Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-01-18
WEST VIRGINIA CONTEST.

WASHINGTON, January 1.-THE
House Election Committee today
heard arguments in the case OF Geo.
w. Atkinson who is contesting the
seat of John o. Pendleton, of the
First w. Va. District. This case is
nearly, if not quite as strong in favor
of the contestant as the other two
Virginia cases previously heard by
the committee.
Henry o. Russell, counsel for the
contestant, presented the case. He
showed that the count, as made
when the polls closed. and the re-
turns. as delivered to the Clerks of
she County Courts, gave majority
of nineteen for Mr.. Atkinson. Re
counts were demanded, and as this
progressed it was shown that the
result would be close, and that the
Democrats determined to overcome
Atklnson's majority OH the face of
the original returns. For this pur-
pose the canvas in Wetzel county
was protracted by the County Court
with the apparent object of ascer.
tanning how many votes would be
needed to seat the Democrat when
the recounts had been completed in
the other counties.
HOW THE FRAUD WAS WORKED.
To accomplish this, various pre-
texts were made for adjourning the
Court, and on November % one of
the commissioners was called away
by telegram, stating that his wife
was very sick, and that he must re
turn home Immediately. 1t was
proved by the testimony taken in
the contest and admitted by the
commissioned who received the tele.
gram, that it was bogus. 1t was
sent by ore of the other commission
ers from town good ways distant
from where the man lived who re.
ceived it. Instead Of his wife being
sick she was exceedingly well, and
attended a ball ON the evening OF
the day the telegram was sent. But
by means of that telegram the Count
was adjourned several days, and the
opportunity secured to find out how
many votes would be needed to elect
Pendleton, and these were given to
him. The ballots, after they had
been counted by the election officers
in each precinct, were delivered to
the County Clerk of Wetzel County
Oh November Z, and were left about
his Office unsealed and at the mercy
of almost any caller until the re.
count was finished on November 80. |
SUBTRACTION AND ADDITION.
1t was discovered that in one pre-.
cinct Atkinson's name for Congress
had been crossed off fourteen of the
ballots, and in two cases
the Democratic candidates name was
written in place of the Republican.
By these changes, which amounted
to twenty four votes, the Democratic
was elected by an alleged
majority of seven. 1t was shown by
the testimony of all the election off.
GERS in the two precincts in which
the alleged scratched ballots were
cast, that there were no such tickets
when the votes were counted on the
night of the election. No person
could be found who voted these
ballots. The Democratic
election officers would not swear to
lie, it seems, even to help the Demo.
Gratis secure this seat in Congress.
1t is very clear from the testimony,
that the erasures we're made on the
ballots while they were lying about
the County Clerks Office unprotect.
ed, aud that it waas preconcerted
scheme to delay the action of the
County Commissioners for the
ballots to be changed to overcome
the Republican majority. In add
ton to this outrageous fraud, the
contestant presented evidence that
212 illegal votes were cast f,r the
Democratic candidate, paupers and
other such persons helping to make
up this total.