, 1890-01-21
THAT BALLOT BOX.
Cincinnati's Mayor is Placed
on the Witness Stand.
Smoke Inspector Woods as a
Letter Writer.
Important Testimony Given by
Prominent Men.
The Ballot Box Forgeries.

-0H 80 NaN
special committee investigating the ballot
box forgery, met this morning. Mayor
Mosby of Cincinnati was placed upon the
stand.
He testified to receiving letters from
various persons recommending Wood for
the position OF smoke inspector. One of
the letters was from Governor Foraker,
who stated that he had promised to en-
dorse Woods application If he promised
him (Foraker) certain political informa.
ton about prominent men.
Walters, who testified Saturday regard
ing Wood, was recalled to-day and said
after Woods first visit to Washington, he
got several letters from Wood about
patent cannon, in which Governor Camp
bell was supposed to be interested, and.as
to his congressional record, witness OBJ
tanned copies Of all of Campbell's bills and
gun patent. The latter had been issued
to one Hughes. and three quarters as
signed to L. K. Campbell of Hamilton, o.
Wood came back TO Washington and
told witness two or three times that he
had seen Mclean. One Sunday moaning
Wood bought the Cincinnati papers, and
alter looking at them, seemed much ex
cited. He damned Campbell and said,
OAa obOANAhk hOlbC mus mdut a udulutu
fool of himself" Witness understood
him to refer TO Halstead.
Witness saw a letter to Tom Campbell
saying he was a damn skunk" and he
could put him in states prison. Wood
was recalled and asked by the chairman
when it first occurred to him to put the
name OF James +. Campbell on the pa
pers. Wood said that Foraker had said
10 him that he understood those fellows
were making a strong syndicate to push
the ballot box bill, and that John r.
Mclean was at the head of it. Fora
ker took Campbell's bill out of his pocket
and asked about its progress. He said he
understood Campbell, Butterworth and
Mckinley and others were interested.
Turner asked why Wood had names of
Democrats put on. Witness said he
cared nothing about their names. He
wanted to makes up a syndicate oil about
twenty names. He wanted a good many
Ohio men and wanted to make it non
partisan and fix it 30 it couldn't be used
for publication. Turner asked who sug-
gested the names, and witness replied
that Foraker had said these Ohio men
were in the syndicate.
Foraker wanted him to get some New
jersey and Michigan names. The other
names we're thrown in for filling and to
make it non-partlsan. Turner asked
Wood if he, as a reputable citizen and Re-
publican would pass that paper off on
Governor Foraker as genuine. Witness
replied in the negative. l gave Foraker
the paper to use In campaign h~eaGquar-
ters. lie thought Foraker was a smart
man if the state; that he would shake
that paper in Butterworth's face, and
without letting him see it, declare he had
his signature to a contract. He thought
the governor was smart enough to know
how to use a paper. He had told him
he had gotten what he wanted but would
not stand much and no questions were
asked. Witness had gotten instructions
as to what the government wanted and
had filled the order.
j. L.. Milward, a Cincinnati draughts-
man, told him he saw Davis preparing
the paper and tracing signatures with a
glass. Milward told HIM that it was not
a good way. and showed him how to trace
it with paper. Davis explained to him
that there was no harm in it; that the
paper was to be given to Governor For
aker. who would now at once that 1t was
a forgery. Witness wrote the names of
Mcpherson and Stockslager. Davis said
they wanted to show it to the Democratic
committee and make them give up q pa.
per they had. They would destroy the
document. Some time after witness saw
the publication in the Commercial Ga
zette. He e down and told Halstead
all about 1t. That gentleman did not be.
lleve him. He brought out a photo
graphic copy and witness showed him how
he had traced the names. Halstead
asked him if he had written Mcpherson
and StOekslager's signatures, and when
he told him he had, replied that he (Hal.
STEADY had pinned his faith on those sig
natures.
Geo. j. Murray of Cincinnati, lawyer
and patent solicitor, said he had known
Wood for about six years and had taken
out pateu's Tor Wood, In September
Wood asked witness to draw up a ballot
box contract similar to one in Washing
ton, which would help him to his place as
smoke inspector. Wood wrote out five or
six pages and asked witness to shape it
up for him and have it in type writing.
Several days later Wood came in hurried
ly and said Governor Foraker wanted the
paper urgently. Witness pu it in shape.
Alter the publication witness saw Wood,
who told him he had no intention of
using the paper that way; but it was only
Intended to prevent the Democrats from
uoip "a iOPp iSbhSi' idddtu Duu DuU-
tographed it and sent some members of
the committee with it to Halstead to have
a squib published, Just enough to warn
Democrats not to publish the Topp letter.
Halstead snatched the whole thing. AS
there was no denial published witness was
in doubt as to whether the paper was a
forgery or a counterfeit. Wood promised
to get it back. Witness finally resolved
that II Campbell had signed the original
or any such paper, he must stand the con-
sequence.
Lewis NJ. Hsddep said that the day
after Foraker's nomination he had told
him he would have the opposition of a
number of the leading Republicans in
Ohio who wore jealous of him. Witness
went on to tell the governor about the
Campbell ballot box bill, and that Butter.
worth, Mckinley and others we're inter.
ested. The governor was staggered, but
they had no opportunity to continue con.
versation at that time. Later on witness