The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-10-29
Two Recent AIlidayits Throwing
Some Light on tho Matter.
JOHN 0, PENDLEyONS CONNECTION
With 'an Attempt to Suppress
the Testimony Of an Elcc.
tiOn Oillcer,
AS Shown IN tha Official Record OF the
Evidence In The Contest Casc-Somc
Facts 10 R!rcsh Tho Memory OF
Voters-Can Honest Democrats Sup.
port tho Bsn'ilciary Of thh Crime!
"iloary Chts.nu S" Discounted.

One OF tho most interesting wit lessci
against John D. Pendleton is ]. D. Brook
over, one OF tho Democratic judges oil
election at Archer's Fork precinct, Grant
district, Wetsel county. After the b,l.
lots were sent in TO tho County Court,
AtkinBon's name was scratched on ten oi
the Archer'g Fork tickets. Psookover'a
testimony is to be found on pages 3CG-9-0
OF tho official report Of the "Contssted
election case Of 6. W. Atkinson Va. John
O. Pendle!on." Brookoyer testified that
he voted for Pendle:on that he read
tue ballots as they were handed out
that there was eight enough for the
names to be seen on the tickets distinct.
ly and the tallies correctly kept" He
did not think it possible that there could
have been ten or twelve Republican
ballots with Atkinaon's name scratched
II don't think there could have been
that many ard my attention not called
TO it."
After the long,delaycd recount Brook.
over made m affidavit, which the INTEL
MGENcEa published, in which he told
about the count and said tho ballots
we're not scratched when he, delivered
them at Now Mart;nsvilie. This wor.
ried the Pendle.on politicians, for if
Rrooknver told the truth it proved that
A':bcr's Fork, at least, had been robbed
OF ten votes by somebody in New Mar.
tii svi,le BrookoveI vas a poor man
%i:h n family. He war ted on ploymeNt,
and the hope was held out to him that
something would be done for him il he
would take back What he said in the
first affidavit.
Ak1RIElSG INTERVIEW.
The history Of the second silidhvit and
what happened in connection with it is
best given in Brookover's own language
Official Report, psge. .3GS: ~ was in
MorAdsvillc. in the Superintendent's
OF tho West Virginia Penitentiary office
on the Sd day OF December, 1883,
think, and Superintendent Robertson
ard was talking about the matter OF
my first affidavit published in the IN.
TELLlGEScER iow days before, and
Robertson said 10 me: Damn such a
maa as you ere for going back on your
party as you have ! slid: This il not
a mntsr et party lriih me, but matter of
principle. He then asl:cd me il the
lta:en.ent published in t..e INrELLIGEN.
GER contained everythin. I said. 1told
him that l did not know, Tor I had
not read i, but would pee, cs l had q
copy OF the paper in my yolkes. took
the paper out and read tho statement,
and told hilh there was one remark left
out, viz: when Hart asked ,Le, Might
Lhere by any possibility kayc beea more
than two tickets scra!ched2' told him
there might possibly have been mere,
but did not remember seeing them,
and believe l saw all the tickets. He
[Roberison then said. Why in the hell
didn't you 90 to the Register office and
tell them that? I:cld him ore reason
wus p'as in hurry and did not con.
slider that had any right 10 do 90 and
that did not alter tho affidavit or the
sense ofit in any way.
TIL hhNlslEN lALLED lS.
lfe {Robcrtson] then said he would
call the Register up, which he did by
telephone. When they answered hi.
call he told them that that man Brook
overthat had made the affidavit in Satur
days lSTsLLIGENCER waa in his Office a
that time and that he said the affidavit
rs published did not contain all he said
He Robertson told them that. I eait
that l had been asked when gavo IN,
fist affidavit, If there might by an.
possibility have been more than thos
two tickets scratched and that I sait
there might possibly have been, but tha
did not remember OF aoeing them.
Then | went into the clerk Of tho peni
tentiary's Office and was there prnbubl
ten or fifteen minutes talking vita hiu
when the telephone rang again and som
person in the Registers Office told MI
Robertson to ask me ii would care t
be sworn to thut statement. | told hin
I had been sworn to it once, and had n
objection TO be sworn again. Then MI
Dnrley swore mo to the truth OF tn
abatement, but did not intend this
30 q separate statement, only to I'll tn
Tacancy left in the original athdavil
neither did l intend to contradict th
original affidavit, as !hc original a0idap
irds true" s5
TIE Robertson referred to by Bsook
over is Edward Robertson, now Stat
Labor Commissioners. He was. chail
man of the Ptudleton,Grady mestin
held las. Saturday night in the Gran
Opera House. .}s,s9 aa r., '.,s=r.5.. (.
pESDLEToN WANTED 70 BEE HIN.
Aeked whether he knew Ben Earr
shaw, Brookover said he did; that Earr
shaw WIS President Of the County Coul
OF We.zel county; saw him in Wheelip
last Friday a week ago lin March, 1889
Question-What convention, II an,
did you Lave with him?
Ansscr-He asked nee II had m,
John o. Pendleton. ! told him l hs
not 10 the beat OF my knowledge. II
said he would like to take me up
P"ndlelon's office and give me an int.,
dlction. I told him | would like yer
well to make Mr.. Pandleton's ac9uain
aace, but that it was no further ftol
Mr.. Peudieton's house to my house tina
ftotu my s,ouse to his house, He Ear
shawl further said!he had seen Mr.. PEI
dleton that day and that he Pehdletol
wanted 10 make my acquaintance. 1
said he did not think Of Il until Robert NJ
Eldo,rncy, one Of Mr.. Pcndlttons attorney
(, called his attention to The necessity ct ,
Ea,nshaw further said that G. W. Atkil
cons men wss out in our county no
4 (meaning Wetzei county, taking de-
ositions and tearing up things general
| told him l was in hurry, and couldn
90 hen. Earnshaw said 1t would be
nv interest 10 seePehdle:on; that he u
la position to make it to my interes
and wanted me to meet him (Earnshas
nc tho postoflice in Wheeling, ". Va,
3 o'clock that afternoon. ! told him
sot around against that time I could
with him, but did NOT see anything mo
ot Ea1nshaw since.
Qurs,ion-What do YOU think his 9
,iect was in approaching you in tt
manner? IL. b
Answer-1 think there could ha
been but one object, and that was eitt