The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-01-21
THE WRIGHT INVESTIGATION.
Harry 9. New, of This City, Took Ten Men
to Cincinnati, All Of Whom Were Ap.
pointed and Acted as Deputy
marshals.

CIEcIESATI, Jan. 16-In the Springer Com
mittee investigation to day, E. T. Sprague
was the first witness. He told of being as
saulted and severely beaten by Deputy
Sheriffs because he protested against
the brutal treatment of colored man ar
rested for illegal voting.
J. ]. Gleason, Deputy Marshal OF the Nine
teenth Ward, denied thot he shot at any body
or intimidsted any one. he had difficulty
with Moran and threatened to shoot him,
but did not. On cross examination he said
was indicted in one case, but was never
brought to trial. In the other the Grand
Jury ign ored the case.
Mr.. Fletcher, an attorney, told of a case
where negro offering 10 vote in the Eighth
Ward was forcibly dragged from the polls,
beaten and driven away.
Anderson Bennett colored. testified that
he was challenged and Immediately slapped
in the face, and was pulled from the polls
and arrested By Deputy Sheriff and
abused and beaten on the way to the sta
ton house. He was soon release upon show
ing that he was legal voter, and was after
ward appointed Deputy Marshal and sent
to the Eighth Ward. Before reaching the
polls he was attacked by mob and driven
to house, where he was shot by one of the
mob, and afterward taken to the hospital in
a patrol wagon. He shot twice at the crowd
after they began the pursuit.
James M. Glen testified to two cases where
negroes were arrested for non-resldence,
whom he ascertained were legal voters, and
had them released. One refused TO go 10 the
polls to vote and the other was released too
late to vote.
Mr.. Morgan J. Lewis, Republican Judge
OF the Sixth Ward polls said the trouble
started at that place by q Democratic colored
man challenging colored voter, and inn
mediately striking him. The witness was
threatened by the crowd for his action as
Judge.
Henry Kessler testified to cases OF colored
men improperly arrested on election day.
David Kinney, colored, testified that he was
arrested, though he had long been resident
ana voter.
Mr.. Follett introduced Mr.. Barbeaugh,
City Marshal of Paris, KY, who testified to
seeing number of carloads of colored peo-
pie coming to Cincinnati, few days before
the election. Some came back after the
election, and some never came back. On
cross examination he said some OF the men
wore regalia.
]. c. Harper, United States Commissioner,
testified that no such warrant as the one
presented in evidence by the other side was
ever issued by him. The warrant presented
had no names and no offense charged, but
simply authorized the Deputy Marshal bear
ing it to arrest ''cert ain persons 70 be pointed
out Witness presented the affidavit upon
which the warrant was Issued, and also the
warrant afterward issued by him for the ar
rest of police officers who had arrested Dep.
uty Msrshals, from which he wss certain
the warrant he issued to the Deputy Mar
shals contained the names of six or eight
persons, and described the offense of con-
spring to vote illegally.
Harry s. New, city editor Of an Indian
apolis paper, testified that he came to Oin-
cinnati with ten men, whom he brought at
the request of E. G.. Rathbone, for the pur-
pose Of spotting Indianapolis re peaters, He
gave their names and described the men as
reliable fer the purpose required. he had
information that suspicious m en- were COM
ing here frem Indianapolis. and thought it
necessary that men should De sent to watch
them. On cross examination he said his
men all acted as Deputy Msrshsls. They
received no pay from Marshal Wright. The
witness received money from w. s. Cspel-
lar, of the Lincoln Club, to pay the expenses
of these men.
Both sides expect to close the testimony
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