The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-05
Hon. Bourke Cochran Speaks Forcibly
in behalf of Captain Whites Claims,
District Congressman Will Not Be IN
seated-Personal and Other Gossip.
TRICKS AT THE POLLS.

Congressman Exchange "Reminiscences, and
Mr.. Bynum Contributes His Share.
Special to the Indiauapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4-The trials at Indian
apolis and Columbus of charged with
tally -sheet forgeries and election frauds gener-
ally, have brought about good deal of comment
and many "reminiscences the part of politi-
clans in Congress. a. knot of members of the
House stood in the lobby of the Ebbitt last
evening and told about the peculiar election
frauds practiced in their States.
ibid you hear Of the fsh-hook trickls asked
Delegate Smith, of Arizona. moi WE'LL" he
continued 81 will tell you about IT. We used
to practice it in close districts in Kentucky
few years ago. The rules governing the deposit
OF. ballots precluded any int erference with the
man he was depositing his ticket, except by
single challenger for each party. There were
generally but two of these one on either side OF
the window whore the ballot was pat in. They
were greatly annoyed by repeaters. and devised
a scheme which is now referred to rs the fish,
hook trick by which one could tell whenever
a repeated. Nearly all of the reporters
were colored men. When black man depos-
tied his ballot we had our challenger slap him
on the shoulder or the hollow of his back AS
he did this he run into the mans coat email
minnow fish hook. There three voting
precincts tho district. A fsh-hook in the
right shoulder meant that the man had voted in
the First district in the hollow of the back the
second district, and if the hook was in the
other shoulder it showed that he had voted in
the third precinct. If a man went to repeat,
one of our strikers, standing on the dead line,
recognized the little fish-hook in the mans
clothing. and, calling him aside charged him
most positively. but without telling him how he
o&oI
And our man always added that there was q
law to punish a man for attempting TO vote
more than once The negro would be frighk
ened almost to death. and to escape punishment
would invariably walk up to the polls and put
in a ballot for u.s."
IA couple of years ago." said North Caro-
lima member, II must confess that I the
funniest maneuvers at the polls In my district
the voters in the precinct refer to can read or
write. Our election laws require ballet box
for each OF the State officers, and also for The
CONGRESSMAN. When the uneducated voter ap-
preached the poll he began to get his tickets
fixed right in his hand. and he generally stopped
to gaze at the ballot-boxes some seconds beforo
he began depositing his ballots. Our judges al
ways knew how the man wanted to vote. and il
they cav a who could not read put all of
the ballots in the right boxes they instantly
shuffied the boxes, SO that the next uneducated
voter of the same frame Of mind would not de-
posit his ballot right, and therefore he lost tna
franchise, as the right ballot must be put
be counted. The shutting or mixing
mp of the boxes was for the purpose OF making
it impossible for educated men standing at the
distance required, to direct the voters they
approach, which box TO put the ticket in. It
absolutely funny to see an old, sober election
judge get up each time who could not
read deposited his ballots right and change the
boxes around, to throw OF the next man."
Eyes. that is all interesting and very bad"
said Representative Bynum, of Indiana but
there is little trick practiced out in my State
which is also pretty bold and unique. It shows
organized effort to commit fraud. The chaleng-
election judge. who receives and desposits the
ballots The judge or clerk at the ballot box
has, in his pocket. mum Der OF tickets which he
wants to win. When voter approaches who
wants to cast tho other ticket he is permitted to
hand his ballot to the clerk or judge. who takes
it, and he is IN the act OF depositing
it the challenger of his party challenges the vote
There is a pause during which the clerk or
judge who has received the ticket hands back to
the voter ticket. He does not however, re-
turn the ticket which was intended to be voted,
neatly folded the ticket he desires to have cast,
retaining ia his other hand the ticket the voter
first gave for deposit just as the voter gets
the ticket from the man a. the ballot-b box. the
one who challenges withdraws his challenge.
when the voter then hands back the ticket he
has received. and it is promptly deposited in tina
ballot box The ticket which the voter first
handed to the election officer is deposited in the
latters pocket This is trick very extensively
practiced in some precincts. is extremely diff
cult to detect. aud there is doubt in the minds
deception fraud; but is it nevertheless very
depiorahle actKD