The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-01-25

Editor of The Tribune.
Sir:-J. II. Fellows, In a letter pub
lished in today's Republican, connects
my name with an alleged election fraud
supposed to have taken place at the late
Republican primaries In the First district
Of the Twelfth ward. and In Justice to
myself and others mentioned trust you
will publish this statement Of facts.
which l claim to be true and correct, and
which can be- substantiated by affidavits
II necessary. As explanatory I wish TO
state that Messrs. Louis Follet and Fred
c. Ehrhardt wera the regularly elected
and returned vigilance committeeman
and as such were published in a list by
Chairman Clemons and attested by Secre-
tary Dale. Mr.. Ehrhardt being candi-
date for delegate declined to serve on the
vigilance. whereupon Mr.. J. II. Thom-
as. chairman Of the county committee, in
conformity with rule three Of the rules
for the government of the Republican
party, appointed Mr.. Freeman Cover to
fill the said vacancy and furnished him
with certificate Of his appointment.
When the time arrived for the opening
Of the polls, Mr.. II. NJ. Coyle. a WELL
known Democrat residing in the Second
district and who owned the polling place,
aided by other well-known Democrats
and a few Republicans, prevented Mr..
Cover from taking his authorized and
legal seat on the board by keeping the
polling place locked, and then by a mo-
ton declared carried at the curbstone.
Mr.. William Wetzel was declared one Of
the vigilance, This act disgusted ma
jority of the Republicans present and an
other caucus was the result with Mr..
Fred Hopple. elected by a vote. acting
with Mr.. Cover. the legal vigilance. Now
why was Mr.. Cover denied his right to
serve on the committee when II was a
well-known fact that Mr.. Follet was an
out and out Moir man and they were thus
assured a fair and honest count? At this
caucus nearly fifty votes were polled and
certainly majority Of the Republican
votes thus elected Mr.. Ehrhardt.
Again. If Mr.. Lnder had been grossly
outraged, as alleged. when the commit
ee on contested seats recognized Mr.. Ehr-
hardt as the delegate, would II not have
been natural for him to have bolted with
the rest? But being true and honest
Republican he refused to follow the err
ratio Fellows and they were obliged to
call upon Mr.. William Wetzel, the bogus
vigilance, to represent that district at the
meeting in Fuller's hall.
Fellows present claim of being q true,
consistent and clean Republican is In
ridiculous contrast with his cowardly and
treacherous attitude toward the Repub-
lean candidates, Scranton, Clemons and
Bartl, whom he fought but failed to
defeat. He was 1t Is true successful In
defeating Mr.. Davies for the county treas
urership. but he failed in a like purpose
when he openly canvassed the South Side
German wards with Mr.. Durkin, then
the Democratic candidate for clerk Of the
courts, In his endeavOr to defeat Mr.. ]. II.
Thomas. Firm in the belief that he could
handle and deliver the German Republican
vote of the South Side at his will. he was
sorely disappointed when they repudiated
his assumed and offensive leadership not
only at that election, but at the late pri-
maries. Hence his present howl.
Emil Bonn.