The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-01-13
A REMINDER OF '76.
A Stuffed BallOt-BOx Found After Nine Years
Of COneealnsnt.
The Bottom of the Box, ROtted by Age
Falls Out and Displays the Tickets
How Came 1t There?-Ah,
There's the Rub!

chased the drug store at G3 North Pennsyl-
Vania street from Aughinbaugh Il Co., and
in making some changes in the cellar yester-
day box, covered apparently with the dust
of years, was discovered Immediately under
the steps leading from the rear end of the
stOrerOOm into TIE cellar. The fact that the
box was locked attracted attention, and a
more minute investigation proved that it
had a small opening in the top,
and very much Tesembled a bal
lOt-bOx. This fact excited Gu
JiOsity, and the box was partially turned to
one side when the bottom was found to be
badly rotted, owing to contact with the damp
floor of the cellar.
The finding of ballot-box in such place
naturally excited attention, and a represent
alive of the sentinel called upon Mr.. Tark-
ington last evening for further information
regarding il. That gentleman stated sub
staDtially that he had found the box in the
cellar shortly after the purchase OF the
store some six weeks ago, but had said moth
ing about the matter, owing TO the tact that
he had been called East Immediately follow
ing the discovery. 1t escaped his mind en-
tirely after his return, but being in the cellar
yesterday, and again seeing the box under
meath the stairway, he had inspected it more
~
When the reporter saw the box last night
he Immediately recognized it as ballot box
and in lifting 10 70 one side a part of the
bottom dropped out, owing to its
decayed condition, and with il came hun
dred or two ballots which gave no evidence
of having been folded or of having passed
through the hole in the top Of the box. OF
those that dropped out nearly all were Re
publican tickets of 1876, containing the
names Of Hayes and Wheeler and the full
Republican electoral ticket of the State The
following is one Of these tickets which the
reporter secured:
REPUBLICAN TICKET.
For President,
RUTHERFORD &. HAYES.
For Vice Prosidest,
WILLIAM A. WHEELER.
FoT Electors for he stat at Large.
ALBERT 9. PORTER,
THOMAS H. NELSON.
For District E7octors.
First Distrie;-JACOB ;. BUCHANAN.
Second District-LEvI FERGUSON.
Third Distriet-ALANsON STEPHENS.
Fifth District-HESRY G. Fox.
Sixth District-JANEs y. TE1iPLER.
Seventh Distractions NJ BUTLER.
Eighth Distriet-WILLIAN A: MoSTGOHERY.
Tenth Distractions W. Winner.
Eleventh Distriet-HENRP G. THORNTON.
Twelfth District-HoNER G. HARTMAN.
Thirteenth Observation-Disclosures P.IeKETT.
OF total CT possibly 300 tickets which fell
from the box, none bore the marks of fold
ing nor did any appear ever to have been
placed upon a string. They are all discol-
Ored by age, and the corners of many, where
they came in contact with the rotten wood,
are also deeayed. How they came there,
when the Clerk is the legal custodian of all
boxes and ballots. and how the box has
remained so long in the cellar without
public attention being called to il are mat
tiers about which we might conjecture, but
OF which nothing is really known. That
the box was very uncomfortably stuffed be-
fore the deposit was made can not be dis
puted, but who stuffed it is question which
can not be answered. The clerk who is at
present employed in the store and who has
been there for some time, says that he has
noticed the box under the steps for several
years, but never made any examination OF
it or its contents.
The only theory that can be advanced Is
that the box was stuffed in the interest OF
the Republican candidates, the tally sheets
and poll books showing the aggregate return
and the tell tale ballots placed in the cellar
TO prevent detection OF the fraud. We arr
not informed as to parties having access to
the store at that time as to whom the store
belonged, but the finding of the box and the
contents as described is indisputable.
As the Grand Jury is now in session il
would be well for the members to look care
fully into the matter and il possible locate
the responsibility where it rightly belongs
briggs & Harrington issue the following
notice:
long lost BALLOT BOX FOUND.
In cleaning out cellar at 6 North Pennsylvania
street a ballot box locked was found containing
papers supposed 10 be tickets. The owner ear
have the same Dy proving property and paying re