Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-21
ONO ELECTION FRAUDS.
iDauirinG into Illegal Voting In Cincinnati
Damaging Testimony.


DamGainR Testimony.
IBy telegraph to the Dispatch.I
CINCINNATI. October 20.-Testi.
IRONY was heard to-day before Judge
Buchwalter in the mandamus proceed
ings to compel the judges of election in
Precinct +, Eighteenth ward, to make
proper returns Of the election. Their
return was brought in unsealed and
unsigned, and hence the writ. j. III.
Thompson. one Of the judges, testified
that he has been agreed upon to act as
a Judge on behalf Of the Republicans.
James Higgins and John Regan were
the Democratic judges. In the morn
ing they divided the labor thus
Thompson was to receive the votes and
deposit them in the box; Higgins was
to turn the crank, and Regain was to
check the names from the registry
book. After about fifty names
had been received, outside parties
interfered, took the book from Re-
gan. and threw it under some
rubbish. Regain had said he could not
check the names fast enough. The
book disappeared and was not used
again that day. After the check-book
had been seized the witness saw one
man vote seven times under different
names. The votes were received
against his protest. lie recognized the
face as that of the same man,
though he did not known the man. lie
went home at o clock and refused to
assist in counting. Afterwards he went
to the pollng-place and was refused adj
mission. He next saw the ballOt-bOx
yesterday morning. The hinges were
broken off and the box was tied up with
a rope. Other witnesses testified that
copy of the registry-book had been made
and was used by the challengers until
they were driven away and the
book torn up. A citizen of Covington,
Ky., testified that he saw two boys,
whom he named. and whom he knew
to be residents of COyington, vote at
the precinct. Hesaid they were brought
to the polls by special policeman.
Another witness testified that he saw
these boys vote and saw them receive
money. Ii was bill. given to the
larger one. They went into sa-
loon and got it changed in silver
and divided it. lie followed the
boys to the river. On the way
lie asked policeman to arrest them,
but the officer declined. Another wit
ness testified he saw Moses Doyle,
whom he knew well and whom he had
seen vote a short time before in another
precinct, come to this precinct aud offer
to vote. Witness protested, and seized
Doyles arm as he held out his ticket.
Ore Of the judges seized Doyle's wrist,
and his arm was pulled toward and
from the ballot-box by these two men
until another judge took the ticket from
Doyle's hand and put it in the box.
The question to be raised in this
case. after the testimony is ended, is
whether the Court can compel thejudges
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 returned newspaper election
return blank with their signatures at
tached, but did not sign the tally-sheet.
About $4,000 has been subscribed
for the use of the Committee Of One
Hundred. The Court declined to call a
special grand jury on account OF the
short time it would have to serve.