Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-06-11

utes after 8 o'clock, President Wilson of
the elections department arrived and
appointed William H. Knox, the Repub-
lican Judge, as inspector, and John j.
Gilbride, judge. Then the voting was
resumed.
Mr.. Knox proceeded at once in the
most business like manner TO get in the
Republican vote. No negro votes were
objected to, and they went in without
question, but some Democrats had to
show very straight, clear title. Among
the latter was William p. Morrison.
who has resided in the Fifth ward for
25 years. He presented his ballot and
tax receipt, but Inspector Knox coolly
informed him that he was not assessed,
"Reminiscences were useless and Morris
son had to withdraw, amid the insulting
ieers of the boisterous negroes who
crowded around. But he did not give
up without a struggle. He went at once
to the office of Clerk Of the Peace Biggs
and procured from that official certili
cate to the effect that he was duly and
properly assessed.
On being confronted with this indis-
putable evidence Inspector Knox grudg-
ingly gave in and accepted the vote
4 REIGN OF NEGRO LAwLEssSEss.
The proceedings in the Sixth district
eliminated in reign of negro lawless-
ness that drove the election officers
from the polling place and compelled
them to flee for safety. After the
trouble over the rejection Of the vote of
a colOred man named Brown, when
Mitchell and Cotton declared that no
one else should vote unless Brown
voted, the negroes swarmed into the
polling place. Inspector Frank Carpen-
ter and his father, Joseph L. Carpenter,
Jr, who was the Democratic challenger,
We're forced TO seek safety in flight and
the former went across the street and
appealed to the police for protection,
but they laughed at him lie then left
the neighborhood and did not return.
Joseph NJ. Griffith, the Democratic
Judge, also went away.
For over two hours not vote was
cast in the district, as G f. Thomas, the
Republican judge, was the only cleo
ton officer remaining the ballot-boxes
and registration boxes We're locked in
an upstairs room for safety. All the
afternoon a crowd OF negroes, number
ing over 100, remained around the place.
Edward Il. Kane was asked to act as
inspector, but he refused. Finally
Francis p. Dillon consented to act as in.
spector and r. G. Justis as judge, when
the voting was resumed. This was after
5 o'clock.
From that time until z O'Clock the
negroes held possession of the polls in a
solid line. But few Democrats were per
mittetl to vote, although they formed in
! line and waited patiently. As they ap-
! preached the window they We're rudely
pushed from their places to make room
| for negro. When the polls closed, Is
| Democrats and II Republicans were
| still in line waiting an opportunity to
cast their votes.
MR.. CARPENTERS STATEMENT.
Editor Of Gd1ctte As there has been
much done, and may be much said about
| the conduct of the election i'll the west end
of the Fifth ward, which constituted the
Twelfth election district, November 4th,
| 1880, and the sixth election district of June
9Th, 1851, ii which my name as well as my
sons has become so closely associated, if
YOU Will permit me the space will Ell
deavor to explain how ! have been drawn
into it.
| went to the polls on November 4th
about O'Clock 10 vote. 1t then became
4 apparent to me that gross frauds were
being perpetrated i'll the holding of that
election, and Immediately set to work to
hunt them mp, and found that lis persons
had voted ON that day in the Twelfth dis,
trict that were not qualified, 80 of which
did not live in the district and | believe
did not have right to vote anywhere in
the county; some Of the results of that
days work are too well known through
the courts and other publications to need
mention here, Following. my work Of
ferreting ont the fraud until the regstra
ton for June 9Th election found some oi
the persons registered ON May 10Th who
were not qualified on November 4th.
immcl ltely called on a member of the
Department Of Elections to know what tC
do about it, The information received
was TO let them register and We can strike
them off they are not qualified Acting
upon that paid very little attention tt
the registration of May 23d, except to con,
tnue the work OF hunting up the qualiii
cations of those believed to be illegally
regi tered. After the completion of regis
tration | made the matter known to this
member Of the election board who had ad
yisea me to allow them to register wher
10 my surprise he informed me that they
could not strike any one from the lists un
less they were registered twice or ~ NOR,
thar one district. This brought the figh
down to the day of election dune 6th)
then went to work to verify what ! haC
already done, with the result that Their,
We're n registered that were not qualified
beyond any question, and Is others tha
possibly were not. 1t depending upon thu
year for which they held receipts TO
taxes.
This brought the contest dowuto the da,
of election, the time that it should hayi
been avoided If possible. However actin
from a sense of duty | went there rs Citi
zen and challenger for my party to. Sc
that the election was conducted fairly
The polls had not opened when | hear
the announcement from Thomas Brown
colored, that "hy C. he was going to vot
there that day or Some one would b
killed. | knew that there was troubl
brewing that was premedtated as / ha
been told before the opening Of the poll
by a man thai believe and who was in
position to know, that meeting had bee
held for that purpose before the day @
election. The play was to get rid of IN
and my son or compel us to receive TIA
votes Of those that they knew as well as
were not qualified to vote. The poll
opened and progressed quietly for fel
minutes; presently Edmund Mitchell, Jr
/ arrived and took charge Of the mob an
! became very insolent and abusive, hel
: them around the window and declare
that there should not be another vol
I polled until the votes of those refused ha
been taken This continued until final
5 the Department Of Elections was sent 70
= and Niessrs. Gapele and Wilson arrive
: and the police were called and came out
the patrol wagon with one or two Sc
S geanis Threats of violence continues
e such as throw the 80 - out, and v
Ii will do them up; we have it in for vow v
). will lay for ydl and do yon up This a
= occurring in the presence Of men claimit
= responsibility, and not a word said to qui
!, theincreRsing mob, which had lquorin IL
i rear Of the house in which the election VI
d held and supplied themselves as frequent
l. as desired. Matters kept growing wor
and appealed to the election board, NJ
i. Capelle particularly, for protection N
asked him to get some officers 70 keen i