The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-07
COMPLETE REPUTATION
OF the Stories About Alleged
Republican Frauds
IN THE COUNTY OF MERCER,
A Letter from Chairman Cooper
Democratic Commissioners Re-
ceiyed the Votes Polled.-!The
Election an Honest One.
speela! pl.paleA to he InLeatgen.r.

Sept, 6,-The FIal Top Monitor, ol thls
place, will this week publish letter
from Mr., John Cooper, Chairman OF the
Mercer county Republican committee,
and the principal owner Of Cooper& 4
Co.'s mines, Mr., Cooper reviews at
length the charges OF fraud, against the
Republicans Of Mercer, the action OF the
Legislative Committee in accepting the
peculiar and doubtful evidence otillegal
voting on tue part Of Cooper & Co.'s
employees and others; the conduct ot
Governor Wilson; and the Legislature,
aud says ho ieelsjustifed, as Chairman Of
the Republicans, in giving to the public
a reiutation OF the charges made against
the Republicans OF Mercer.
"Great stress" he says, "has been laid
by Democratic politicians OF the State
upon tho fact that the vote In this coal
field has increased In the last few years.
Let IL be remembered that ak years
ago you might ride half a day IN this
section without meeting q man. Now
there are in Mercer and Mcdowell
counties, in six miles Of Mill Greek pre-
CinCt, ten or twelve thousand people.
THE INCREASE OF LRoAL VOTES.
"On the lst day OF August, 1884, John
Cooper 4 Co., began work In Mercer
county; on the 9th OF November Of that
year, or on the day Mr.. Cleveland was
elected, they loaded their first coal for
market. OF course the number OF men
employed ut that time was small, possi-
bly, not moro than fifty. think az Mr..
Oleveland's election we polled seventeen
votes from Mill creek (at that time the
precinct was Honaker's Mill, some eight
OF nine. miles from this place. Mill Creek
has had very rapid growth US our coal
shipments will show; running from 30,-
600 tons the first year to 250 900 tons last
year, so you can SEQ for yourself how
rapidly our population must have in.
creased.
"The increase in the shipments Of coal
at Simmons Creek and In population
has been even greater than here. At
the Congressional election before the
last Presidential election, there was no
Republican organization in this county,
yet at that election the Republicans
came very near 10 success. At the last
election we oganized, and did 1t 80 we'll
that the county WAS carried by over one
hundred majority.
snow in regard to tho method Of
voting; knew before the day Of cleo
ton that an effort would be made by the
Democrats TO throw out the precincts OF
Mill Greek and Simmons Creek. II waS a
subject of conversation on the streets of
Princeton before The election.
DEMOCRATS RECEIVED THE VOTES.
"In order to avoid anything Of the
kind, l had posted the sections of our
election law, showing the necessary
qualifications OF voter, and asked our
people to be careful and / have every
reason to believe that they were. On
the morning OF the 9th OF November l
was particular myself TO see that the
commissioners Of election, with their
clerks, were duly sworn, and that they
had everything in good shape. The
Democratic nominee for the Legislature
was there also at tho same time. When
everything was in working order, l
went to the window and cast the first
ballot, as the records will show. Twas
at the polls all day except one hour
alter dinner when went TO Simmons
Creek TO SEQ that the law had been
carried out there and l found all right.
Mr., Davidson, the Democratic candidate
for the Legislature, was at Mill Creek all
day with his Two Democratic Commissioners
until about 2 o'clock In the afternoon,
when Henritze and Haythe took his place
and either one or the other stayed till
nearly closing time. All Of these are
lawyers and Democrats. Only q few
votes were challenged, some oil both
parties refused, aud l honestly believe
the commissioners tried their very best
to do right.
OUGHT TO KEEP QUIET.
"Now II one Republican commissioner
and myself are SO much sharper than the
two Democratic commissioners with
three Democratic lawyers, they ought,
out Of selt.respect, to keep quiet. But
this Is not 80; we had the vote and poll.
cd them. Now for the figures: In 0cto.
Der last John Cooper & 90. had on their
pay roll 4Sl men. Out OF their employ,
with the railroad mon living in Mill
Creek precinct, and tho old citizens and
store.keepers and Others that had no
place on their rolls, there wore over 100
mon, making in all about 600 men old
enough 10 vote In Mill Creek precinct
men who were citizens OF the United
States, iour.hfths Of whom are Republi.
cans, yet when The tote tDaS counted only 220
had been cast. Where WdS The fraud
"Why, II there was fraud, did not the
Democratic lawyers object 2 One OF them
has been raised In the county. The fact
Is there was no fraud.
" find that Republicans who have
worked for me for ten years and never
left the State except for a visit, are In.
dlCted for illegal voting, There Beelns
10 have been an effort made by the Cir.
cult Court OF this county, Which al that
time tpds Democratic IN The tborSt sense of
the tpOrd, 10 terroriEe every Republican III
the country, and tho Contest Committee
are carrying out the same policy. The
doctrine seems 10 be that no one has q
right 10 vote whose name has not been
upon the books Of John Cooper 4 Co.,
for twelve months proceeding the elec.
tion,
| did not suppose for a moment that
voters In the 9tate Of West Virginia were
required 10 keep themselves fCgistefed
upon the books Of john Cooper & 90, II
this 10 true tho Legislature ought 10 en-.
apL d law 10 that effect al its next session,
80 that citizens Of Nil ornek precinct
may know how 10 prepare themselves
for the exercise Of the right oi suffrage,
1.-THE sober second thought Of the good
people Of West Virginia will Ia The ii.
iure hold the perpetrators Of this inigui,
W 10 8 strict Accountability,
"RespeCtlully youh,
ale 'lJoiiA CooPRR.
uChairman Republican Executive Com
miltee, Mercer county"
THRLEGlSlATlyB Committee
Those uElhins Rspsaters6l 10 TUCKER Conn