The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-09-24
The Mullen Case.

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Gov. Hoadly in his gainesville
speech shows up the true status OF
the Mullen case as follows:
You refer to my signature for the
pardon Of Lieutenant Mullen. am
glad l signed it. l not only signed
that petition, but 1 went in person to
the President and solicited the par
don. l also wrote a letter asking Mr..
Cleveland to pardon Mullen before
he took his vacation, which I am glad
he did. / am proud, not ashamed, of
the stand 1 took id the Mullen case,
and l hope that my efforts contribute
ed to Mullen's pardon. Undoubtedly
there were eight or ten leg~atsvoterss
in the crowd which Mullen captured
at "Hoghead Johns" gambling house
and other low dives along the river
in Cincinnati. He was Motif, d by
telephone from the police of Coving-
ton that an invasion of Ohio by Ken
lucky Republicans was in progress.
In his anxiety to defeat it he took in
a few too many-a few who had the
right to vote-and therefore it was,
and in order to save his CO defendants
that he plead guilty and served eight
months in the Hamilton County Jail
on a Il years sentence, but he is an
efficient officer of good character, So
Der habits and experience, and I
thought that the term of service
which he had already passed in Jail
was far mere than adequate punish
men for the possible offense he might
have committed in not more carefully
discriminating between the scamps
from Ohio whom he gathered inAfor
Mr.. Sherman, these were scamps
from Ohio-among the fellows he
cap ured, who had the right to vote.
They were aiding Kentucky scamps
ia the Republican attempt, Of which
Lot Wright was the nominal chief, to
corrupt our suffrages. 1t was proved
on Mullen's trial that John Venable,
better known as "Hoghead John" Of
fered to sell the votes of thirty five OF
his dodgers for $3.50, and the gentle
man to whom this offer was made, re-
piled very promptly that he would
net give seventy-fve cents fol the lot.
The house kept by "Hoghead John"
is a place for shooting scraps" Dc
you know what that means, Mr.. Sher.
man? I do not, but as "Hoghead"
John appears to be a head centre Re
publican Of Hamilt, n county, some
of your friends may have been at his
house and seen the game in pr gress,
and posted you. 1t is, I am told, a
game of dice, and in the nature OF
low gambling. Itfwas in proof inllthe
Mullen case that from the roomfin
which these Republican colonizers
were confined by Mullen they could
have emerged without any difficulty
it being a basement under the station
house used for the shelter of tramps
who have taken refuge there some.
times to the number of two hundred
and fifty at a time, with no lock or
the door and no f~astenings on the
windows. 1t was to guard agains
frauds of this kind-against thu
frauds of the party of "Hoghea(
john" in Ohio, and for the protec
ton Of Cincinnati politics--that thu
Democracy of Ohio passed the regis
~tration law. Are you glad it w.
passed, Mr.. Sherman, or are you sor
ry. or are you neither for no.
against" registration? Ifyou are glat
1t was passed, pray write to you
brethren in Tennessee to help the
people ofthat State pass a similar law
If you are sorry it was passed, ome
out and tell the people SO, but il you
are neither for nor against" registra
ton, then keep on scoldipg thetsbad
lot" of tie General Assembly, as YOU
have eeen doing. t