Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1897-01-28

Mr. YOSt Certainly.
Mr.. Daniels. Suppose that the bal
lots that are partially erased-th
lines running through the name sui
ficiently so as to indicate the intention
of the vOter-are all allowed, then how
will the majority or plurality stand?
Mr.. Yost. If you allow the imperfec
ballots, the ballots which you describ
there, then the contestant must b.
seated by % majority.
| Mr.. Tracy. | would like to ask tn
gentleman one question right there, i
he will yield.
Mr.. Yost. Certainly, sir.
| Mr.. Tracy. find here what purport
to be copies of seven different kinds o
alleged imperfectly marked ballots.
Mr.. Yost. Yes, sir.
| Mr.. Tracy. Do l understand tn,
gentleman to say that ballots of eacs
of these kinds were rejected as imper
| feet, cores onding to each of them?
Mr.. Yost. Yes, sir. The gentleman
can get at That just as well as any body
on earth. Remember that these wert
burned ballots, burned without any
authority of law We got proof as tx
some, and these were among them
Here are some blank ballots holding
them upl would like my friend ovel
there Mr.. Codding], and especially
would like the chairman Of the com
mittee who referred to this matter jus
now, to take these blank ballots ant
take that description and see wha
kind of a ballot he will make
Mr.. Hermann. Whatauthority exist
ed for the burning of those ballot?
Mr.. Yost. None on earth.
| Mr.. Hermann. What was the pur
pose of the burning?
| Mr.. Yost. Well, sir, ! believe as hon
estly as believe ! am standing hers
that it was done for the purpose of de
frauding me of those votes which they
knew were mine. Now, I hope there
will not be any cloud on the mind Of
any member as to what the result will
| be if these imperfect ballots are count
ed. They will elect me.
Then follows recapitulation and
an imperfectly marked ballot
Ballots such as these are the ballots
which, if counted, give contestant the
seat under the report of the committee.
And ballots of this class, although
sufficient in number for the purpose
represent only a fraction of the Repub-
lican vote cast in the Tenth district
and not counted. The poll books show
that 8, 1877 ballots cast by duly qualified
electors were not returned by the
judges of election. This wholesale dis
REIMBURSEMENT was the accomplished
result OF conspiracy entered into by
Democratic officials to defraud Repub
lican voters. 1t was known that the
Republicans were seeking to prepare
the voters of THAI party for proper
Of txnir, mir = Il l..
law. To this end circulars of instruc-
ton were issued and openly distribut-
ed. in which changes in the law were
pointed out and the new method of
voting explained Tens of thousands
of slips with contestant'a name printed
in plain roman type were scattered
broadcast. Schools were organized in
which those who could not read were
taught to recognize the name u Yost u
They were instructed to study the for
nation of the letters; to count the let
ters in the name. and to see that it
contained only five; to compare the
length OF the pane with other names
at candidates. 1t being the shortest. and
to SO familiarize themselves with it's
appearance that they would be able to
recognize it.
1t was understood at the opening of
the polls thatan intelligent Republican
would vote first, and then come out
and tell those who had not voted the
location OF contestants name ON the
ballot Knowing this. the Democratic
officials. who had absolute control of
the election machinery, Instituted
measures not only to circumvent the
educational work of the Republican
party, bat to make it almost impossible
for an iiliterate to vote the Republican
ticket at all. In addition. they instruct
ed the constables not to mark the ba!
lots for illiterates, but when tie Re
pnbllcan voter asked for assistance to
run oYer the names On the ballots and
then let him do his own marking They
further announced that if any man
other than the constable undertook to
aid the voter before be went into the
booth he would be liable to 5ine and
imprisonment,
And SO when the iIIiterate Republi-
can approached the polls, instead of
finding there the aid and assistance
which the law provided. he found the
officers OF the law leagued against him.
lie asked the constable to mark the
ballot. The constable. in utter disre
gard O? law, refused. He asked where
Yost's name was The constable ran
over the names and told him TO mark
He looked for the name Oh
the ballot with which he was familiar
lie drew from his pocket the little slip
with the name of J. Yost printed on it. |
If he depended upon his recently &C
CURED knowledge of letters, he was
lost. In one county he was confronted
with names printed in German text, |
which was Greek to him. In another |
county they were printed in script type. |
In another county, if he depended ON |
counting the letters in the name, he |
5ould mud no name with only five let |
Iers in the name. he changed from II
Yost' to Jacob Yost." If he compared |
The length of the name to find the
shortest. he found the names spaced |
,ut so that all were the same length. |
And 40, like blind man groping-he
vas mentally blind-he marked his |
ballot as best he could, and four times
'ut of five mutilated it so that it failed |
o express his intention.
His path to the polls was beset with /
enemies upon every side. The very
guardians of the law, to whom he
hould have looked for protection. be- (
anne the Instruments of his disfran-
a. ~ a 1oAdcE tDdG
ands of legal voters lost their votes {?
jouid warfare against the unprotected
lave been more cruel and merciless 2?
h. it was d brave battle in which these
Democratic officials were engaged. The
lighwayman who assaults helpless wo-
men and children and robs them of
heir purse is scarcely less dauntless
han these chivalrous Virgnians who
ssaulted the mentally weak and un
rmed and robbed them of their rights.
But even the few who es
apsd, who ran the gauntlet and did
ot record their will, are to be saerific
d now. The work which fraud could
ot thoroughly accomplish is in eject
by the action of the commit
ee.
After the Light Brigade had charged
atc the valley of DEATH and the
that was left of them, had
besrimed, and battle SCARED,
L III