Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-30
"pu,nmies"-.alore Dummies. "

Mr.. Joseph Brinkley, colored, told
an interesting story in Magistrate
Pritchetts court, Tuesday night, in
his suit to recover from Mr.. Charles
l.. Kittinger, the chief political lieu
tenant of Mr.. j. Edward Addicks, a
sum Of money which he considered his
Just due for services rendered in con
nection with that peculiar organization
designated as the "Addicks Bureau
for the Payment OF Negroes Taxes -
The referees before whom the case was
tried evidently had confidence in the
strength of Mr.. Brinkley's claim, as
they awarded him judgment for the
sum Of S33
1t was admitted by both parties ia
the controversy that Mr. Briukley had
received from Mr.. Kittinger the sum
OF $3.50, TO be expended in the work of the
bureau, which work was to pay the
taxes of various negroes, or give the
negroes the money with which to pay
their taxes, and to turn the taA
receipts into the custody of the Ad.
dicks Bureau. The purpose for which
these tax receipts were TO be used car
be readily imagined, and it is moi
necessary to say more than that each
receipt was considered good for the
vote OF one negro, presumably in the
interest of Mr.. j. Edward Addicks,
both at the Republican primaries to b,
held during the coming campaign, and
at the general election of next fall.
AT the hearing before the referees il
Magistrate Pritchett's court, Mr..
Brinkley presented an itemized ac
count of the expenditure OF the $3.50
which had been confided to his care b,
Mr.. Kittinger. And among the iteml
of expenditure was one of $24. rs fol
'dummies'-that is for men who per
sonated taxables on the duplicates o.
the tax receiver, for the purpose of oh
tanning the tax receipts of these taxa
bes, and turning them over to thu
custody of the Addicks Bureau. Ther
followed two other items. as follows
More dummies, 81 ;""nore dummies
$3.50"
And so, we have sworn testimony
before court of justice of the intro
duction of dummies into the Re
publican politics of this city.
The scheme is not a new one. for it ha.
been practiced time and again, but
this is the first time that the fact ha,
been attested by sworn evidence
Theee dummies as general thing,
mean fraudulent votes, both at thu
Republican primaries and at the elec
tion. The dummies" that Brinkle,
swore to mean votes at the Republican
primaries in the interest Of Mr.. Ad
dicks, and later at the election in thu
interest of the Republican party. Fol
each dummy" is surely intended fol
a Republican vote. 1t frequently hap
pens that there are on the IA,
duplicates the names of many NOR,
negro men than the actual numbe
having "a local habitation and
name" and it is the invariable custom
of the Republican managers to Obtain
as far as possible a tax receipt for eacl
name included in the list of taxablc
and to have vote cast for each receip
so obtained. just what means may b
necessary to obtain the receipts an,
have tho votes cast is not matter q
concern. PRESERVATION, colonization, re
peating all have been resorted to b
the Republican party in the past. Tn
nature and characteristics of the negr
population make these tactics easy, an
they have been practiced time am
again. This is what makes III
ignorant negro vote, handled as it is /
bulk by the unscrupulous Republica
politicians, a dangerous factor in th
politics of the community and
measure of unfair opposition for tn
Democratic party to contend with.
The sworn testimony in the Brinkle
case is an indication that the familia
old tactics are again 10 be resorted I
IN tho approaching campaign, in til
interest OF Mr.. Addicks. Ii was at
mitted during the hearing that Brinl
ley had turned over to the bureau
total OF l22 tax receipts. How man
OF this number were iraudulently pre-
cured BY dummies" there are n
means OF finding out, but il may /
set down as fact that these I22 ia
receipts viii! be made GOOD for 10 X,
publican votes at the election. I'll
tactics are not the esuccal device I
Mr.. Addicks. They we're employo
many years before he eyinced the sliph
est interest in Delaware politics
began to open his purse with view
purchasing a seat in the United Stat,
Senate. But they are none the less di
reputable because they are being eu
nloyed in the interest of Mr.. Addick,
They but emphasize the discreditab
character of his Senatorial campaie,
and they should also serve to impre
more strongly than ever uron all hone
citizens, regardless ni politics, IL
necessity Of working for his defea
More dummiet' should not be NJ
mitted to become a potent factor
electing United States Senator froI
Delaware.
The chaplain af the House of Repr,
sentatlyos at Washington in one n h
recent prayers, pleaded for addition
protection to American manufacturer
SO that they might put an end to ii
privatlons of American workinRnrn.
This ChaDlain evidentlv b,lio,,,,,