New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-09
THE OLD STORY OF FRAUD
DEMOCRATIC RASCALITY DISCLOSED IN THE
MoDUFFIE.TURPIN CONTEST.
HOW THE DEMOCRATS OF THE WITH ALABAMA
CONGRESS DISTRICT ROLLED UP
sMAJOR1TYn OF 1888 VOTES FOR
MR.. TuRrlN FRAUIr IN
BEWILDERING VARIETY.
fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE IWBUNE.1

der consideration by the House Committee on Ecc-
tons Is that Of McDunc against Turpn. Of the ~ III
Alabama District. This district has been inOsI
prolific in the history OF election contests In iact'
since the Democrats first seized 1t by fraud anu
violence a dozen years ago. it has been the scat of
| continuous, unblushlng and outrageous Democratic
frauds. never exceeded and seldom oquaIlcd in any
Southern state. When Alabama last divided into
Congressional Districts the Black Belt'-cOnprSlhS
the counties Of Dallas. Hale Lowndcs, Perry and VIII
| cox-was made district, the advertised purpose
of the Democratic party at that time being " TO allow
the Republicans Representative in Congress from
that state. In the counties named the coored
population is more than fonr times numerous a.
the white population. II all persons duly qualified
could and should vote at any election the number OF
cOorcd would exceed the number OF white votes
by 900 10 10000 There are few hundred White
Republicans in the district according to the testimony
in tho pending ca.e; and according to the same
authority. several lu,drcd- possibly 1,o00-coorcd
voters cast their ballots for Democratic candidates,
mainly under compu-on exercised by their employ
crs. With full vote, a fair election and an honest
count and return, the Republican majority would cx-
coed 10000.
II the Democrats first honestly intended to allow
tho Republicans to elect a Congressman from TINS
Black District. they soon changed their minds for.
20 early as 1879. the will Of the majority was
virtually suppressed and since that time fraudulent
certificate OF election has been regularly issued every
two years by Democratic Governor to the defeated
Democratic candidate for Congress. At the last cleo
ton total vote returned only 2ifO, or about
sixty per cent Of A full vote. The returns from a
number Of Republican precincts were rejected II 10
be conceded that all the white voters In the district
q 800 IN number NJ the ouisidc-wcnt 20 the polls
and voted for Turpin, and that 800 coorrd voters
did the same. which IS an cXtrvaeant estimate iir
exceeding oven Turpin's clam-aud that all these
votes counted and returned for Turpin. the kc-
puhlican candidate would ,till have majority OF
:. iol votes to which should be added 527 votes cast
for him AZ four precincts Dallas County the returns
from which were rejected by the Democratic County
Returning board. but which Turpn comedies ought
to have been counte upon the proof brought by con
,estant That would bring McDunc's majority 10
2D.o which Is much below the majority to which ho
IS entitled the number of ballots actually deposited
IN the ballot boxes by qualified voters.
Yet, according 10 the o'lcial' returns. upon which
, fraudulcu, ccrfI.-lic ~ election i,,ucd tO Tur
pin hc received 80 vote AZ least twice a many
A. Their, are Democratic voters iu the di.trct-wlic
McDufe received only 5625 vote. les than one
MN as many a. there arc Rcpub'a voters In the
district. The official majority for TurWn. there
FORE was 1888. The conic-tec Stands hy these
Official returns except to few rejected precincts.
and asserts that the election fariy controlled ac-
cordlng 10 law and the returns honestly made. The
conic,tcc I'm his brcf however. shows that he feels
that some explanation Is necessary. lie say:
This hf SUES Win cNlifnt' tNai III INl7 ui'-
trct the color line has been broken and the negro no
longer holds himself dependent The white man every
day o the year except election day. and hi, enemy
on that day. Hut the colorcd 20 ln the crowds
to elect Democratic officers of the state Government
and al-o Democratic members of coner'ss. The
opposition 10 MoDuiic strong among Re
puhl.cans that AZ many places they had Republican
Presidential tickets printed 9TH Tufpni name on
them and a great many of them were voted and tl,
record show. that IN many precincts The Republican
Pre-. dental vote va. lIfscr than that Of McDunc'
There J., not eclntilla of testimony about great
crowds or any considerable number. The direct.
specific testimony t. show that there colorcd
democrats whatever In the district do-s not affect
dozen prccincts more than 200 voters In AL. Con
tc-tee also asserts that ~ great many Republican
dental tickets with Turp n, name upon them "cr'
yot In the district according t. tho"oical returns.
Harrison received exactly IL vote; more than Me
Dunic. That was the extreme strength therefore.
Of the Republican opposition T. NcDuic. bat there
IS no proof that Turpn received the vote" Of 'l- c'
publican, who also voted for harrison.
Contestant allcscs. and the testimony shows that
the state law which require, that two of the three
Inspectors of election al each precinct should De- mem
Lci- Of different political paiuc, wa- openly and
deliberately violated Al neatly all the precincts b.
the appointment OF all the election officer, from the
Democratic party. Vt the few remaining precincts
the prt ard intent of the Ia" were violated IN nearly
every ,ase rs the appointment a, Republican in
,r,tor nf A colur,d man who va, uuihi. T. read and
write and who was easily hoodwinked and influenced
ly the Democratic Inspector. Cort'rtini' friend, ~
each precinct made lists Of the voter Who applied for
and received Republican ballots. and who were after.
ward seen to hand them 10 the Inspector In charge
Of the hos.
ST some Of the precinct, Republicans were I'M
lawfully prevented by the Democrats from keeping
ohcc. Ils.s Of Republican, who voted: and at one
precinct the Republican Dho had the li,t Wa, shot
and Lillcd by Democratic deputy sheriff. who
attempted to take possession Of IL. and two other
Republicans among the blstandcr' wcrr shot and
wounded. In wilcox County contestant. when nc
began t. tale testimony. met with the threats
OF death and violence and wa, compelled to leave
the county with his erIand undonc. with few
exceptions. he wa, not allowed an opportunity to
cro,a examine witness, summoned n behalf of con
tcstcc; and the bulk Of contestccs testimony as
printed In the record. Is cA partc. study Of the
.tinnony given by such of coni''cr7 Wtnr'1c' a.
contestant did eros examine strongly nul'W tile M
the partc proof, submitted los '"ni' zee ah"D" %"
received with extreme caution and large grains oi
The testimony Of contestants witncs-c, show, that
many thousand, of Republican ballot, were handed TO
ins pectors and by them apparently deposited III The
ballot hoNc, at precincts fIom which only f."
hundred Republican vote, were Tciurncd. In DallS
County the proportion of whit" 10 '"lOred voter, i
| to ! according 10 the oGiclal7 returns from thar
county the Democratic vote three and half
times as large the Republican volc ,onte,uulu
ballots with his each one. we're hand,li to
the inspectors Of election at the several precincts,
ard apparently deposited In the ballot boxes by the
ins pcct5rs The Official" returns give contcstllt
only 200 votes but the same return, give Inrpm
5,7O5 votes, which is nearly or quite as many a.
also than one half Of the number OF Democratic
voters in the entire district
In Hale County the ratio Of white TO coorcd voters
Is ! 10 / according tn the "1iclal' returns H'u'
by contc tccs friends. the Dcmocia;ic vote was yni
aud half times large as the Republican , y1,
Contestant brings proof ihat 2.2 itip"nn'nm nm nri'
the different precincts by qualified Be r.hlcan voters