The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-20
The CINCINNATI ELECTION FRAUDS.

natl last year, Captain Anderson, an old citi-
zen and lifelong Democrat, stated publicly
and unqualiiedly that "the only frauds COM
mitted or attempted were the work of Demo-
Gratis" He spoke from knowledge, because he
was an active member Of the committee Of
one hundred, which had these frauds under
consideration. The Ohio Senate committee,
now prosecuting an investigation of the same,
has secured corroborative evidence that admits
Of no doubt. In his testimony before the
committee the Hon. I. j. Miller said that he
was chairman of the committee of one hun
bred; that it was composed of like number
of Republicans and Democrats, and that it's
purpose was to expose frauds and to secure
fair elections. He is ffty-two years Of age,
| and has been resident of Cincinnati for
thirty-three years, and has been a Democrat
all his life, never having voted any other
ticket, nor had his father or grandfather.
That he is a man of standing and character is
sufficiently attested by the fact that he was
chosen to act as chairman of SUCH commit
tee He has actively participated in the work
of the committee, has attended all the meet
ings, and is we'll advised as to the discoveries
made. In answer to the question whether
| he had received evidence of Republican
fraud, as requested by the chairman of the
Senate committee, he said: "Well, could
not say that went out and made any efforts.
! There were no Republican frauds in this
county at the last election, unless it might be,
| as probably there were, some individual Re-
publican frauds. There may have been some
of those or there may not, but so far as evil
dence is concerned, or anything that could be
reached in any way, there were none." To
the question, "You have been able, then, to
discover no organized movements in the in
terest of the Republican party to perpetrate
frauds at the last electionY" he replied: "No,
sir; there wasn't any. There could not be
any" When asked as to what had been dis
| covered relative to organized frauds, he said:
1.-THE frauds were organized by Democratic
ofice-holders and police, and those Democrats
seeking office" 1t will be observed that this
evidence wholly corroborates that of Captain
Anderson, that the only organized frauds in
Cincinnati were perpetrated by and in the
interests of Democratic ofice-holders. AS to
their magnitude and their effecton the result of
the election, his answer to question on this
point was "Well, my opinion, from all I
have gathered, and from what knowledge |
have of the politics of the county and the
voting is that not Democrat was cleo ted by
some thousands"
In the face of the astounding revelations
that have been made of organized Democratic
fraud, to the perpetuation of which Demo-
Gratis prostituted such officers of the courts as
were under their control, the Democratic candi-
dates in Hamilton county were returned as
elected, when even on the face of the returns it
was demonstrated that asingle sweep Of the pen,
with fraudulent intent, had changed the total
enough to alter the result to the advantage Of
upon the infamous scheme to capture the
Legislature, to the end that Democratic
United States Senator be returned from Ohio,
no added infamy was enough to deter them.
The police, as shown by Mr.. Millers testi-
mony, not only took an active part in fraud at
the polls, but have since refused to come to
the assistance of the committee investigating
the same throwing every obstacle in the way
and impeding the work of the committee
And when the case was taken to the Supreme
Court, the same influence that made thugs of
the alleged guardians of the peace in Cincin-
natl was sufficient to compel verdict APPROX
ing the infamy, and this was accomplished by
the trick of Withholding the returns that
elected a Republican Judge so that Demo
crat appointed to fill vacancy might hold his
place to pass on this question. Held in
place by scheme in the interest of fraud,
this Democratic judge decided, as was re-
fere with election returns, however fraudulent
they might be, even on their face. The whole
question was relegated to the Legislature,
each house of which must pass on the qualif-
cation of its members. In case either or both
branches were Democratic, this would mean
that these Democrats, ''not elected by some
thousands, would undoubtedly be seated and
Republicans would have no recourse
But the Democratic desperadoes did not
stop at this Having made an organized band
of ruffians of the police force. having in
dorsed the Democratic county clerks determi-
nation to have palpably fraudulent tally
sheet accepted as the true result of the