Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-01-07
ON TRIAL.
The Thoebe Carlisle Elec-
ton Contest.
THE CAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT.
Suit to Hold q Directory for
President FraDcklyn's
DefdlcatiOn.
Press DISPATCHES to the HERALD

WASHINGTON, January O.. There
was full meeting of the House Com.
mittee on FL ctions to-day to con-
slider tie Thoe e-Carli-le contested
elected case. The contestant Thoebe
was present with his counsel. Messrs.
s pher & Steever, of this city. No
one formally represented the Speaker.
Sypher began his presentation OF the
rhoebe case, taking up first the brief
already submitted with the record,
which assumes az the basis OF the
case that the State election laws were
violated in the appointment OF the
judges of election. This infraction of
the law ne asserted was sufficient to
warrant favorable consideration of
Thoebe's claim, but if the committee
did not agree in this view he was pre-
pared TO present evidence to satisfy
them OF his clients election. The
record alone would not reveal the
facts in the case and it was the duty
Of the committee to send q sub-com-
mittee to the district to ascertain the
facts. Important rape g had been
destroyed as he could prove by attida-
Wits. Taking up the details of the
case Sypher said that on the
night Of the election it be-
came apparent to the judges Of
election at Covinyton, that Carlisle
had been defeated by mere than 1000
votes. At O'clock they sent for Car
isis and brought him to the house Of
q friend. He (Sypher) could give the
name OF the friend and the loca ion Of
the hous. =, but would not do SO unless
the committee urged him, as he did
not wish TO state all he knew at this
Stage of the case. After consulting
With Carlisle. they teIegraphed to
have the returns Of the outside coun-
ties withheld.
"Who are they inquired Heard
rhey9' why friends of Carlisle, +"
replied sypher.
b He said that it was fact that the
returns Of six eutly ing counties were
withheld for five DAYS. Carlisle had
publicly confessed that he was de.
feated.
"You do not attach any Importance
to this point" suggested Heurd.
'-No, | just mentioned it," replied
Sypher.
"Hayes, l believe, confessed his de.
feat at ii, st." said Heard.
yes" replied Sypher, "and think
he ought to have stuck to it."
Sypher said that in the seven Oh
eight precinc Of Carroll County the
poll books were written and signed
and the certificates as to all names
were in one handwriting, and it was
evident that all must have been writ.
ten after the election by one man, as
he could not have been il all the pre-.
cincts at once on election day. BY.
pher next read the affidavit Of
John J. Pierce. Pierce tells that the
signatures on the poll books we're il
one hand, q peculiar hand, W, lie the
signatures OF the election Office RS were
in a different handwriting. The
counsel said that Carlisle had failed
of his election through negl ct. II
some precincts no ticke were printed
until three o'clock, and there VAS vir-
tually no elertion in some pr, cincts
In one case, only the three
judges voted, two Tor Cailisles anC
enc for lhoebe. In Boone county
90 votes were cast on election uu,
tut the returns finally showed 567
woes. In Carroll county there was
practically no election. He could
show that the voters had failed to 81
to the polls on election day, but when
they found that Carlisle had been
defeated they voted next day. Not
only was this the case in Carroll
county, but in every one OF the out
lying counties. S,pher quoted from
/. statement by J. J. Blakely, promi-
nent Democrat and attorney OF Coving
ton to the effect that names appeared to
have been added TO the names on one
Of the poll-books after the signatu' es
If the judges had been affixed. After
the election seven Of Caili~le's friend
met and sent for Colonel w. K. Nell
son. They told him that Carlisle had
been defeated, and wanted him to
assist them in devising some means
for changing the result. Thereupon
Colonel Nelson left, declaring he could
take no part.
Carlisle dare not contradict this
gentleman" said Sypher.
The counsel next took up an atfida-
Wit by the contestant to the effect that
Cariisle's friends had corrupted his
(Thoebe's) attorney, and induced him
to abandon the cause and suppress the
testimony. Sypher said they had
b en- given the name of a man who
had purchased an attorney Wood,
and if their informants told the tru h,
that man was q relative Of Carlisle.
The price named FIR Wood was $3.50.
Touching Carlisle's refusal to join
him in taking testimony, Sypher re-
marked: "He did not dare TO meet
me, he dare not go now into that dis
trirt and take testimony"
Thoebe's affidavit was next read
where lie &C uses Wood of delaying
the taking OF testimony and with tell
ling him (lhoebe) there might be
money in it for both of them, if he
would withdraw from the contest.
Sypher declared that there was
enough evidence IN hts brief to war
rant the committee in seating his eli
emit, but if it did not think 80, certain.
ly there was at least sufficient ground
for re.opening the case with. "What
has he (Carlisle) here before the COM
mittee 2" exclaimed Sypher. "Noth-
ing. Not even the certificate of cleo
ton. Either he knows that he has
not a case, or he is going to throw
himself upon the mercy of the court. "
In conclusion. he told the commit.
the that it was known to those inter.
ested that both the old parties had
been coquetting with the industrial
party, both seeking its votes for the
next campaign, and the committee
could not refuse to investigate the
claim of this workingman (Thoebe) In
face Of the disclosures he had made 4
the committee.
Contestant Thoebe next made I
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