The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-12
FACTS ABOUT THE FRAUDS.
Developments That Throw Some Light
OH the Recent Ballot Robberies.
John E. Snllivan's Election as County Clerk
TO Be ConteSted-InspectOr Schmidt Prom
Uses TO Give Testimony Under Oath.


In expectation of succeeding County Clerk
McIain. the visits of John e. Sullivan to that
Office are daily and prolonged. He IS an apt
student at devng into details of clerical work,
but he is not to take possession of the Office with
out litigation. Mr. Rollins. who gave him close
run for even an apparent majority, will wait the
event of Sullivan assuming the duties OF CLERK
on Monday next, and then proceed to contest his
claim by quo warranto proceedings. he de-
cided yesterday to take this course rather than
go before the County Commissioners, as an in
itiatory step. In the meantime, Sullivan is Sc
lecting his deputies and having them gather all
the information they can about their prospective
services. John c. Ferriter Is giving his atten-
ton to the Circuit Court If Mr..
Sullivan's right to the Office ID held good,
Ferriter will be the deputy in that room.
Casper Hedderich, we'll known as member Of
the executive committee and former president
ofthe Liquor League, has been taking lessons
from Deputy Clerk Coffman in the Criminal
Court room with the understanding that he is
80 succeed him. Other deputies appointed are
%eorge W. Budd. Harry r. Springstein and
jean Reardon.
DIR. Morrison is still anxious to let his claims
Of election rest a recount of the ballots rath-
or than on proceedings of contest Yesterday he
added another clause to the proposition he made
DR.. Wagner some days ago. proposing recount
after the criminal prosecutions have come to an
end and all use of the ballots evidence there
In or as relating to the vote for other contest
ants has been made. DR. Wagner it is pre-
sumed, will listen to no offers of this kind He
is in no temper to do anything in securing JUS
tice for himself except through means that will
assist in establishing the fact that a crime has
been perpetrated on the rights of the people
The other contests will be tried by the present
\ Board of County Commissioners 1t is accepted
as the law that the fifteen days limitation Of a
session applies only to regular meetings, while
the called or special sessions can continue with
out limit AS the regular sessions are by law
fixed at fonr each year-December, March, June
and September-the present session is, there
fore. special one. 1t is admitted that, while
Captain Clntons service as Commissioner will
and on the first Monday in December, he is en-
titled to serve at any called session
between that date and this. He will,
therefore. sit in hearing the contests on
the 23d inst, unless the contestees ask for a
Bases into the regular term, when Mr.. Thomp-
son would come in as the third Commissioner
Commissioner Sahm says no inelgibity attaches
10 his seat at the trial II saw Lorenz Schmidt
&o-day,' he remarked land he says he told no
one that he gave his returns to me the night the
canvassing was in progress l had no returns
Of any kind in my possession and know nothing
at all about the alleged forgeries DR.. Wagner
has been misnformed about this matter Fol-
lowing this, Journal reporter sought Mr..
Schmidt and repeated to him the statement OF
Mr. SahIn.
- s'Tnat iycorrtct" replied that gentleman. 81
haze told one that gave the returns to Mr..
Sahm, nor have mentioned in any conversation
concerning the affair the name OF the man with
whom left the papers will not do this until
! am compelled to answer under oath. When
sthat time comes everything will be made plain
to those who have right to know. The aitera-
tions on that tally sheet have placed me in an
embarrassing position. ] am satisfied that every
ballot was correctly counted and tailed by the
election board, and you can appreciate my
cbagrln when discovered what had been done
with the returns made to the canyassers. As
an honest man, l could not do otherwise than
protest and insist on the duplicate tally -sheet
in the sack of ballots being brought
Id for comparison By my protest
that of an Inspector. Bernhamer, the chairman,
had absolute evidence that something was
wrong. and 1t was his place to see the only way
sthen of correcting it was followed No matter
what may have been the effect of his arbitrary
rulings in other cases. mine was different for he
had the word of officer of the election In that
precinct to which the TALES referred that a
fraud had been committed When he would not
lstep to me | turned away in disgust 1t was
the first time was ever a member OF board of
that kind, and when placed sthe returns in the
care of one whom | thought honest had
no idea any fraud or forgery would be
I'D A,1rin hQ
next morning tried 20 have the disagreeable af-
fair arranged with the persons who knew about
the changes wanted them to correct what had
been done, but they would listen TO nothing of
the kind. am satisfied that they have changed
Iheir minds, and are ready for oyertures. But
it is too late. The whole dishonest proceeding
Will como out, and through me. for will be
forced to protect myself when / am legally
called upon to give testimony
That the criminals are driven to their wits
end for defense is proven by the desperate eff
forts they are making in trying to fasten the
crime on to Republican judges of election. On
Wednesday night preceding the day the
canvassers were to meet only twenty nine in
spectors of election out Of eighty four had re-
turned the ballots, duplicate tally sheets, poll
books and certificates to the county clerk. At
the close of Office hours he told Deputy Clerk
Carson TO come early the next morning and at
tend to the inspectors who would make their re-
burns with rush. A few minutes later the
Democratic 5anitor of the Office and Goose
Eden came to che clerk and asked TO have the
doors kept closed the next morning until they
could reach the Office These two men acted AS
guards over the Office by the especial appoint
ment of Sim Coy. Mr.. McLain made no
agreement of the kind and the next day. at an
hour somewhat earlier than usual Mr.
Carson came TO carry out his chiefs orders but
the janitor refused to open the outer iron doors
The deputy then sent 10 the hotel for Mr. Nc
Lain's key, and when it came the doors were un-
locked, but the janitor refused TO open the inner
door, Within half hour the clerk came when
An eLtrance was gained. There was no one in
the Office, nor had there been since it
Democratic guards took possession of the
place, as they did on Thursday evening, while
the count was going on in the Circuit Court
room. During the recess for supper that even
ing Mr.. McLain came down TO the Office to attend