Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-23
FRAUDS IN WEST VIRGINIA,
ASTOUNDING PROOF OF REPUB-
LICAN RAsCALITY.
A Systematic Effort to Corrupt vot-
ers.

committee to inform the House that
the Senate was ready to take up the
contested election case of Fleming VS.
Goff. This was opposed by the Repub-
licans, because three of their members
were absent, having been detained by
sickness, and adjournment was had un-
til tomorrow, when the question will
again be taken up. 1t is evident that
the Republican leaders intend to persist
in high-handed course.
The gubernatorial contest committee
has finished its report after 10 months
of unremitting toll, during which time
it has carefully and impartially inves-
tigated the charges made by Judge
Fleming in his note of contest; and the
result is a complete exposure of the
blackest conspiracy to debauch voters
and defeat the will of the people that
was ever conceived in any Southern
State. The half of the fraud perpetrat-
ed by Republican heelers and repeaters
in this State has never been told. Thou
sands of pages Of affidavits are present.
ed by Judge Fleming. All are cOnclu-
sive in their revelations of bribery, in
timidation and repeating, and against
these scarcely an affidavit has been
placed by the accused Republicans. In
the light of these revelations it cannot
be doubted that General Goff, the rich
est Republican in West Virginia, was
nominated for Governor with view to
corruption Of voters, and from the date
of his nomination plans were boldly
laid to purchase votes and import re-
peaters wherever possible. These plans
resulted in polling no less than 5000 il
legal votes for the Republican ticket.
Only small proportion Of these could
possibly be detected. About 800 were
cast out by the contest committee, but
for every vote disallowed it is justly es-
timated that fourillegal votes were cast.
There were some six counties which
the conditions in the fall of 1888 made
good fields for the operations of the Re-
publican State committee. The law of
the State gives the county courts the
power of appointing election judges. In
Republican counties the majority of the
judges are Republican and in Demo-
cratic counties Democratic. Republi-
can counties with large floating popula-
tions were, therefore. the ones in which
the illegal work could be easiest done.
The counties especially selected were
Tucker, Doddridge, Fayette, Kanawha,
Mercer and Mcdowell, and in these the
Republican State committee concen-
trated its effors and Doodle.
Tucker county was the scene of oper-
ations by Stephen B. Elkins. A large
number of men were employed on the
extension of Elkin's railroad in that
section, and the evidence shows that at
least 200 of these men were voted In the
various precincts of the county. A
natural Democratic majority of $50 was
changed to Republican majority of so.
None of these railroad laborers were le-
gal voters. Few of them had been in
the State more than 80 days.
Nearly the same conditions were
found in Doddridge county. Here the
county court, in plain violation of the
law, appointed solid Republican elec-
ton boards, and conclusive evidence
shows that paupers, idiots and minors
were voted Unfortunately. Thirteen
Harrison and Golf ballots were cast by
inmates of the county poorhouse. The
son of an election judge in one district
was allowed to vote twice, although
known to be minor. In another dis
trict the voting place was changed three
times in order to prevent the attend
ance of Democrats. BY these means the
normal Republican majority in the
county was increased nearly 200.
Bad as the above outrages were they
sink into insignificance before the
crimes perpetrated in the Kanawha
Valley. Thirty thousand dollars was
allotted to this State by Quay's com.
mittee, and the best part of this money
went into the Kanawha Valley and
hired Golf repeaters by the score. The
work in Fayette county is fair sam.
pie. Within two months preceding
the election nearly 800 negroes were
brought from Virginia, and given nom.
inal employment in the mines about
Fayetteville. Before the contest COM
mlttee a number of these negroes tes.
titled that they and their companions
wanted to go home to Virginia to vote
but the Republican leaders persuaded
them to stay. They did stay and voted
| by the score for Harrison and protec-
| tion. Their votes were received by Re.
publican election judges in spite Of
Democratic protests. A large proper
tion of them were disallowed by the
contest committee.
In Kanawha county, methods equal.
ly as bold, but Of different character
were used. A corruption fund of $l0,.
600 was placed in the county. Expert.
enced political tricksters handled it and
the Republican majority was increased
over 400. One of the men who handled
the money was indicted for bribery in
the United States coult. With the in
dictment still pending, Benjamin Har.
rison rewarded him with an important
appointment. Another leader, who
boldly confessed that he had bought
over 20 votes on election day, got his
reward from the Republican State Sen
ate.
The worst frauds, however, did not
lie here. Many were at the head of the
Kanawha Valley, in the thinly settled
counties of Mercer and Mcdowell. In
the spring of 1883 the Norfolk and
Western Railroad was extended into
these counties. Coke ovens were built
during the summer and floating pop.
ulation brought in and employed on
these works and the railroad extension
i INfne-tenths of these laborers came
from lTazewell and Giles counties, Va,
and at the time of the election had not
been in the State six months. The evi.
dence shows that the Republican lead
ers marshalled the negroes at the polls,
intimidated election judges where oppo-
sition was offered and voted 1900 OF
them In two precincts. Mercer county
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