Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1888-12-11
An Atrocious Lie.
PROM the snepnerds,own aegIs.er.l

go
The following article appeared in
the Philadelphia Press of Friday last:
SHRpHERpsTowS. W. VA. Nov. 29.-Thisis
one of the places in West Virginia where It WAS
dangerous for a Republican TO vote. Thetown
and county are entirely under the control of
the Democrats. Before the election they made
threats that they would allow no negroes to
vote unless they voted the Democratic ticket,
or at least for Free-trader William L.. Wilson,
for Congress. IN election day James Robins
lRobinsonl, who had o little more courage than
other members of his race. went to the polls
and said he would vote despite their protests.
One of the Democrats caught him by the back
of the neck and ierked him away. He was
driven from the place and colorcd men gener-
ally made themselves scarce after that. A
number of heelers from Baltimore and Wash
ington were brought up on the train and after
voting stood around and solicited votes from
the residents of the town. Thomas r. Ray
[John r. Ray1, one of the Oldest Republicans
in jefferson County, watched these people vot.
ing. During the day he took the names OF
twenty-five men whom he knew to be residents
of Baltimore and Washington. The friends OF
Free-trader Wilson threw thousands OF dollars
into the district and Shepherdstown got con-
siderable of this. ~
The night before election twenty men were
picked up on the streets by the Democrats,
taken to the office of a prominent gentleman
and kept drunk until after the polls closed on
election day. Five of these men have since
| declared their willingness to make an AFFIDAVIT
to the effect that they were locked in theroom
| until it was too late TO vote. A band OF noun
taineers who rode up to Harper's Ferry voting
district came here also and in the same man-
ner pnt in their votes. They came from the
direction of Shenandoah. and 1t is alleged that
they voted there. rs there are only a few voters
in that district. but the vote was 95 Democrats
and 4 Republicans. This district has thirty
colorcd men, yet only four Republican ballots
were cast.
At the Shepherdstown voting place before
the polls closed some of the ballot-boNes were
removed TO the office of Joseph Brugonier. n
Democratic lawyer. and the contents counted
there. When the polls closed the rest OF the
ballots were taken over and counted. James
d. Fayman one of the clerks of the board. in
speaking of the matter said: 1.-The board left
about twenty ballots in the box. so that If
there were too many ballots they could easily
dispose of them. When we finished counting
there were five ballots more than there were
voters, and five Republican votes were thrown
out"
Nj. Fayman. John R. Ray and ]. s. Fleming
have made affidavit to the fact that the ballot
boxes were removed.
United States Senator Faulkner lives at Mar
tinsburg. Berkeley county. The night before
the election he had a number of colored and
white Republicans from the city taken ont to
a house in the country. where a dance was
given them. They were kept there until the
freely As a result there were a number of
Republican votes missing the next day. This
ruse did not. however. prevent Mr.. Fanlkncrs
county. ulIllcTIO DtIIlDCTIttiC. ~ NIX u htpub-
| lican plurality. though the United States Sena-
tor stood at the polls all day and worked for
his ticket.
A more outrageous set of lies were
never perpetrated on a community
than are contained in the above arti-
Gle. It is false in its statements and
false in its implications. There was
never a fairer, a more quiet Or a more
orderly election held in Shepherds
town than that of the 9Th of Novem-
Der last. Not n person who de-
sired to vote was intimidated or re-
strained from doing so, and every
one legally entitled to the privilege
was allowed to east his vote to suit
himself. The article is a lie in full,
and it is a lie in detail.
The following card, written by Mr..
]. S. Fleming aud endorsed by
Messrs. Fayman and Ray, is certainly
all the denial NECESSARY so tas