The Washington critic. (Washington City, D.C.) 1890-1890, 1890-02-18
FRAUDS IN ALABAMA.
CITIZEN THREeT'S EXPERIENCE IN
RUNNING FOR CONGRESS.


date Gets Notes-Mr. Clarke to he
GIVEN the Contested seat.
The House Committee on Elections
will report in day or two in favor of
seating Richard II. Clarke as Repre-
sentative from the First District of
Alabama. Although Mr.. Clarke re
ceived majority of nearly 5000 of
the votes cast, Frank II. Threet, his
political opponent. contested his cleo
iion on the ground that he had obtained
this majority by fraud.
1hreet claimed that he was entitled
TO the seat, and in support of this pro
duced an immense amount of evidence.
Both sides were heard by the commit
tee. which has finally decided to seat Mr..
Clarke. Congressman Nils p. iIaugcn OF
Wisconsin is making out the commit
tees report, and, as soon as he has
finished it, it will be presented to the
House and Mr. Clarke will be at last
permitted TO take the much sought for
seat
The evidence produced during the
contest showed that elections are con
Quoted in very peculiar manner in
Alabama. According to Threet, Clarke
pursued methods TO secure his election
that would have put TO shame candi-
dates for Parliament of century ago.
Clarke is white Democrat, while
Threet is colored Republican. The
latter's principal allegation is that he
was defrauded out of the election by Il
false count. He cites numerous in
stances where votes that were cast for
him were counted for Clarke AT the
polls at Mount Sterling, Choctaw
County, he says ninety ballots were cast
| for him and siXty-nine for Clarke,
while fifty. nine other voters anxious to
cast ballots for him were not per-
| inspector pretended that he could not
| find their names upon the registration
| list. Then, when the votes were
counted, five were deliberately taken
from the number cast for him and
given to Clarke.
At the polls in Pelham, same county,
although he received fifty votes aud
Clarke sixty, he says he was only
credited with thirty. eight, while seventy
two were counted for Clarke Fifty
voters, he continued, who would have
cast ballots for him were prevented
from voting at Butler, in the same
county, by threats and intimidation by
the Democrats. The Democratic in
spectors at Coffecville, Clarke County,
Threet alleges, counted twenty seven of
The votes he had received for Clarke,
thus making the latter's count at this
polling place 1877 to his 155, instead of
it being 1872 for him and 100 for Clarke.
Threet was also defrauded, he says. out
of forty six votes at Walker Springs. in
this county.
No votes were polled in Gosport
Clarke County, because the ballot buN
was at house half mile away, and
inspectors refused to open the polls
Threet was defrauded ont of 100 vote,
by this trick, and, as Clarke would have
received very few here hc was II gainci
by this little trick.
Threet, however, was robbed Of vote
in the most barefaced manner in Gan
istown. Clarke County. There tht
ballot box was stolen by the Democrats
after 115 votes had been cast for hin
and four for Clarke, and 125 who would
have voted for him were driven away
by threats of bodily harm. At thi'
polling place only two of the election
officers appeared at the polls. Tht
places Of the delinquents were filled by
citizens, however, until the ballot-bol
was stolen. No returns were made
from this precinct.
Tbreet claims to have received 21t
votes al Linden, in Marengo County, tt
Clarke's 1874. Yet. he says, the elec
tion officers took sixty of his votes ant
gave them to Clarke. In order to in
limidale voters at the polling places on
colored man was arrested, and other
were threatened with arrest. lively
white voters who scratched Clarke her
had their votes counted for Clarke il
spite of the fact that they did not vot
for him.
: Just before election Threet went T.
the judge of the Probate Court of,th
county and presented the names of in
! telligent electors in each precinct Of th
. county for appointment as inspectors o
. election. This Judge did not appoint
single ore of Threets selection, but ap
3 pointed Democrats instead AT th
primary election in OIarengo County
: where Clarke and the Hon. James 7
Jones were battling for the nomination
! the entire Democratic vote of tn
county, Threet says, which numbere
, 1889, was polled. lie claims that abou
3 one.third Of this vote was not cast o
election day, but that every vote in eA
, cess of two-thirds of this which ha
been counted for Clarke really had bee
f cast for him. Threet mentions nume
Gus other instances where by the mean
c already mentioned he was defrauded c
1 votes.
! Clarke, on the other hand, denies a
a tie charges of fraud brought again
5 him and claims that he was honestl
t elected. The allegation that votes ca
: for Threet at Mount Sterling, Butte
n and other places were counted for hin
!, he says, is as false as the charge tht
Ss nearly all the election officers wei
% Democrats. Clarke admits that n
i election was held at Gosport, but say
# il was caused by the Republican iuspe
h tor, who, when the Democratic inspe
II Tor had gone half mile to get IL
!; ballot. box, said that, as it was the
:, after . o'clock, he thought it was tC
. late to open the polls. Clarke CLAIM
that only about sixty voters altogeth,
r. visited at these polls during the day
|, vote.
3 No returns were received fro
a, GainstOwn, Clarke says, on account
, the incompetency of the Republics
= = election officers to hold an election a
+, cording to law. When the polls we
3, opened at this place on election NOR
= = ing only j.. e. Taylor, Republican, al
9, j. X. Norris, Independent, appeare
a, The other three election officers cou
y not be found, and as the laws of Al
r. bama allow their places to be filled
S. citizens, in order to proceed with Il
IT, election, the Republican inspector W
Y, allowed TO choose three men to take Il
r. places of the delinquents.
= Al tlAn HrsI lnll in Ihn uniinnr Ihn [