re-
turn was brought in unsealed and un>
signed, and hence the writ.
J. H. Thompson, one of the judges,
testified that he had been agreed on to
act as judge on behalf of Republicans ;
James Higgins and John Reagan were
the Democratic judges. In the morning
they divided the laborS thus: Thompson
was to receive votes and deposit them in
the box, Higgins was to turn the crank
and Reagan was to check names from
the registry book. After about fifty
votes had been received outside parties
interfered, and took the book from Rea-
gan and threw it under some rubbish.
Reagan had said he could not check
names fast enough. The book disap-
peared and was not used again that day.
After the checking ceased the witness
saw one vote cast seven times under diff
ferent names.
The votes we're received against his
protest. He recognized the face as the
same though he did not know the man.
He went home at o'clock and refused
to assist in counting. Afterwards he
went to the polling place and was re
fused admission. He next saw the bal
lot box Monday morning. The hinges
were broken off and the box was tied up
with rope.
Other witnesses testified that a copy
of the Registry book had been made and
was used by challengers until they were
driven away and the book torn up.
u SltIACb vi NfoNllS lOls Ag oVObluCu bC
saw two boys whom he named, and whom
he knew to be residents of Covington, at
this precinct. He said that they were
brought to the polls by special police
man. Another witness testified that be
saw these boys vote and saw them IeN
ceive money.
The question to be raised in this case
after the testimony is ended is, whether
the court can compel the judges to sign
a return when they know it is tainted
with irregularity and fraud. The official
count has only reached the Twelfth
ward. In one precinct the judges re-
turned newspaper election return
blank with their signatures attached, but
did not sign the tally sheet.
About $4,000 has been subscribed for
the use of the Committee of One Hun
dred. The court declined to call spet
cial grand jnry on account of the short
time it would have to serve.