The Indianapolis journal., 1888-01-07

THE THGBE-CARLISLE CASE.
afr. Sypher Tells the Elections COMMITTEES
How the Latter Was Counted In.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6-There full meet
ing of the House committee elections to-day
to consider the Thabe-Carlisla contested elec-
ton case. The contestant Thoebe was present
with his counsel, Messrs Sypher and Steever. of
this city. No one formally represented the
Speaker. Mr.. Sypher began the presentation of
Mr. Thebe's case Immediately after committee
had been called to order. taking up, first, the
brief already submitted with the record. which
assumes as the basis Of the that the State
election laws were violated In the appointment
of judges of election. This infraction of the
law he asserted, sufficient to warrant
favorable consideration of Mr.. Thoebe's claim,
but il the committee did not agree in this view
he was prepared to present evidence
to satisfy them of his clients election
The record alone, he said, would not reveal the
facts in the case. and it the duty of the COM
mittee to at once send q subcommittee to the
district to ascertain the facts while it could be
done. Already important papers had been de-
stroyed, as he was prepared to prove by afi-
davits. Taking up the details OF the case, Mr..
Sypher said that on the night of the election it
became apparent to the judges of election at
Covington, KY, that Mr.. Carlisle had been de-
feated by more than 1000 votes. At o'clock
they sent for Mr.. Carlisle and brought him in q
carriage to the house of o friend. He lSypherl
could give the name of the friend and the loca-
tion of the house, but would not do SO unless the
committee urged him, ne did Eot wish to
state all he knew at this stage OF the case.
After consulting with Mr. Carlisle they tele-
erapbed to have the returns of outside counties
withheld.
'.Who are 'they'a" inquired Mr.. Heard.
'sThey9 Why, friends of Mr.. Carlisle" re-
piled Mr.. Sypher.
Continuing he said that 1t was fact that the
returns of these six outlying counties were with
held for five days, and Mr. Carlisle had publicly
confessed that he defeated.
''You do not attach any importance to this
point" suggested Mr.. Heard.
mo, I just mention it." replied Mr.. Sypher.
mir. Hayes I think, confessed defeat at
fret" said Mr. Heard
.sYes," replied Mr.. Sypher, land think He
ought TO have stuck to it,
Mr.. Sypher said that in seven OF the eight
precincts of Carroll county the poll-books were
written, signed and certified, to all the names.
in one handwriting. and it was evident that all
of them must have been written after election
by one man, and he could not have been in all
the precincts at election day. Mr..
Svpher next read the affidavit of John j. Pierce,
in support of his statements In this paper
Pierce says the sgna lures on the poll-books
were in one hand "a peculiars hand" while the
signatures of the election officers to their oaths
were in different handwriting. Continuing his
statement the counsel said that Mr.. Carlisle had
failed of election through neglect In soma pre-
cncts tickets were printed until o'clock
and there WAS virtually no election held in some
precincts. In one case only the three judges
voted; two for Carlisle and one for Thoebe In
Boone county 200 votes were cast on election
day. but the returns finally showed SGT votes In
Carroll county there was practically no election.
He could show that voters had failed to go to
the polls on election day but when they found
that Carlisle had been defeated they voted the
next day; not only was this the case in Carroll
county, but also in every one of the outlying
counties Mr. Sypher quoted from a statement
by j. j. Biakely, who was, he said, prominent
Democrat, and an attorney of Covington, to the
effect that twenty four names appeared to have
been added to of the poll-books after the
signatures of the judges had been affixed. Con-
tinuine, the counsel said he would state something
which he had no afidavits to support, but
which could be proved by witnesses. After the
election seven of Mr.. Carlisles friends met in
to save Mr.. Carlisle. They sent for eighth
gentleman, prominent and honorable gentle
man-CoL r. w. Nelson. They told him that
Mr.. Carlisle had been defeated, and they want ed
him TO confer with them to devise some means
of changing the result. Thereupon, said Mr..
Sypher, Colonel Nelson took his hat and left.
that sort they must count him out. '.Mr. Car
Isle dare not contradict this. gentleman" said
Mr.. Sypher .'Ho is a Democrat, and q Ken
tucky gentleman Of as high standing as Mr.
Carlisle"
The counsel next took up affidavit by the
contestant to the effect that Mr.. Carlisles
induced him to abandon the case and suppress
testimony. In the course of general state
.nent of the transaction. Mr.. Sypher said that
they had been given the name of the man who
had purchas ed the attorney (Woodl, and il their
informants told the truth that man a rela-
tive of Mr. Carlisle's- The price. named for
counsel. Touching Mr.. Carlisle's refusal to join
him in the taking of testimony, Mr. Sypher re-
marked HE did not dare meet me; he dare not
now 60 into that district and take testimony
Thobe's affidavit was next read; in the docu-
ment he accuses Wood of DELAYING the taking of
testimony, and with telling him (Thebe) that
there might be money in 1t for both of them il
he would withdraw the contest.
Mr.. Sypher declared that there enough
evidence in his brief to warrant the committee
in seating his client but. if il did not think So
certainly there sufficient ground for
opening of the case 1t could be done in three
ways-frst, by special COMMITTEES. as in the
case de novo, in his lSypher's Louisiana con-
test in the Forty-thi Congress, and third. by
summoning Witnesses here to testify The
Speaker of the House. he said was the third Of
fcer in rank in this country, but he was not big
enough to occupy that seat upon
a fraudulent title, nor was the Dem
him in that position. .If Mr.. Carlisle is the
honest man think he is" said Mr. Sypher, the
will come down out OF Ills seat aud Ask Tor the |
appointment OF committee to go Co Kentucky |
and search the case. With what 10 he [Carlsle1 /
here before the committed Nothing; not even |
a certificate of election. Either he knows that |
he has case or he is going to throw himself |
upon the mercy of the court. He has trifed |
with the case since the beginning. He trifed |
with his election, he would have been elected.
In conclusion. Mr.. Sypher told the committee
that il WAS known TO those interested that botn |
the old parties had been coquetting with the in-
dustrial rarfy-both seeking its votes for the
NAY puaTc nd he ftpa o0fa1d mr. af-
ford refuse TO investigate the claims OF this |
workiugman-ThHbe-inth the face of the disclos-
ures he had made TO the committee
The contestant lThcebel was next allowed to
make fen-mfnute statement TO the committee.
He said that he was born in the county
with the Speaker, forty three years age After
the election he had told Wood that liz ha had not
enough votes he did not want the seat, he would
fachnicalitias liz Mr. Carl |