Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1888-12-14
THELAW
WILL BR LAID HEAVILY on TfiB MERCER
COUNTY BRIBBRS.
An Interesting Interview With Judge Johnston
Prominent Republicans lndietsd-Ths
Story Of thsFrslds-Three Hundred
ludieeAent Found.

| Decemte. l3.-'1 have baen on the hsncn
for eight years and a resident Of West
Virginia for over twenty-five years, but i
have never seen anything like the corrupI
ton in this county at the last election.'
TIE speaker was Judge David E. Johnston, !
q very conservative man, who, from his
position, is free from political bias, and
would not make 8 statement Of this grave
character unless hs had proof to back it
M. Judge johnston has commenced 9
vigorous wsf on the boodbsrs in this sec
ton. Some threats have been made, but
the Judge is not the kind of man to be
frightened from performing his dGty.
Daring the campaign, Judge Johnston
continued" 81 heard sgreat deal of talk
ab,ut the use Of money by the Republicans
and how they were arranging to run in
great many illegal votes. l did not pay
| ysry much attention to it. Our elections
in the East have been free from that sort of
| thing, and il did not seem to me possible
that any one would attempt it. From
what have learned since the election !
am convinced that the Republicans not
only resorted to bribery here, but voted
hundreds Ofnegrce3 and others who had
not been here long enough to acquire
| legal residence.
MEN VOTED LIKE CATTLE.
About two weeks ago | resolved to take
some notice of this wholesale corruption.
| called the Grand Jury together and di-
rected item to make the most searching
investigation into the charges of fraud. /
told them to SummOo every man accused
and 10 question him closely. They have
already fOuud moro than three hundred
iudictmeuts, and l have 10 doubs the
number will he more than doubled before
they get through. l shall retire from the
Beech December 81, bat my sue
c,s.or, Judge McClaugherty, is On
able lawyer, and will b. as Jealous in
bliuging these cases to trial as | should
have been. Our docket is crowded, and II
will be impossible to tTy tue indictments
found by the grand jury before the March
term. In ths case OF the negroes indicted
for illegal voting many of them will prob
ably leave the country before they can be
brought to trial. have no doubt, how
ever, that enough convictions will be Sc
cured to prove very wholesome lesson for
the future.
1T would do more good, However, to
convict one Of the priuCi pals in this gigsn-
tic scheme OF fraud than ell OF the sub1r-
dinates. II we can get hold of some of the
men who furnished the money 60 co'rup;
the voters or this State, it will g a long
way 70 prevent repetition Of the Otfense
in The future. That may be hard to do,
but we ore topefnl OF succeeding before
the Investigation is dropped. We have
po.ltiye pro0f that large sums OF money
we're used by the Republicans. Several
prorninent men are believed to have bad
the handling of this money, but in the alb
senes OF positive p:ocf it would not De
right to give their namts. can only say
that the grand Jury is erdeaVcring TO sitt
| the mstter to the botton.
PROMINENT MEN INDICTED.
'Amoog thcsc already indicted BY the
grand Jury tcre for Violating the election
! laws are Secretary Massey, OF the Repuoli-
can County Committee; John Cooper,
mine owper az Mill Cttek, and a Mr.. Pack,
who is employed as q clerk in the stsre OF
| Z. G.. Meador, al Concord, eight miles
from Ecre. Mr.. Meador wss the Rspubli-
can candidate for House of Delegates. Mr..
Massey was brought before the grand jury
and Questioned regarding the amount OF
morey the Republican spent in this coua-
ty NIr. Massey swore that $50 was the
extent Of their capital, and not cent be-
yoad that amount was expended IN the
county. Later couple Of other men tes-
tilted before the grand jury that each had
received $50 from Secretary Massey fer
campaign expenses. Mr.. Massey YVES
promptly irdicted for reIjury.
Mr.. Cooper is the most prominent man
the Grand Jury has caught so iar be ls
from Pennsylvania aud got his early train :
ing In rolitics il the Cameron machine.
am told he proceeded 70 Introduce the
Cameron lusy methods, 50 well known 10
tie keystone State, into this State shortly
after mis- arrival. 1t was at Mill Greek,
where Mr.. CoOper's mines are located, that
the greatest number of fraudulent vOtee
were cast. The Grand jury mad Dir
Coopsr before them last week and subJecs-
ed him to a rigid DISCRIMINATION. He
denied a.tly having assisted any negroes
10 vote or to have contributed any money
TO the Republican campaign iund. Inc
foreman of the Grand Jury finally aske1
Mr. Cooper if 1t was true that he had
made 2 bet on the election. Mr.. Cooper
denied this with the same promptness that
he had denied everything else. Suhse
uueutly witnesses tea,iied that Me-. Coop,
er had made bet in their pre- 'erce, and
that the terms were put down in writing.
Mr.. Cooper has been Indicted for reDnry
on this count, and he will be recalled by
the Grand Jury and questioned further re-
gsrding the eN9end.ture Of money IN the
campaign.
THE IUDGE's RESPECTS TO MR.. CooPEE'
"Mr Cooper's having made bet, D." said
Tudpe Johnston, SIS small matter, per
hans, although we have law against net
ting But the fact that he delled all
knowledge OF the Transaction dos not
speak we'll for bia as truthful witness
| A man who would lie about such small
thing would not hesitate 10 do the sane
concsruirg more serious matters.
NIr. Pack, who hss been indicted, lS
CHARGED with havirg offered several per
scuS money to vote for his employer.
TIE Grand Jury have bsen anxious to
get Mr.. Msaior before them, bot ever slpca
j Judge JohnSton's charge to the jury Mr'
Mesd5r has hesn contiaed to his house
By illness. II be dos not improve
Sufficiently to come to Price on and tssti,
| fy this week Jadge Johnston said he would
send an officer with s. physician after him
to ascertain his exact condition snd bring
/ hirl here If possibls
Nh Meador owns general store at Con-
cord. Itis related that almost any one
could obtain goods on credit at his store
! during the CsmpNgn.
DIV McClaugheTty, , the former Pras'cut-
/ log Attorney 'or this c9uDty, Is slso among
! TIE list Of indicted men. He has been &C
cuSsd ny several witnesses with having
wrongfully filed out tickets Inside the
dead line, and having assisted in getting
Illegal votes into the ballot boxes.
There is g-eat excitement all over this
county. Some think thst the number ofin-
dlCtments will hs increased to 1000 before
the Grand Jury stops
sad Death at Weston.