Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-12-03
WHOLESALE CORRUPTION.

The New York Worlds Opinion OF tho Re
publican Campaign.
NEW YORK, December 1.-The World
publishes the following Dispatch from
Charleston, w. Va: The election of 1888
will be long remembered in West Virgins.
The flsgrant attempt OF the Republicans 10
purchsss the State has stirred mp q deep
and lsstiCg resentment. 1t ia not improb1
able that some of the most prominent
members of the Republican party in the
State will bs indicted before the first Of
next year. Even should the final returns
elect Judge Fleming Governor, Gen. Golf,
lis fir lends say, Will be compelled to de-
maud an investigation by the Legislature
to yind;cs ate his nam e. If he DOES not DO
this it will be the end Of his political ex-
istence in tn is State.
From the returns received at the Score
tary of States Office it appears that Mr..
Cleveland has carried the State by nearly
1000. Many ere asking how it was that
Gcif ran so tar ahead of Harrison. One
exp anation is that Golf wss fl ed with an
ambition to have the credit of being the
man who "broke the Solid South" which
would place him IN line for the Vice-Pres-
idency in 1892.
E1.Collector Mccormick, Of Grafton, is
mentioned as tie chief manipulation in
Colts interest. Early in October be made
a trip through tie South Branch Valley,
in the eastern Fart Of the State. He was
accompanied by Mr.. HoOtoD, former pos
tai clerk. Judge Fleming, who was in
this valley shortly after the visit Of Nc
Cormick and Hooton, says he was amazed
at the brazen way in which they did their
work.
Up to quite recently the Republicans
made but little attempt to conceal their
movements in the direction of buying
votes. Hundreds of men in this city and
county WHO have never been known to
have as much as S. in their liSes at one
time became very flush with money about
two weeks before election, and displayed
large rolls of bills. The trsdesmen probs-
bly, regarded it as a god-send, for they
were enabled to collect many old &C.
counts.
Il have lived in West Virginia all my
life" sa;d prominent cihZen of Charles
ton, land have bten connected with the
political battles here for the last twenty
FIVE years. or almost ever since West Vir-
ginia became State. l have never, how
ever, seen any thing like tie campaign
that has Just closed for corruption and tie
open prostitution of voters. There may
have been more or lels fraudulent votlog
done in the past but we never have been
subjected to the spectacle of the actual pur-
chase of votes with money. know of In
stsnces where the Republicans offered
es high as So for single Republican vote.
The cashier OF the KsraWhs National Bank
here told me that there was the greatest
demand he had ever known the day before
TIE election for small bills. He pIid out
all he had early in the day. was told on
good authority that there was deposited st
the Republican headquarters in this city
on the night before Ell, ction over Is, 900 in
81, 81 and s. bills. This was for use on
election day, and the result shows thst 1t
was not altogether wasted.
There is evidence to show that great
deal Of the Republican Doodle was sent
around in the form of certified checks. IL.
G. Neal, the Sheriff Of Mason county, at
Point Pleasant, received certified check
from the Republican State Committee for
81 ,OOO the last week of the election. The
Legislature will be able to make the banks
show Just to whom this money was paid,
Aside from the Senatorial contest, the ses,
sion of the Legislature this winter prom
ises to be the most exciting in the history
| Of the State.