The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-11-28
THOSE AIERCER COUNTY aPRAUDS."

this county.
THOSE MERCER COUNTY ~FRAUDSD"
How Much Truth there is In the Registers
Charges-DemOcratIcT Tricks Laid Bare.
TO he Editor to he LRielliOeaor.
Sn:-I see the Register OF the 2lst
makes a great noise about the enormous
Republican gains in Mercer and Nc
Dowell counties, and goes on with the
usual Democratic sophistry, to draw the
conclusion that those gains were OBJ
tanned by fraud on the part Of the Re
publican managers. Now, the writer
happens to know what the facts in the
case are, as regards Mercer county es-
pecially, and thinks it his duty to give
these facts to the people OF West Vir-
ginia through the columns oftheir most
popular journal.
Ibid some campaign work in the early
part of the contest in several Of the
southern counties of the State, and was
requested by the State Committee to as
sist in the organization Of Mercer coun'
ty especially, with which request COM
piled. In completing the organization,
we made a thorough canvass of the coun.
ty and made list Of the voters, both
Democrats and Republicans. We were
very careful not to enlist any person
who would not be a legal voter on the
9th day of November, because we ex-
peCted Mercer to be Republican, and
could not afford to leave any grounds for
a contest. The list was taken under the
personal supervision OF Hon. John
Cooper and Col. John P. Hewitt, at
Bramwell and vicinity. Mr.. Cooper is
Chairman OF the Mercer county commit
tee, and Col. Hewitt is u member Of
the State Central and Third Congress-
ional District Committees, and both
are gentlemen of high character and
noble purpose. The above named list
showed that the Republicans had gained
about 1000 votes since 1884, and it also
showed that the Democrats had gained
about 100 in the same time. The rec
ords will show that the Democratic ma
jority in Mercer county had been about
600, which would leave Republican
majority in 1888 of about SOO to say
nothing OF n number of accessions from
the Democratic to the Republican party.
This list was carefully taken oil the
honor, of course, Of the persons inter.
viewed or well known by the members
OF the local committees, giving the
Democrats the benefit OF nil the doubt.
l am sure there was no fraud prac-
ticed by the Republicans of Mercer
county, aud am equally sure that the
Republican majority in Mercer county
wonld have been ut least 800 instrad Of
less than 100 ii there had been no fraud
or bribery practiced by the Democrats.
All this cry OF fraud by the Democrats
is simply to cover up their own ras-
cality. The Republican gain in Mercer
is made by immigration from Virginia
and Pennsylvania, but we did not get
the bencftof what we really had. -,
There was u more astounding gain in
Logan county than there was in Mercer,
because there has been no immigration
to that county. In 1884, | am informed,
the Republican vote OF Logan was only
III. In 1855 it is nearly 400. Suppose
our Democratic friends make Logan a
base OF operation in their contest for the
Gubernalorlal chair. This gain was
made in Logan in the face of actual in
limitation, according to Democratic au.
thority, which can give when called
upon. Notwithstanding u clear gain OF
over 200 hv acceSsions from the Demo-
cratic to the Republican party in Logan,
her Democratic majority remains over
l,l0O. Therefore, the Democrats can't
see anything wrong with Logan.
There are 400 or 800 coke ovens in Mer-
Ger county that were not there in 1854.
There arc half dozen towns and large
coal works that were not there in 1881,
and to u man whose reason is not blind
ed or clouded by partisan prejudice it
is clear that the vote was remarkably
small in proportion to the great gain in
population.
Hundreds of men applied for member
ship in the Republican clubs OF Mercer
and were rejected, in my presence, he.
cause the had not been in the State the
required length OF time to entitle item
to vote. The claim that the Democrats
have "spotted" n number Of rcpeaters
may be true, but am sure the Republic
can managers are not responsible for 1t
for the reason above stated-that they
could not afford to open the way
for contest in Republican county. 1t
is more reasonable, therefore, to pre-.
sume that the Democrats are RESPONSE
hle for 1t, having parposely opened the
way for contest in two Republican
counties-Counties that the Democratic
managers kaelU TO be Republican.
There were serious Irregularities in
this, Boone county, but am not pre-
pared to say there was any actual fraud
committed, though thete are some
things that are little mysterious. Our
vote for Congressman does not show up
exactly right here. Hoping General
God aud ]. II. McGinuis will be allow
ed TO take charge OF the positions TO
which they have been honestly elected,
| remain truly yours,
EVERETT LEPrwIcH.
Madison, w Va, Nor. "a, 1883.
THOSE RICHIE COUNTY FRAUDS.
A DarsEaced Falsehood ofthe Democratic
organ Egilcd.