The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-09
DEMOCRATIC TESTIMONY.
The Leading Democratic Paper Denounces the
Frauds Of the Coy Gang in This City.

Special to Evansville Courier
By careful examination your correspondent
finds that there have been erasures and changes
in four of the city precincts and the boldness
with which the fraud was perpetrated is excelied
only by the bungling manner in which it was
done The tally sheets thus changed are those
of the Second precincts of the Fourth and Thir-
teenth wards and the First precincts OF the
| Seventeenth and Twenty third wards. In one
| instance twenty seven talies were removed from
the sheet by an acid whch was so strong that it
burned through the paper and scorched the tally
sheet which lay underneath. The acid was then
abandoned and the knife substituted but the
erasures we're made in such bung
ling manner and evidently in such haste
that holes were scratched in the sheet.
The erasures in each instance were made
against Griffith and Conger, Republican
candidates for the Legislature and Irwin and
Wagner for Criminal Judge and Coroner respect
lively. The tallies of their Democratic opponents
for these offices were then increased in the same
proportion, aud the totals, which were upon the
sheets both In writing and in figures, were so
| changed that they correspond with the altered
| letters In making the new tallies and figures
| the same bunging methods are employed, and
the ink used differs so much from that used by
the election clerks, that any ten year-od boy in
the State could readily distinguish between the
two. When the tally sheets are held up between
the observer and the light tho erasures can be
readily detected, even from the opposite side.
It is evident, therefore, that the changes were
made in a great hurry.
The changes against Griffith and Conger were
not sufficient to affect the result, but both Ayres
and Morrison Democratic candidates for Judge
and coroner respectively, were declared elected
by them, and in each case notice of contest has
been given them by their Repub opponents.
The frauds are SO glaring, so heinous in their
character, that they have raised a storm of in
dignaton among the honest, lawabdpg men of
both parties. and Democrats and Republicans are
making common cause in the effort to ferret out
the perpetrators and bring them to Justice. 1t
is conceded on all sides that reputable Dem
oerat aided or encouraged the miscreants. and
the opinion prevails that the tallv-sheets were
changed by two, perhaps three, political schem-
ers whom reputable Democrats have never coun-
tenanced, but who in times of election, push
themselves forward. and obtain temporary no.
toriety as party workers.
| Evansville Courier Editorial.
A DEMOCRATIC FRAUD
Our Indianapolis special this morning points
| out the attempt of certain Democratic trick
sters and schemers at the capital to connt in two
| Democratic candidates for county Offices by
| doctoring the tallysheets.
Our correspondent made personal investica
ton of the altered returns, and gives the truth
as he found it. 1t is to be hoped that every dc
cent Democrat and aw-abiding citizen in Mar
| ion county will demand punishment of the ras-
| GALS and complete justice to the Republican
! candidates who are affected by the
doctored returns. 1t is no justification
| of fraud 20 say that the Repub
/ licans committed it when they were
in power. That is the reaGon why the people of
the United States have turned the Republicans
out of power. Nor is it possible for the Demo
cratic party to win the confidence and respect of
the people by contenting itself with limitations
/ of all that is bad in Republicauism while care
fully eschewing qualities in the Republican par
! ty worthy of imitation. Democracy must mean
something more and better than a cheap coun-
| terfeit of Republication If it is to keep its hold
! on power The tricks OF the Republican
schemers. bsllotbox suffers and election
| thieves not to be condoned by
/ the Democratic party when resorted
/ to by its malefactors. Pure government
can only follow pure elections. The obligation
| Of the ofice-holder must be to the people. and
not to the party ''fue-workers" who. if they had
their deserts, would be in tina penitentiary on
! the rock pile
| We trust the Democrats of Marion will take
| the lead in bringing to punishment the perpe-
| traitors of the tally sheet forgeres We regret
the defeat of Judge Ayres. which, accordin @.
| the statement of our correspondent. will resVlt
| from honest return, but sure he is too
honorable man to accept any position secured
/ by such methods as the evidence of tho tally
| sheets disclose.
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