Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-10-28
STORY OF A CHESTNUT.
The Wctzel County Count-Hubbard VIII
Not be Benefitted by Atkinson's Mis-.

legged misfortunes. The story of the re-
count in Wetzel can be briefly told.
Before the election of 1883, it was the
general belief that G.. w. Atkinson
would fall behind his ticket in this
county. Scores of Republicans had
boldly and openly declared that they
would knife him. This was on account
of his views on prohibition. One or two
prominent Republicans had personal
reasons and one Of them repeatedly told
the writer that he would "Stick" him in
Il place that Atkinson least suspected.
When the returns OF the vote came i'm
it was a matter of surprise that Atkin-
son had not only received as many votes
as Golf in these suspected places. but
had even exceeded him. News came
that there were complaints by Republl-
cans that their votes had not been
counted. This was especially true of
Centre district and Upper Green.
Acting upon this information, re-
count was demanded by Governor Elem
ing and John o. Pendleton. The recount
began, and the districts of Proctor and
Magnolia were gone over, and the only
changes made by the Court were the re-
fuSing TO allow four or five votes for
Golf that had been allowed by the Com
miSSioncrS OF the election. In one in
stance, a vote for Golf was refused by
the Court which the attorneys for Elem
ing thought perhaps should be allowed
him. But the Court was not taking
counsel of either party. Fleming'S vote
was increased two votes, and this was
the whole increase in the entire county
after the recount had been concluded.
! Then the recount was suspended on ac-
count Of the absence of Mr.. EarnShaw.
The counsel for Mr.. Fleming received
! telegram from him stating that if in
their opinion nothing could be gained
by it, the recount might be called off
and the vote certified according to the
original returns. Mr.. Pendleton left the
same instructions with the writer
And it had been determined by the
counsel for Fleming and PendletOn To
call of the recount, which would have
been done except for the false camor OF
the Republican press. Before a single
| ballot had been recounted it was openly
charged by Republicans on the streets
that the ballots had been scratched, and
Office had been opened. Spies lurked
about the corners and lodged through
the alleys. Suspicion forever hauntS 4
guilty mind. The man whom they were
then abusing and denouncing as n vii
lain of the deepest dye, Mr.. K. h. l..
SnodgraSS, had fight on the streets
with leading Republican, who went
so far as to say that if the ballots had
been scratched, Lee SnodgraSS had
done il.
When Mr.. EarnShaw returned, the
counsel for Fleming and Pendleton men
/ toned the fact to the COnrt that they
| thought il might be As well 10
discontinue the recount, but the
Court replied that they had been
Slandcred and abused by the Republican
press, and that they were determined to
60 on with it. The recount went on.
| All was smooth as a lake in August un-
I'll the recount Of Upper Green was fin
| iShed. Then it was found that Mr.. At
/ kinSOn had fallen short II votes of the
/ number originally certified. As this was
one Of the places where it was expected
/ he would lose many votes, it occaSiOncd
no surprise to the writer or any other
! Democrat present, nor aS the writer be-
lieveS, TO many Republicans present,
/ but il was a time and an occasion for
the bulls OF Bashan TO roar. They
seemed To be ready for it, TO be in eX-
pectation Of it. and when they rOared,
they roarcd like thunder. OF course
the writer does not deny that he was
somewhat aStoniShed at the mistake OF
- 81 bff .itasft
he afterwards learned thatth counting
was done by men of weak cyeSight and
by insufficient light he readily account
ed for il. But little attention was paid
10 State and National offices, the whole
whole interest centercd upon the Sheriff.
They ran through. giving Atkinson as
many votes as Golf, and Pendleton as
many votes as Fleming, as a matter Of
course, according to party lines.
The same was true of Archer'S Fork,
the other voting place whore change
in favor of PendlctOn was made by the
recount only that if possible, the origi-
nal count of the vote was conducted in
la more reckless manner. One need but
refer 10 the evidence in the contest be-
tween Pendleton and Atkinson 10 realize
this fact. "All wool and yard wide,
was the way votes were counted down
to the county ticket. Votes given for
''Ycater" for Congress were passed by
unnoticed as the tickets showed.
tits unnecessary to 60 over this muddlc
of bye gone age. But the purportcd
statement Of Mr.. K. L. l.. SnodgrasS,
relative TO Mr.. EarnShaw, upon which
the Republicans rely, is not signed or
certified TO by him and there is no
proof that he ever made it, 1t does not
tally with his deposition in the contested
election case Of Atkinson V. Pcndleton.
lie there disclaimS any knowledge what
ever, even amounting to belief or Sus-
picion, OF any fraud or scratching OF
ballots. What he stated upon oath
must be taken as true and these idle
tales told by Republicans for purpose
are not worthy Of moments consider
alton.
And the purported letter of Ben Earn
shaw bears the lie upon its face He is
made to say that he had changed eight
votes for Fleming. The fact is,
the changes in the Golf and Fleming
vote were not made at Archcr'S Fork
and Upper Green, where this scratch
ing is alleged to have been done. but
four votes were taken from Golf in
counting the districts of Preston and
Magnolia. one of which at least should
have been counted for him, and Elem
'ing's vote was increased by two votes,
las il plainly should have been. But
some ingenious Republican has footed
up the six votes that Golf lost and the
two votes that Fleming gained, and
making the number eight, causes Ben
EarnShaw to say that he had changed
eight votes for Fleming. The disputed
votes for Golf were afterwards matter
of discussion between the Commission
ers of Election and the writer, proving
that the ballots were exactly rs the
Commissioners Of Election left them.
If the Republicans imagine that thew
are going to profit by these matters
they are making a big mistake. This
uproar has well nigh allayed all feeling
of bitterness between the friends of
SnodgraSs and the friends of EarnShaw.
At least they are determined. while
voting their convictions on the County
ClerkShip, they will stand a unit. for
/ Congressman. Especially is this the
truth since w. F. Hubbard has charac-
terized the Democrats of Wetzel, in Il
speech at Central Station, a band OF
/ thieves who had fallen out among them
] .. IT, ..,..,. l., en-. a a a. and GnnlurasS