Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-21
OHIO BALLoT-Box FORGERY.
Tho Mayor Of Cincinnati Before the House
Committee.
rBy telegraph TO the Dispaich.l


box forgery case was Mayor Mosby. OF I'm
riunati He testified that ho knew Wood,
who came to him with letters Of recon-
mendation from reputable businessmen
and firms and continued 10 present such
letters until tho number was considerable;
These the Mayor read as he presented
them. The Chairman suggested that these
Ietters might lie put IN without reauliS,
but the witness said he would not Ike 70
20 before the country as the appointec OF
man who deliberately sat down here last
huifOon and n tool 10 give
evidence. so he was allowed 10 go on
reading the letters. One was from Powell
Crosley. Butterworths law partner. ana
IN IL CrOsley spoke Of Wood as
his friend. Another was from John Iuln-
stein, now county treasurer. Owing 10
these letters and after an interview with
Wood, in which Wood impressed HIM az
being capable, the Mayor determined 10
nnpoint him smoke Inspector Wood MED
the papers and asked if the witness had re-
ceived q letter Of recommendation from
Foraker. and being answered IN the mega
tive. said the letter would be forthcoming
August 9Th. He got letter from {. j..
Knit, the Governors secretary, asking 70
have the place Of smoke inspector heiu
opcn. AUGUST 18th lac got lctterir from the
asking him not 10 make an np-
pointment of smoke inspector for o lew
DAYS. Witness wrote the Governor III re-
,llv. telling him what kind Of q man he
wanted for smoke inspector and August
18th the Governor replied that be had
promised to endorse Woods application u
n certain CONFERENCE.-The he had pro
missed him (the Governor certain polltI-
cal information about prominent men.
Witness told how he had met Foraker on
the train at Nenia, when he told witness
about the ballot-box. Misncss thought he
(Forakcr) mentioned not only Campbell
but ButtorwOrth rs being IN the same deal.
Witness afterward wrote tho Governor 70
know if he had not forgotten something.
Got a reply September 1lth by tel'-
rraph saving that he had not forgotten;
that the party would bring the. papers that
day. Another reply. received later that
dav. said everything was all right, and the
uoyt dav Wood presented MS letter OF
from Governor Foraker.
Soon. however. witness began 20 hear
stories to Woods discredit and hisappolnt-
meut was held up. Witness said he bad
first seen thefOrgcd PAPER September l4th,
when he met Foraker at the Gibson House
and tho latter showed it TO him.
The Governor said: Here are those
papers, and there is too much OF them"
Either then or later. IN answer TO a ques-
tian as to what he was going to do with
the papers. the Governor said he was gong
20 no nothing with them. Witness did not
suspect the papers Of being forgery. al
though he was much surprised to SEQ
Senator Sherman's name. lie mad been
told IN advance OF the signatures Of But
terworth and Mckinley. Witness took
the ground that il used the paper would
prove q boomerang, as Campbell, being
exposed. would turn around and publish
ali the other names. Witness said that
Wood told him that he had gotten papers
from Mclcan's secretary; that II was OF no
use as Il had lapsed with the close Of the
last Congress and another contract WAS
being made. Long after tho election
Wood still persisted that he did not know
whether the papers were forgery or
uot. Witness told now on the
night Of the publication OF the paper
Halstead had said he was going TO publish
O " corker" next day. Some one had re-
marked that be had published pretty
GOOD one that morning, and Halstead re-
piled that that paper was forgery. and
had gone on 10 tell how thepaper had been
Traced in Murray's Office. Governor Fora
kcr had told witness not 10 appoint Wood
unless he was found TO be of good charac-
ter and suitable attainments. Foraker IN,
tcrrupted hero TO say that he had asked
-
had been made against Wood TO hear testi-
mony In his behalf, but not 20 appoint him
unless exonerated. Witness said he had
never shown any letters Of reoommenda-
fion TO Foraker. After several witnesses
of less importance had been heard Wood
was recalled, rs Mr. Cogswell. n member Of
the committee. desired TO ask some que5-
tions. He said he came TO Cincinnati IN
1871. He had been engaged III many KINDS
of business there and had had partners.
A brother Of Governor Foraker had been
the first person 10 suggest that witness
could get the place of smoke inspector and
that he would be good man for tho
place. Witness again repeated his recol-
lection Of Governor Foraker's reply to bus
application, saying be (witness( could help
him. Then witness got a letter from
Kurt. Witness had been almOs. intimate
L. acquainted commercially with the Gov
ern0r for years before that. Recurring TO
his Columbus interview, witness said that
the Governor wanted to know his qualih-
cations for the place he sought, said he
was satisfied he could hll it, and then ex-
planned what he wanted.
Question: When did 1t first occur TO you
to put in the name Of James +. Campbell on
the paper?
Witness said he would have to explain
how he GOT the idea there wns such pa
per. Coming out Of the door, Foraker said
he understood the fellows were making up
n strong syndicate TO push the ballot-bOx
bill and that John II. Mclean was Mt the
head of il. Foraker took CampbelPs bill
out Of bis pocket and asked about the pro-
rress Of the bill; said he understood
Butterworth, and Mckinley, Che
named over the names were interested.
Mr.. Coggswell asked about the names
pinned on the contract head.
Witness said he bad two. papers. (Mr.
Cogsswell was looking yainly for the PIN
holes in Exhibit y.
Turner asked why Wood he'd had the
names Of Democrats put on.
Witness replied that he cared nothing
about the names. He wanted to make up
a syndicate Of about twenty names. He
wanted q good many Ohio men. He want
ed 10 make II nOn-partisan. and fixed II so
that it could not be used for publication.
Turner asked who suggested the names.
Witntss replied that Foraker had said
that Ohio men were in the syndicate.
Then he Foraker) wanted him 10 get some
New Jersey and Michigan names. Other
names were thrown in for filling and to
make il nOn-partisan. Could not say that
one of the gentlemen named lad anything
10 do with the ballOt-boX business.
lWEutI u>htl IL nc. u ltihtdttc NlbiAcii'
good Republican, and fine mechanic,
would pass that paper of on Governor
Foraker as genuinel
Witness replied in the negative. He
gave Foraker the paper 10 use in cam
paign headquarters. He (witness) knew
that if he used the paper that way there
would be a kick.
You mean this paper was to be darkly
limited at, but not published, {" said Turner.
That was it,"
Continuing. he said he thought the
Governor was the smartest man in the
State; that he would shake that paper
under Butterworth's face and without let
ting him see it declare that he had sigma
ture there to a contract. He thought the
Governor smart enough to know how 10
use the paper. He had told him that he
had gotten what he wanted, but it would
not stand much. and no questions had
been asked. Witness had gotten instruc-
tons a 10 what the Governor wanted and
had filled the order. W.tness's first
idea was to have the names pinned
on the Contract l.000n and then have ii
photographed for use. but he finally aban.
doned that idea and had Murray "knocb
il off," The Hall and Wood Ballot-Bos
Company was to have o certain royalty
under the Ohio contract for each ballot
box used. Dir. Outcalt. representing the
Ohio syndicate, was to introduce the box
That syndicate had expired now. Jane:
Foraker was not u stakeholder in the com
many, hut had told the witness he had beer
obliged 10 give up his place owing TO thu
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