Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-12-02
FRAUDS IN FAYETTE.
SOME DETAILS OF THE BALLOT BOX
MANIPULATIONS.
Votes Are Cast One Way But Counted An
other

'otcs Afc tdst Ohc way Dut tOunteu An
other.
Just as Fayette County began to feel
the prosperity, consequent upon the
tide OF immigration that exhibited
willingness to settle in its midst, the
i'll advised actionsof few mad poll
ticians nipped 1t in the bud. Fayette
was first and foremost In attracting
the Northern and Western farmer to
the South. Her lands are fertile, her
climate unrivaled, crops of every de-
scriptiou grow and thrive to perfection.
1t is the home Of the PAGER, the animal
that Is now rapidly coming to the front.
Its grasses are green almost the entire
year round, and its streams and forests
are calculated to excite the envy of
other counties OF this rich aud pIoduc-
tive section Of the South. No wonder,
then. the Northern farmer on his bleak
hillside or wind swept prairie turned
wistful ewes toward this more favored
section. The only question that re.
manned to be answered to his satisfac-
ton was "Are the people prejudiced
against the immigrant from the Northp
Do they all wave the bloody shirt in
Fayette? Can citizen thore receive
the political prerogatiyes given him
by the law without being socially
ostracised, and can he exercise these
same prerogatives with the assurance
that they will meet with respect enough
to be given their full weight" To all
these interrogatives Fayette has an.
swered in the affirmative, but the acts
OF her misguided young men have 30
negatived the promise as to make it
absolutely worthless.
In the recent election-a presidential
one, and therefore closely watched
few of the precincts of this county
escaped without some smirch of fraud
clinging to the returns made. Some
OF these frauds are 80 fragrant that
concealment is impossible, and flying.
over the wires to the homes OF the in.
terested immigrant is sent the news
that Fayette's promises are fair, but
that a few of Fayette's politicians
would but hold the word of hope to the
heart while they break it to the ear.
The Macon precinct, for instance,
shows evidence OF rank irregulaiity
and much false counting. There the
officer of the election and the judges
we're ardent CarInack supporters.
Early in the day it was seen that Pat.
terson would not be given fair count.
Then 1t was that two of the more
prominent citizens, men who have the
good of the county at heart rather than
the ambition of an individual, went
among the voters and requested them
to vote their ballots open, thinking
that policy of this kind would force
those bent on doing wrong to be fair
and honest. These gentlemen Mai.
J. ]. Clay and Col. Gentry-counte
over 100 votes cast for Patterson at
this precinct, and yet, in the face of
this open count, those having control
Of the election machinery caused re,
turns to be made giving Patterson
practically no ballots and rendering
Carmack a large majority. Col. Gentry
and Maj. Clay express themselves as
being indignant with this barefaced
fraud. They are just men themselves,
and they insist upon justice to others.
They say the good name of the com.
munity is blackened by this act, and
when called upon they declare that
they are willing to do whatever is in
their power to wipe off the stigma.
Again, in District No. 4-the Yum
Yum district, that precinct that has
often been called to answer the charge
of election frauds before the courts of
the county--there is evidence that the
law has no terrors for those who held
the election, and that tricks and frauds
still dominate there.
Twelve years ago ballot box disap.
peared from the voting place In this
district and none Of the judges could
tell what became Of it. They were
called before the Federal Court, lost
days and days out Of their crops, and
were put to many other inconvenience.
but the ballot box was never found.
Eight years ago, when the Republi.
cans caused the wholesale Indictment
Of the election judges throughout this
Congressional District, No. 4 of Fay
cite County suffered two trials. All
the negroes OF the district were twice
called before the court, the young men
OF the place were kept on the anxious
seat for months and months. Crops
went to grass. Fences fell to decay.
A spirit Of uneasiness was prevalent
everywhere, especially among the
wives, sisters and children Of the in
dicted parties. Witnesses were almost
as unfortunate as we're the defendants,
for they, too, lost time from their fields
and money from their pockets. This
state Of affairs was universal through
out the county. From each district at
least four men, and from several more
were indicted. In each district fine
was levied upon the officers and judges.
This fine, 1t Is true, was for technical
offense, and the county paid 1t, but the
county was the poorer for having to
part with this money, and the citizens
were then frightened and alarmed,
though there was then no such eviden
ces of fraud as are secured in connec-