The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-07-15
BOURBON FRAUDS IN VIRGINIA
rwo OF THE RAscALs BROUGHT TO
BOOK.

SIR: The following Is a true mar
rative of facts in a contested election
case touching the county officers OF
Norfolk County, Just decided. Lest
these facts published anonymously
should seem exaggerated you are
authorized to publish them over my
name.
| was counsel in the case and
heard all the evidence. At the gem
eral election for county officers held
May Is, 1885, in Virginia, according
to the returns the Bourbon Democ-
racy achieyed q victory in Norfolk
County and heralded these returns
to the country. In the western
branch district the candidates for
Supervisor were J. o. B. Crocker,
Democrat, and 6. B. Carney, Repub-
lican. According to the returns
Croker was elected by Is nj aIOrity.
will mention but two precincts
out of the four included in the cleo
ton district. The vote as returned
from Halls Corner precinct stood:
Carney 156, Croker 14S; and the
vote as returned from Glebe precinct
stood: Crocker 1S7, Carney 30.
Both of these precincts bad in No
vember last cast overwhelming ma
ijorities for Blaine. This election,
however, was held under the new
Bourbon electoral law. When the
returns came in Mr. Carney, who is
one of our best and thriftiest citi-
zens, at once saw that the returns
We're utterly fraudulent, and served
notice OF contest upon Crscker. The
trial of the case was completed to-
day. The facts proved were as fol-
lows: the election was held by three
judges appointed under the new
Bourbon Electoral law; two judges,
Thomas p. Cooke and Thomas III.
Culpepper, were Democrats the
third. a colored man and a Repub-
can was selected by the two Demo
cratic judges after the opening of
the polls. Five uniDpeached color
ed voters swore that in the afternoon
they saw a stranger about the polls,
and one of them testified tha: he
saw him holding up ballots togeth-
er to see if they would fall apart. All
testified that. suspecting him, they
took positions near the ballot-box
and watched his movements. In a
few moments he approached the
box, had some colloquy with the
Judge Cooke in an undertone, and
thereupon the. two Democratic judg-
es turned their backs and walked
off as if intending to leave the room;
that the witnesses saw him quickly
drop something into the box which
they took to be ballots; that they all
cried out there's man stuffing the
box" and tbereupon the judges
came back, and one of them ex-
claimed, eff anybody said that man
put anything into the box he is "a
- -, and III shoot the
stufiing out of him." and thereupon
the man walked off unmolested and
not denying the charge. 1t was then
proved that when the ballot-box
was opened that night ard the bal
lots counted first they overran Il
ballots; that thereupon Thomas P.
Cooke, the Democratic Judge, was
blindfolded and drew out II ballots;
that thereupon the ballots were put
back in the box, shaken up, and on
the recount the ballots overran 19
ballots. whereupon Cooke was again
bIindfolded and drew out 10 ballots;
that it was then shaken up third
time. counted, and found to over
run Z, and Cooke being blindfolded
drew out Z; that the ballots were
then strung and found to overrun
II, whereupon Cooke was again
blindfolded and drew out II Repub-
liean ballots. But 304 votes were
cast at Halls Corner for Supervisor;
thus over % per cent. of the ballots
in the box were fraudulent. The re-
turns gave Carney l56, Crocker 14S.
We had present in Court 233 men
whose names were on the ballot
books, who were ready to swear that
they voted for Carney. This left Il
votes only for Crocker by any pos
sibility.
Having reached this point we
took up the Glebe precinct, which
was also conducted by Democrats.
That return gave Croeker. 1S7, Car
ney 80. We were prepared to prove
by the voters present that III out of
the 2l7 votes cast were cast by them
for Carney, so that Instead of 157
majority there for Crocker we bad
100 majority for Carney. When We
had reached this point the defence
absolutely broke down and gave up
the case, waiving our introduction
of testimony as to the Glebe pre-
cinet, and permitting a judgment in
favor of Carney. Colonel George d.
Parker. Democratic prosecuting at
torney, Mr.. r. C. Marshall, late
Democratic candidate for Congress
and MIR. Crocker of the Portsmouth
bar represented the defence.
During the progress OF the trial
when the facts were fully developed
touching the frauds at Halls Cor
ner, we caused the arrest Of Cooke,
the Democratic Judge. on the charge
of felony for pntting fraudulent bal
lots in the box. His brother was
one of the judges at the Glebe pre-
cinct. We concluded not to press
the prosecution against him upon
the agreement OF the judges at both
precincts TO resign, which they have
done or will do at once. Our reason
for doing so was because Bourbon
grand jury would have to indict
him and a Bourbon petit jury try
him. and would not in all probabil-
itv convict. This is specimen
brick of Bourbon honesty. Publish
it for the benefit of their friends in
the cause of reform in the North,
and let Northern Republicans know
that Virginia Republicans are bat
Ting still for ''free ballot and
fair count" We have unkennel-
ed the fraud, ousted the benefici-
aries, purged the precincts of the
corrunt annointees of the Bourbon