Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-12-07
FRAUD BROUGHT OUT
THB DISCOVERIES OF A WORLD C0RRB'
SPONDBNT At BRANTBLL.
Wholesale Corruption and Illegal Voting Prachoed
By the Republican ManagsrS-Ths
Correspondents Short Search
and lis Results.

BRAMwELL, MERCER Co., W. VA, De-
cember 6.-The New York World corre-
spondent, who has been here investigating
the electoral outrsges, tslegraphs his paper
as fellows:
Both Mercer and Mcdowell counties are
admirably located for the purpose Of colo-
nizatioa. The Norfolk and Western ex-
tension runs along Slong the lower end OF
Mercer and there crosses into Tszswell
county, Va. Thence it proceeds in zig
zsg fashion west to Mcdowell, part Of the
time the Iold being in one State and then
in the other. An erterprising person
would have little difficulty in voting sew
eral times in each State and run very lit
tie chance of detection, as there is no reg
istraticn law, and the election commits
sicne,s are compelled to receive the vote Of
each person who presents himself at the
polls and takes the prescr bed oath. The
white man is as yet undiscovered who can
swear positively to the identity Of negro
unless he mas known him for some length
of time.
n Notices of contest have been filed here
in the case CT the two members OF the
House of D.legst g from Mercer and Nc
IDowtll. The Republicsns-R. G. Mead.
bws, of Mercer, and William Bandy, OF
betn awarded the c9rtifi-
Gates of election on the face of the returns.
That they will be unseated by the Legisla-
ture is almost as certain as that the sun
will lise to. morrow. The evidence collect
ed against them would convince the most
psrtipan Jury on earth that they are not
entitled TO their seats.
II The points Ia Mercer where the repeat
sng was most flsgrsnt are at Mill Creek
and Simmons Creek. They are simply
mining camps, and neither had an eXis-
tence year ago. Pocahontas, Va, a town
ot some four Thousand inhabitants, is only
six miles distant. Since the election ex-
lperts WHO have been goiog over the poll
lists have discovered 164 names of persons
Ilwho voted at Simmons Creek, who are
likrown to have no reSiderc3 in West Viz
llginia. At Mil Creek Ill illegal voters
hsve been spotted on the poll-tOoks, and
st least seventy-fvs have been located at
otEe- precincts in Mercer County. In the
E!khorn procirct, in Mcdowell County,
the names of 125 illegal voters have been
secured. 1t is probable that the list OF
fraudulent voters in both counties will be
sddsd to rather than diminished. In any
event, 164 illegal votes in one precinct Is
not 60 bad II this ratio could have bteD
maintained throughout the State, tie Re
publicsps could Fave rolled up surpris-
ing majOtity ia favor Of "prOtection" and
an "bouest count"
|, As the extent Cf the Republ' can colOni-
zstion and bribery becomes palmer, the
only wonder il that they did not carry the
State. In addition to the colonization OF
this county there is pretty gool evidence
hthat they expended corruption fand ct
over $1,000. CJpsidering the small popu-
laiioa IN the county and the extreme pow
erty of the great majority Of the people,
this was a most liberal allowance f,r
Mercer. can net find that much money
was used in Mcdowell county. Tue
Republicans depended On carrying that
county by colonizipg sloDe. II was
cheaper, and besides the penalty for
is much less than for bribery. The
names of the sevsRty-six negroes who
voted in Mercer county have been found
es registered aud having voted also Ia Nir-
giaia. am informed that every one of
The seventy-six is known, and that they
will probsbly be indicted at the present
term of the Grand Jury.
TIE charge of Circuit Judge David +
Johnston, If Princeton, Mercer county, to
the grand jury last week was bombshell
in the camp OF the bcOilers. Judge John
ston unfortunately retires from the bench
on tie frat of the year, but he will keep
bi4 grand Jury at work until Dec. 81 fer
rCtjng cut the frauds and indicting the
guilty parties. Judge Johnston told the
Jury that they could eummon the members
pf The Executiva Committees OF both par
ltiss aud compel them TO tall just what
money they paid out and TO whom. He
ALSO directed them to summon the owners
OF the mines and compl them to show
their books giving the names Of the men
employed and where they were eogaged.
The grand jnry ia following cut the in
| struclions Of the Court to the letter, and a
big crop of indictments is looked for at an
early day. Judge Johnston is .verely in
earnest, and ne is fully sustained by the
best element in both parties. 1t IS init
mated very strongly that sone pretty big
fsh are likely TO be caught in the ret
thrown ont by Judge Johnston. West
Virginia may yet get the credit Of sstsb-
lishIpg the precedent of ind citing and con-
victing III first prominent man fer bribery
and clnpliCity in election frauds.