Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-12-10
AN ELECTION CANARD
INTBLLlGBNCBR'S PALSEHOODS SHOWN IN
THBIR TRUg C0LORS.
The Mayor Of Petersburg, Virginia Replies 10 the
Scandalous Libsls On the Virginia Elections
Mr.. R. 0. @. IS Hauled Over The Goals.


Mr.. R. Q. Q, IS Hauled Over The Goals.
The following card from the Mayor of
Petersburg is published in tie Petersburg
Iader-Appeal. It is in answer to the ma.
licious and scsndslous falsehOods concern
ing the election in Petersburg appearing
in the Wheeling InteHigeneer. The COM
plete vindication OF the honesty Of the
Petersburg election ius;i6es the REGISTER
in reproducing it. The card ia as iollOws
OFFICE OF MAYOR, PETERSBURG, VA, I
DECEMBER ,, 1889. {
r. p Bahan, Esq Editor Lnder appeal:
DEAR SIR,-You have kindly referred
to me, on the day of the date hereof, the
Wheeling Hielhgncer of date November
9th uitimO, containing a communication
dated Petersburg, Va, November Oh, Of
more than two COlumns with flaming head
lines as to fraud, stuffiug ballot boxes, &c +,
&c, giving this Inteiligeacer correspOn-
dents experience in Virginia on ell ction
day. This communication has appended
to it the initials X c O. the same who was
a witness, as he states, before me, mayor
OF the city, GU the examination of General
Malone, charged with the felonious shoot
ing Of Mr.. Herbert Harrison on the night
Of the election.
AS 10 the statements of the said 'R. Q.
CO. in this communication in the matter
Of General Malone, have nothing to say
a. this matter will undergo investigation
on the third Thursday in January, next,
before the hastings court Of the city Of
Petersburg. This correspondent will,
presume, be here on that occasion to testify
in behalf Of General Malone, and the press
OF the country, here and elsewhere, will
nave sn opportunity to be fully informed
as TO the meits and dement's of the case. l
ltIDst Mr. Barbiere viii ba here aleO. lie,
however, though present at General Ma
bones, did not appear az a witness before
me.
propose saying word in the matter OF
the alleged ballot box stufi1g by one OF
the Democratic Judges at the Second ward
precirc; in this city. The correspondent
says;
Ballot boxes we're stuffed ny the judges
themselves. As stated in my dispatch last
night, in the second ward q this city the
single Republican Judge caught one of the
tSo Democratic judges taking ballots out
Of his pocket and pushing them into the
box. II warned the Democratic judge,
aud in a few moments caught him again
ia the act Then the Republican came ont
and proceeded 10 swear cut warrant and
demanded the mayo ssigualure TO it, who
wss present. The mayor reinsed on the
ground that be could not arrest Rn cleo
ton Judge On election day, but promis' d
to sign TIE warrant next day. Toe r.
publican returned to hs post. aud after
baiug solicited by various Democrats
10 withdraw or hash the matter up,
and declining to DO So, was set
upon within the polls by the judges, join-
, ed by De Ocratic friends from the outside,
| and brutality beaten. An iniicm old man,
ffry.eieht yesrs Of eye, who attempted 20
null of some OF ihe assailants, vas club
bed on the head three times by police
man and fell covered with blood at tbs
very feet Of the mayor, who with great
uromptuess declined to interfere with the
policeman. No arrests. The Democratic
iu6ge has been convicted of crimes so foul
IS to be uncomfortable. In the melee the
ballot-box was carefully destroyed, the bal.
lots scattered over the floor and torn up,
and by this means all evidence of fraud
presumably done away with. only give
this as one instance which came under my
personal notice "
The naked facts of this case, so far as my
connection with tie matter is concerned,
are AS follows About o'clock of tire day
of election D. a. Lyon, Esq, one Of the
counsel for the Republican party in this
Gaze. called at my house when l WAS eat
ipg nv dinner He said: 81 want you to
20 the 2d ward precinct, one OF the judges,
Mr. Goodwin, having been detected In
stufiog tie ballot box at that .2i waTd
precinct and sign warrant, which bss
been prepared, for the arrest Ct said
indee.n II seemed that not only the mayor
had been sent for, but also one Of the
justices of the city, Dir. W. L. Morrison.
This Justice having put in an appearance
before the mayor did, the warrant was
placed in his hands, and the complaining
Judge, BirdsOng, having appeared before
him and made the oath necessary
before sueing out the warrant. l
then stated that l cOuld have nothing TO
90 with the matter without swearing
the complainant. Mr.. Morrison, the
Justice, shortly appeared, and said ne
wished to act properly in the matter, and
asked me what to do about placing the
warrant IN the hands Of an officer TO be i'm
mediately executed. Ireplied TO him that
; [ doubted the right to arrest judge Of
e. election except for a breach of the peace
or felony during the tendency of the
voting, az | thought thereby the election
at that precinct might be avoided. / fur
Their said to Mr.. Morrison, the justice,
"this matter is in your hands, you having
3 taken the oath Of BirdsoDR, the complain
ant. cannot officially take cOguizanCe OF
the case without reswearing Birdsong,
but aTn willing TO give you any advice "
, Mr. Morrison concluded that he would not
place the warrant ia the hands of au Off
Ger TO be executed until after the close Of
the polls, as he had been so advised by the
, common wealth's attorney.
] Shertly after this, while was standing
at the front door of the court house, 90 the
g floor of which the election for the Second
, ward was being conducted, gentleman
ran Ground from the rear of the court
bouse and cried ont, they are Citing in
the election room, and they are killing
. Brdsong, the Republican judge. l then
' promptly said, will nOlC interpOse, and
Immediately walked to the door Of the
room and demanded admittance, which
: not being responded to at once / immedi
: ately ordered the doors to be broken IN
which was done and l entered. AS en-
tered l saw man on the floor, his head
u humping violently against the floor with
a six or more men standing over him.
demanded, what does this mean" The
4 response came Immediately from I'll around
d the man that it was Mr.. Friend, one OF the
Judges, who had a it. then turned from
9 him and saw a man approaching ffom the
!, north eide Of the room who had iunped
into the room through the window al
which the ballots had been handed IN,
and who seemed to be in phrenzy Of
passion. l laid nv hands on him, and d..
rected police Jiicer to arrest him and
$ take him to the station house. The party
I so arrested wss valiant young Democrat
I then exclaimed. where are the judges
. of election. ard why don't they 20 on with