Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-11-16
EXPOSED.
West Virginia'S Ballot
Threatened.
THE CRY OF FRAUD RAISED
By Republican Organs Only to
Cover Up
THEIR OWN NEFARIOUS PLOT.
The Bold Work Of Corruption Begun on
November 6,
THEIR OWN EBFARIOUS PLOT,
The Bold Work Of Corruption Begun Oh
November 6,
CONTINUED IN GOFF'S INTERESTS.
False and Malicious Reports to Create Public
Ssntimsnt-Rspublican Returns Held
Back 10 bs Manipulated by
Republican Boards Details
Of the Plot.

1t is the thief who first raises the cry OF
stop thief. 1t is the fraud who frsi
raises the cry Of fraud
From the beginning up to the present.
day the Republican campaign in this State
has been marked by corruption and dis
honesty. Desperate political managers
with unlimited funds at their command
have resortsd to every means, fair or f1ul,
to attain their ends. Plans were boldly
laid TO corrupt tie ballot and defeat ths
will of honest voters. The very extent
and audac:ty Of thCso plans was sufficient
to reveal them t. the public eye.
Tasn it was that the cry of fraud was
raised by tie men who were themselves
engaged in ths fraud. At the very time
Chairman Cowden was IN one end OF the
State distributing . Doodle, aud Steve Eskins
WIS in tie other colonizing repeat'rs, the
doodle organ started the cry that Demo
Gratis were prepared to buy mp voters. It
was the old cry of stop thief At that
time the RGGIsrsR pointed out the corrupt
scheme that WAS on foot, and warned the
public against it.
A CAMPAIGN OF CORRUPTION.
The psople OF West Virginia were then
slow to believe that q campaign Of wholesale
corruption had been deliberately arranged.
Taey cannot refuse to believe it now.
The Democratic Committee has been in
receipt of numerous complaints from Dem
ccratic voters. They have come IRON
every section of the State. Complaints oI
illegal voting and open corruption at the
polls ara universal. Special effort has
bsea made to silt cut these reports and ar
rive at the facts. To-day for the frsI
time PARTIAL results of the Investigation are
made putrc. They are sufficiently start
ling TO alarm every honest citizen and put
him on his guard against the same corrupt
men who ars now trying to cheat the
people.
Unlawful voting, open brib:r! and actual
intimidation prevailed in every Republican
comfy. Never in the history OF the State
hiss there bte1 an election II
which desperate and illegal methcd:
Of influencing voters were so freely used
Whole counties along the Ohio and Penn
sylvauia borders from the Upper Panhan
die to the Big Sandy, and from the Ohi(
River 10 thu Maryland line, were flooded
with Republican repeaters, who were open
" sbetted in their work by the election
officials. Wehaye the testimony ofTeputs
ble gentlemen that in the county OF Brooke
over 100 more votes were cast than there
are taxpayers in the county. Lifelong
citizens who examined the polling booksdit
not recognize the names of many voters 81
rasidents. Marshall county brings tht
same story of fraud. Ballots were cast ny
men who do not live in theState and who's
names are not even known to the oldss
citizens.
The Democratic S.sta Committee is il
rereipt of numerous letters from Preston
ard Monongalja and it is in position Il
nrove that as voting places in those conf
| ties Democrats were 20: allowed a single
representative among the election officers
At one polliug place the Democratic Jnd 8
WAS i'll and q mere 10y was substituted
without eyea being sworn to perform hl
Iut;es faithfully. In these eounties ant
nn5er these sutp; ces illegal votes were cas-
with immunity. TIE only limit was lin
Oeripg sense OF shane o. fear left to mel
Who were selected for these pOslllons DC
cause they felt neither shame nor fear.
This interior of the State was visited b,
tbs same methods. We have the evident
of n higa official in Ritch' e county that tn
names of nsn are found on the poll bSos
who a-e not known to be residents OF th
Stats Paupsrs and minors voted at ever.
pveciccE, and the election judges would no
listen to any protest
THE SHOT GUN POLICY.
The most startling csss Of all this dis
orsc.fal list OF outrsges occurred in
Fourth district county. 1t rivals anythlni
in the history oft5e shot gun policy 10 IN
whole country. Reputable witnesses tes
tiiy that in ere heavily Republican pre-
ciEcs, Republican took up his position b.
the polls, gun in band, and threatened Il
shoot apy Democrat who attempted q
vote. Democrats came to the polls ant
went away without voting The elecaol
officials c1uuteaanced snd encouraged tn
perpstrstJr OF the outrsgs.
HUNDREDS OF ILLEGAL VOTES IN MERCER
But the most diSgeacsful fssture Of thi
foul conspiracy ag8irst sn honest ballo
was the Mercer eouaty vCts. Beside Ii
other frauds sink into iusignihcsnee
! Within the last six months from 800 u
l OOO negroes have bsen imported into tha
: county. They were Ostensibly employed
upon Q rsilrca1. The State law rtQRue
that q voter shall have a residerey of a
lest one yeSr in the State. EfTts -wer
made 10 enforce this Law, bat it wss prac
tieably impossible. ColOred repeater
E sTarmed at every voting place. An hon
. est Democraic majority of six bundre'
e wss wiped ont. Mercer county ia nov
clIimsd by Republicans by q majority Q
less than buudred. In Mcdowell, Wy
omirg and FSyette the same coalition eS
: isted, and ths same illegal votes were cast
A Republican net gain Of over 900 was thu
, manufactured. =
; The above are q few cases il which th
. purity of the bsl OF has been assaileG
They are the most glaring ouirsgeS OF Il
l. many that haze been reported to the Dsu
;. ccraiie Sta'e Committee That body b,
nt slreaiy taken steps to ferret ont and pul
=: ish the guilty parties. Time and none
& viii not bs spared in bringing them
Justice. Ths syidsnca Of these crimes