The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-12-13
/ STATEMENT OF FACTS
REGARDING Alleged Republican
Frauds in Mercer County.
rgs DEMOCRATIC OFFICIALS
u,d Things Their Own way-A Par
,,un Grand jury and u Nefarious
schcmc-RcsuIt of u Close In
ycsrigation-Morc Light.

TpgycErox, MERCER Co., Dec. TO-
re rrpog. d election frauds in this
',notv are much overdrawn by the
N,nGcrl,i, pipcrs. Close investigation
's,rs that there were few illegal votes
-, and such is the case at every cleo
Nan in almost every county in the State.
vi II has been falsely given out that
,bs Republicans carried the county by
,ss H., ,ro.scs. frauds. This is not true.
n. whole election machinery was in
,bs hands Of the Democratic party, and
i, unrc,sonabiy harsh and weak to
,b,v. TINT the Democratic precinct
,,Fcers and tue Democratic Court House
commissioners were overmatched by
N. Republican voters. Prima tacie,
be.s Democratic officers Of election
y.re competent and faithful, and were
,ikrIy to receive and count fraudulent
n.mocra,ic votes us fraudulent Republi-
r,n votes; and such is the fact. True,
,Se rranh Jury OF the county, under the
J,ar,iop Of His Honor, and tho sly
S,,,r.tipns Of brave leaders, has found
sts1t one thousand indictments for
y,,toas ogvnses, and that of these there
a.. about three hundred for illegal vot-
in, The Jury was essentially bred,
n5,n and educated Democratic, and
While /. was impanelled and instructed
10 catch illegal Republican voters and
yiolaors OF the election laws, it happened
toeatrap number OF Democrats also.
now IT HAPPENED.
But, you ask, il what l say in regard
TO the comparatively small number Of
illegal votes is true, how is it that so
MANY indictments were found? Why,
poIitical excitement is running wild.
Tbe grand old Democratic party OF Mer-
cer has been defeated, md to-day its
leaders are among the dying and the
dead" This Republican party is the
victor. This great political revolution
must be accounted ior to the outside
world.
The Democratic Circuit Court meets;
q Democratic grand jury is sworn in;
Democratic witnesses are summoned,
and the grand farce opens. The court
nstructs the jury that II any mans
name appears on the poll books, and not
on the assessors books and the pay rolls
Of John Cooper, the Republican miner
and Chairman OF the Republican County
Committee, it is prima facie evidence
that the vote is illegal and an indict-
ment must be found. In this way near
" every Indictment for illegal voting
was found, when III is wellknown that u
great many, in fact hundreds OF mining
hands, who formerly resided in Green
brer, Monroe, Fayette, Summers and
Kanawha counties, came into Mercer
sixty days at least before the election
and thereby became legal voters in the
districts in which they were, ut the
time, bona lide residents. No, these
wholesale indictments prove only politi-
cal and personal malice, and the news is
spread abroad rs the precursor and up
holder Oi still more damnable scheme
Of rascali'y. The whole plan OF operas
tons is directed by adroit and un
Srupulous minds against the Republic
can Govrrnor.elect and the Delegate
elect. and the contests upon the part Of
the Democratic county and district can
dates is only feint.
As part OF
TIE SEFARIoUs SCHEME
the leaders are urging a special session
Of the Democratic County Commission
ers to try and determine the contests
for the various county offices, but this
is strongly opposed by all Republicans
and few OF the more discreet Demo-
Crafts, because the move is contrary to
the spirit, il not to the letter, OF the
statute providing for special terms, and
therefore, as to these contested election
CaseSan assumption of authority and
jurisdiction.
But there is still more potent reason
lgainst the calling OF u special session.
US, Carr. President, Thos. J. Campbell
aud A. NJ. Gott composed the court.
Carr died, and c. K. McNutt was elected
Tor the term OF six years, and was made
President OF the Court. He resigned to
run the race for sheriff aud was beaten
BY James A. White, the Republican can
dldate. J. A. Welch was appointed to
ill the vacancy occasioned by McNutt's
resignation, up TO, and only until, the
election, and at the election r. G. Dan.
geriield was elected to ill the unexpired
term OF said G. Il. McNutt.
It is therefore clear that Il. @. Danger
fields election and qualification us
member OF the court makes WelCh, as Il
member and President, ftmctUs obiciO;
aud this being true there is no President
10 ocalI an extra session. The Republican
party is also on the alert, and Chairman
Cowden, Of the State Committee, has at
togFncys on the ground watching, and
they are instructed by him to file Il petit
ton for writ OF prohibition against the
county court the moment u call for the
special session is posted, providing the
published object OF the court is to try the
contested cases. Welch is said to be II
sensible and rather intelligent man, and
Il he is honest he will not call the session
in haste.
In my next | will give a few instances
o. fraud and bribery on the part Of some
SSithe highest officials in the Democratic
hmIly, and tue facts will be OF most
Startling character. d.