The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-01-30
NO PROOF TO OFFER
BUT ALTGELD DOESN'T MIND A LIT
TIE THING LIKE THAT.
Goes Right on With his Charges of Fraud,
on General Principles, Apparently Feel
ing it in His Bones-Moreover, After
Reading the Open Letter of Chicago
Republican Campaign Manager, Judge
Carter, He Still Insists ON Throwing the
Burden OF Proof Upon the Party Hold
ing the Negative.

ing the Negative.
Chicago, Jan. 29.-County Judge o. n.
Carter head OF the election committee,
liz a public letter addressed 10 ex-Gov-
ernor John P. Altgeld of Illinois. denies
his sweeping charges of fraud in the re-
cent election, especially as regards Chi
cage, and calls upon him 10 produce his
proofs of the same, promising TO thor
oughiy investigate them.
The charges were made in a speech de-
livered by Mr.. Altgeld at a reception
given for him at the fremont house last
Saturday night. He asserted that the
increased Republican vote in several of
the larger northern states was greatly
in excess OF what the increase in popula-
ton justified and said the increase of
243. 900 votes in Illinois indicated an in
crease of 1,2G0,000 in the population Of
the state during the four years from 1892
to 1896, which, he said. clearly was un-
true.
Judge Carter, after quoting this state
ment, writes that, while Mr.. Altgeld
does not refer particularly to Chicago,
inasmuch as 10S, 600 of the increased vote
in the state came from Chicago, it is fair
to assume that he charged fraudulent
voting in the city as well as in other
parts Of the state.
If repeated charges of fraudulent vot-
ing are allowed 10 pass without denial,
the judge writes, the public soon will be-
gin to believe III their truth, and mas
much as he is, in a sense. responsible
for the honesty of the elections here, he
deems ii his duty TO call attention 10 GER
tain facts which go TO show that fraud
ulent voting was not carried on in this
city to the extent charged by Mr.. Alt
geld. The judge writes that he has had
careful examination made of the re-
turns IN the election commissioners CT
fee since reading Mr.. Altgeld'S speech,
and he then proceeds to quote figures
which go TO prove the falsity Of the
formers statement. He compares the
vote of 1892, 1894 and 1896 and writes
that the increase of 1896 over 1894 is
more easily accounted for than the in
crease of 1894 over 1892. during both of
which years the county judge and two
of the three election commissioners were
Democrats.
In 1885, he writes, there was one Dem
ocratic, one Republican and one Populist
judge in APO of the 92l election precincts
and two Democratic judges and one Re-
publican judge in go precincts, and one
Democratic and one Republican clerk in
each OF the 81 precincts.
If there was any wholesale fraud
against the Democrats, Judge Carter
writes, they We're ir a position to pre-
vent ii and he asserts that he never has
heard any specific charges of fraud from
any Of the Democratic or Populist cleo
ton commissioners, judges or clerks.
When Ex-Governor Altgeld was seen
he practically confessed, when informed
of the nature of Judge Carriers letter
that he had no proof Of the statements
he made in his speech.
Regarding the judges letter IN general
he said:
Il will say for Judge Carter's benefit
that I did most assuredly include Chi
cago in my remarks, for 7 an firmly
persuaded that frauds of the most
gigantic character were committed in
this city at the last election.
Judge Carriers statements do not
meet my charges and neither ne nor any
other man can explain the garing dis
crepancy between the increase in the
vote and population during the period
referred TO. 1t tells the whole story
itself
AT first I was disposed TO accept the
result of the election in good faith. hit
as L looked more ana more into the re-
turns | was sorrowfully and to nv re-
greet. forced to the conclusion that a
gigantic fraud had been committed. ana
i nave mad no reason to change my mind
since. | WILL Of course, read Judge Car
terS letter carefully, ap1 il nav b.
win nave something to say on the mat
ter"