Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1889-09-14
A COMPLETE REPUTATION
OF THE STORIES ABOUT ALLEGED
I REPUBLICAN FRAUDS
in THE COUNTY OF MERCER.

Z REPUBLICAN FRAUDS
IN THE COUNTY OF MERCER.
BRAMwELL, MERCER COUNTY,
w. VA, Sept. 6.-Mr. John Cooper,
Chairman of the Mercer county Re
publican committee, aud the princl-
pal owner of Cooper u Co.'S mines,
reviews at length the charges OF
fraud, against the Republicans OF
Mercer, the action of the Legislative
Committee in accepting the pcculiar
and doubtful evidence OF illegal yot-
ing on the part of the Cooper y Co.'s
employees and others; the conduct
of Governor Wilson I? and the Legis.
lature, and says be feels justified, as
Chairman of the Republicans, in
giving to the public a refutation OF
the charges made against tue Re
publicans OF Mercer.
"Great STRESS" he says, /" has
been laid by the Democratic poll
ticians of the State upon the fact
that the vote in this coal field has
increased in the last few years. Let
it be remembered that six years ago
you might ride half day in this
section without meetings man. Now
there are in Mercer and Mcdowell
counties, within six miles of Mill
Greek precinct, ten or twelve thous
and people.
THE INCREASE OF LEGAL VOTES.
"On the LIST day of August, 1884,
John Cooper & Co., began work in
Mercer county; On the 9th Of No
vember of that year, or on the day
Mr.. Cleveland was elected, they load
ed their first coal for market. Oh
course the number of men employed
at that time was small, possibly not
more than fifty. L think at Mr.
Cleveland's election we polled seven
teen votes from Mill Creek (at that
time the precinct was Honaker',
Mill some eight or nine miles from
this place. Mill Greek has had d
very rapid growth as our coal ship
ments will show: running from sc,
900 tons the first year to 100000
tons last year, so You can see fol
yourself how radidly our population
must have increased.
"The increase in the shipments o.
coal at Simmons Creek and in popu
lation has been greater than here
At the congressional election before
the last Presidential election, there
was no Republican organization il
this county, yet at that election the
Republicans came very near to sue
cess. At the last election we orga
nized, and did it so well that the
county was carried by over one hun
dred majority.
"Now in regard to the method o
voting: l knew before the day O
election that an effort wonld bt
made by the Democrats to throw
out the precincts of Mil Greek ant
Simmons Greek. 1t was a subiec
of conversation ON the streets OIL
Princeton before the election.
DEMOCRATS RECEIVED THE VOTES
"In order to avoid anything O
the kind, l had posted the sections
OF our election law, showing tie nee
essary qualifications of a voter, ant
asked our people to be careful and
have every reason to believe tina
they were; on the morning of thu
9th of November l was particular
myself to see that the commission
ers of election, with their clerks were
duly sworn, and that they had every
thing was in good shape. The Dem
ocratic nominee for the Legislature
was there also at the same time
When everything was in working
order, l went to the window and cast
the first ballot, as the record will
show. | was at the polls all day
except one hour after dinner when
went to Simmons Creek to see
that the law had been carried out
there and found all right. Mr.. Day
idson, the Democratic candidate fol
the Legislature, was at Mill Greek
all day with his two Democratic
Commissioners until about 2 O'Clock
in the afternoon, when Hcnritze and
Haythe took his place and either
one or the other stayed till nearly
closing time.
"Now if one Republican commits
sioner and myself are SO much sharp
er than the two Democratic commits
sioners with three Democratic law
yers, they ought out of selfrespect
keep quiet. But this is not so; we
had the vote and polled them. Now
for the figures: In October last
John Cooper & Co. had on their pay
roll 1871 men. Out of their employ
with the railroad men living in Mill
Creek precinct, and the old citizens
and store. keepers and others that
had no place on their rolls, there
were over one hundred men, making
in all about 600 men old enough to
vote in Mill creek precinet-men
who were citizens of the United
States, four, fifths of whom are Re.
publicans, yet when the vote was
counted only 220 had been cast.
Where was the frand?
81 find that Republicans who
have worked for me for ten years
and never left the State except on a
visit, are indicted for illegal voting.
There seems to have been an effort
made by the Circuit Court of this
county, which at that time was
Democratic in the worst sense OF
the word, to terrorize every Repub
lican in the county, and the Contest
Committee are carrying out the
same policy. The doctrine seems
to be that no one has right to vote
whose name has not been upon the
books of John Cooper & Co., for
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