Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-05-06
Bold Frauds at the Richmond
Primary Elections.

Bold Frauds at the Richmond
Primary Elections.
Below We give extracts from the Rich
mond Dispatch which show that the most
astounding frauds were committed in the
Democratic primary election in Jefferson
Ward, of that city, recently. The defeat
ed candidate for Common wealth's Attor-
ney has contested the election, and the
result has shown depth of corruption
among these simon pure Democrats that
nothing can excuse. Unfortunately there
is no law to punish cheating and fraud
in primary elections or these scoundrels
might be made to suffer for crime that
Is far reaching and fearful in its effect
upon the liberties of the people. The
next Legislature should take prompt
action in this matter, and throw the same
safeguards around the votes of the pri-
maries as now protects the ballot box OF
the regular election. The Dispatch OF
April 2lst, gives the following choice
morsels of fraud:
"James DrIscoll is registered as living
at 20l2 east Main street. and he appears
on the poll-book as voting twice. BY
tuning to the last City Directory we find
living at 20l2 east Main street Mary
Driscol, ,cid0c If James DriscOU. An
Official copy from DR.. Oppenhmers office
shows that James Driscoll, of 2Ol2 east
Main street, died October ,, 1891.
with the ghost of James Driscoll ap-
peared each time when he voted one
| l.. G. Drew. Driscoll is Nos. 16l and lo2
on the poll-b0ok, while l.. G. Drew is l62
and 1888. Drew cannot be found in the
CITY Directory of 1883 or since, nor can l
trace him. Yet he was sufficiently pres
emf on election day to vote twice.
"Mr. John O'Toole, who has been a
non. resident for several months, was duly
written down on the poll-book as voting
Mr.. E. P. Murphy has gwen me his atii-
dayit that Mr.. O'TOole is not living here,
and that he received letter from him
dated in New Jersey, where he lives,
April 3, 1892 80
"Cbarles Madison registered as No. III
north Twenty-first street, and duly en-
tered on the poll-book as voting April .,
1892. died at the almshouse March 81,
and was buried April l, 1892.
"B. K. O'Dwyer,a brother-in-law OF
Sergeant Jeter, Of the police force, regis,
tered as living at ii north Twenty third
street is duly entered on the poll-book
as voting when Sergeant Jeter has de-
posed that he knows he has not been to
/ ID for fxuO uaarG 0r moro.
"James Slatterly, broth-in-law of j.
L. Botto, is NOT registered, but appears on
the poll as duly voting, while /
have sworn evidence that Slstterley mas
not been in Richmond since December
| 1891"
The Dispa'ch of April Oath gives an adj
ditional list of ffty-two fraudulent votes
at the same precinct.
The following from the Richmond cor
respondent of the Petersburg Under .Ap.
neal. under date of April Goth, plainly
shows that if the Democrats resort to
such methods to cheat and defraud mem
bers Of their own party Republican
would not stand ghost of a chance OF
election under. the following process OF
counting:
"Tbere was a sen alton in the police
court this morning. Henry Cohen, who
was a Judge at the Second precinct OF
Jefferson ward at the primary, was
witness in behalf of his brother who was
charged with fighting with j. Samuel
wilkinson, sergcant-at-arms of the city
Democratic committee. Witnesses were
put on the stand to prove that Cohen
sbonld not be believed on oath. Lawyer
Samuel NJ. Page testified that Cohen had
admitted to him that he cheated IN
counting the votes. in calling the names
on the tickets to the two other judges
who we're keeping tally he bad given one
councilman ninety. three votes be was
not entitled to; another seventy and al
tered twenty-thTee. Cohen denied tha'
he had ever made any such statement
but Mr.. Page was corroboiated by anOln
er witness to whom Cohen had made the
same admission. The recount OF the
votes III jefferson ward showed that there
were Just such errors in the count at the
Second precinct as those Cohen told Mr.
Page a5out. This was not the precinct
where the most glazing frauds we're com
mitted. Next was the Third in Jefferson.
The Justice decided the case in favor OF
Wilkinson refusing to believe Cohen after
this matter was brought out against him
so it seems that if there is no statute law
to punish those who cheated in the prl-
mary. at least one has been punished in
way that any honest person would feel
very severely. Cohen is superintendent
of the city lamp lighting"