Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1890-01-29

jority of $50 was changed TO Rep
ublican majority of 90. None of these
railroad laborers were legal 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
election boards, and conclusive ev-
idence shows that paupers, idiots and
miners were voted indiscriminately.
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 a
minor. In another district the voting
place was changed three times in order
to prevent the attendance of Dem
ocrats. BY these means the normal
Republican majority in the country
was Increased nearly 200.
Bad as the above outrages were they
sink into insignifcance 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
sample. Within two months pre-
ceding the election nearly 300 negroes
were brought from Virginia, and
given nominal employment in the
mines about Fayetteville. Before the
contest committee a number of these
negroes testified that they and their
companions wanted to 60 home to Vir-
ginia to vote, but the Republican lead
ers persuaded them to stay. They did
stay and voted by the score for Har-
rison and protection. Their votes
were received by Republican election
judges in spite of Democratic protests.
In Kanawha County, methods
equally as bold, but of different
character were used. A corruption
fund of $4,000 was placed in the
county. Experienced political trick
sters 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 court. Another leader,
who boldly confessed that he had
bought over 20 votes on election day,
got his reward from the Republican
States Senate.
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 Nc
Dowell. In the spring of 1888 the
Norfolk and Western Railroad was ex-
tended into these counties. Coke
ovens were built during the summer
and a floating population brought in
and employed on these works and the
railroad extension. Nine-tenths of
these laborers came from Tazewell and
Giles counties, Va, and at the time of
the election had not been in the state
six months. The evidence shows that
the Republican leaders marshalled the
negroes at the polls, inundated
election judges where opposition was
offered and voted 200 of them in two
precincts. Mercer county gave a
Democratic majority of 700 in 1886;
in 1888 Republican majority of 100
was secured.
A change almost as great occurred |
IN Mcdowell county. The startling |
Doldness of the fraud can best be seen
BY one circumstance, which was pro-
ven by scores of witnesses. A white
Republican collected 76 of these neg
'oes from the works at Bluefeld,
Mercer County, w. Va. They all
voted there in the morning. Then
hey boarded a train and crossed
he line into Virginia, where the neg
'oes, who were bona fide residents, cast
heir ballots without protest. Another
rain carried the whole gang into Elk
,orn, Mcdowell County, w. Va,
where they marched to the polls, crazy
With drink and with brandished clubs
md revolvers placed their Harrison
md Golf ballots in the box.-National
Democrat.
Lumbermen and Merchants Asssocia-