The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-01
Prosecution the Result Of BaId-Fared
ForEeries by Democrats at she
Last Election.
THE GANG TERRoR-sTRICKEN
TWENTY TIPToN CITIZENS SAID TO
BE BACK OF DEPENDANT.
Several storcrooms at Fortvi1ie
burned Yesterday Morning, Cans
ing n Loss OF $4,000.



TIPTON. Ind, Sept 3o.-After long
struggle the talley-sheet forgery case was
called before Judge stephenson Of
NoblesvilIe. this morning. The at
torneys for the defense renewed
their accustomed tactics OF pre-
venting the case going to trial. with
motion to quash the Indictment. They
made a vigorous effort 10 strike out the
first, fifth and sixth counts in the indict-
ment. These were vital to the case ana
after three hours OF argument the court
overruled the motion. The special venire or
thirty-six talesmen was not drawn until
this morning. and there is little prospects
of getting jury before tomorrow after
noon There are over one hundred and
fifty witnesses subpoenaed. and fl wiz take
ten days to try the case. The public Is
taking great interest in the trial and the
court room was crowded to-day.
The history OF last November's election
scandal and the taliey-sheet forgery Is one
that never viii be forgotten in this coun-
~. For holiness, and the penitenuary
chances taken, IL equaled the Sim Coy
case OF indianapolis in 1886 1t became ev-
ident before the election that the Repub-
licans would elect their entire county
ticket. To defeat this the leaders in the
Democratic party inaugurated the most
desperate method of campaigning ever con-
cocted in Upton county. When the returns
began TO come in on the morning after the
election, every indication was, on the face
of the returns, that the entire Republican
county ticket had been elected. Excitement
ran high until towards evening, when The
Demccrats came 10 the Republican head
quarters for information TO their claim.
A duplicate of the unofficial returns was
given them. They disputed the election of
the Republican candidates for Representa-
tive clerk auditor and one commissioner.
THE SIM COY ACT.
That night Democratic inspectors were
sent for and their tally sheets were taken
to their headquarters where they were sub
jected to the closest scrutiny Late that
night Republicans became suspicious that
the tally sheets were being tampered with.
and they openly charged the Democrats
with altering returns. Every inspector was
a Democrat and when the official count
was being made they violated all prece-
dents by refusing the admittancs Of a sim
gle Republican or PopuIist, though both
parties were making demands that COM
mittees be admitted to witness the count.
AS was expected, the doctored Official
count elected the Democratic candidate for
REPRESENTATIVE On the face of the tally
sheets. a copy of which the Republicans
took on election day, the Republican candi-
date had clear plurality OF ten votes.
The election was then contested and tine
Republican candidate was seated.
At the time OF the count every precaution
was taken not to allow any Information
TO leak out as to the results OF the DEM
ocratlc official count. and IL was not
known to the Republicans until the neat
day Republicans claimed the election OF
their candidate for clerk by seven plural
ity, but the Democrats as positively
claimed the election Of their candidate by
one BY ar error in the unofficial MEM
oranda the Republican candidate received
nine votes more in one precinct than were
credited TO him. which in fact gave him siA-
teen plurality instead Of seven IL was
this mistake that saved his election The
motive of the forgers in scratching or four
votes from the Republican candidates ana
adding four TO the Democratic candidate
was TO overcome the seven votes claimed
by the Republicans. The contests were
those whose election appeared on the of1-
cial count were permitted TO ta1e their
offices.
Kirkpatrick charged the grand jury 10 in
vestigate election frauds and the results
were that Monroe Hoover. OF the eighth
Cicero township precinct, was indicted Tor
altering and changing tally sheets. Hoover
was arrested and released on a 5000 bond
At the May term, the defense took
change of venue from Judge Kirkpatrick
Judge Stephenson of Nobiesville was then
appointed TO hear the case. On the day set
for trial the defense began q system ysv79,,sf OF
the case going to trial and a plea OF abate-
ment was filed. charging the court officials
with setting up the grand a' Jury ior tne p1r. phe
defendant. They charged that the clerk
and sheriff purposely and fraudulenfly re-
fused to place on the jury q man whom
u1issioners. This case was tried before a
Jury Of twelve men, most or whom were
Democrats. and the. court officials were
defense then asked for continuance until
the September term of court, which was
: DEFENSE KNOCKED OUT.
On the day set for trial the defense fired
a lot of buncomb afidavits at the court.
one of which claimed that owing 20 the
prejudice OF the sheriff against the defend
ant the court should appoint the coroner
to act in that capacity in this case The
motion was overruled and the day set for
trial. That there might be absolute fair
ness in drawing the special jury, the Judge
ordered that the jury commissioners draw
a special venire OF thtrty-six jurymen. and
that they be put in>the box in the order
in which they were drawn until the jury
was made up or the entire number ex-
hausted The defense refused TO accept
this proposition. but the Judge made the
order over their protest.
The defense then undertook 10 secure
stay Of proceedings by taking the plea or
sbatement case 10 the Supreme Court. hop
ing 10 get ruling In time 10 prevent the
case going TO trial When they arrive.
at that last tribunal. they foufsd that they
were frustrated for the reason that they
had fled no bond and that there were no
judgments for costs In the court recoris.
The gang carrying on this fight 3 COM
posed Of about twenty persons. They have
been spending their time and money 70 pre-
vent a trial. Hoover. the only man resting
under indictment. seems TO be the least
concerned and Is seldom seen about the
courthouse. lie rests under the cti1si
that the gang can save him and that h1
will not be compelled 10 expose his con-
federafes. There are three OF four very
active Democratic politicians that are mo<o
concerned than the accused. The fight -
a desperate one and tie people Throughout
the county are worked up and are d<~
mandinx that the matter be <,fled to tho
very bottom. no attempt Is now made
10 deny that the tally sheets were plf<roE
but q vigorous effort II being made -
prevcnt the responsibility falling on the &C.
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