Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1888-11-17
THE WAY 1T WAS DONE.

this county is concerned the republic
cans have lost everything The
democrats have good large majority.
This result is attributed to mistakes
of the republican leaders, and intimi-
dation and fraud by the democratic
managers. Fifteen days before the
election this county would have voted
republican, but ON account of the
excitement caused by the appointment
of supervisors the democratic vote
was increased while the republican
vote was decreased. 1t was fatal
blunder.
Following this excitement was the
coercing and intimidating Of white
men and the bulldozing and defraud-
ing of the colored men by the bosses.
In the colored wards about four of
every five colored men that voted
we're challenged upon no grounds,
but simply to delay the voting The
democratic challenger" is a new
officer and exercises more privilege
at the polls than the judges, asking
the voter a dozen or more ques-
tons and claiming the right to ask a
thousand and one.
The democrats practiced the boldest
and most open handed frauds. In
ward one on the night before the
election a line was drawn inside of
the former and legal township line
which cut off about twenty legal
republican votes who were already
registered. The same thing was done
in ward two and thereby cut off
fifteen or twenty republican votes.
In ward three it is said twenty-five
more ballots were found in the box
than there were names on the re-
gistration book.
Then it is charged that certain re-
publican leaders cut republican can
didates on election day and that other
leaders had tickets sent out with the
names of democrats on them. And
then number of men were employed
to canvass the different precincts and
were promised pay. These parties
were told that money was here to
pay them for their services, but as
they failed to get it they did not do
their duty on election day. These
men believed that somebody got
money. 1t may not be right to pay
men for working in politics but men
ought not to be promised it and de-
ceived. The fact is, the county was
sold to the Democrats by few lead
ing republicans, and the State execu-
tive committee ought to send some
one here to investigate the frauds on
both sides, and punish the democrats
and spot the republican Judases. By
good management this county would
have held up to our prediction of
three weeks ago. Dockery would
have carried the county. Much lip
don't carry elections, but cool judg-
ment and discreet actions. We were
stabbed most fatally by our own house,
hold.
If the State committee. OF any one
else sent money here for the republic
cans, it was pocketed and did not
serve the purpose for which it was
sent. A few men were bent on max
ing themselves solid with the party by
claiming to lead at the same time
they were getting all the money they
could for their own use, and on cleo
ton day could not be seen. Thus
acted some Of our great leaders. and
they will be the first to ask for a
place. and we suppose they have al
ready sent many letters to their chiefs
suggesting the places they want.
They made the mistake Of having
supervisors appointed they promised
men money and deceived them, and
precincts went by default ; they sold
out to democratic candidates and had
their names in the place Of the re-
pubIicans they stayed away from the
polls and off the streets on election
day. How under high heavens can
any party win with such leaders,