Evening star., 1897-03-02
Fraud Discovered in the Recent Della
ware Election.
RECOUNFING SUSSEX COUNTY'S Vote
Discrepancy Between the Tally
Sheets and the Ballots.
NTNION REPUBLICANS LOST
rpcciai Dispatch to The Evening Star.

fpccial Dispatch to The Evening Star.
WILMINGTON. Del. March 2.-This
state is-in a condition of intense political
agitation today. After the election of Sem
ntor r. r. Kenney everybody settled down
TO enjoy a rest from the great excitement
Incident to the organization of the legi5la-
ture. But everybody has been surprised.
Indeed. the people of Delaware are more
surprised today than ever they have been
In their lives. notwithstanding the fact that
Delaware politics are always full of the
unexpected.
Several weeks ago i, was stated. in dis
patch to The Star. that Representative
Jonathan p. Willis proposed to contest the
election of L. Irving Handy. democratic
free silver representative-elect.
That dispatch also hinted that Mr.. Wills
NOT only aimed to prove that Delaware
has not a republican form of government,
but to reveal the iniquitous method by
which the result OF the election in the
lower counties was determined
Very feW-ps persons in Delaware believed
that Mr. Willis contest would amount TO
anything. and for that reason he has keot
secret the method by which he proposed
to unearth the fraud which he claimed the
democrats practiced in the lower counties
With the suddenness of a thunderbolt
Mr. Willis opened his contest yesterday
T. fore Notary Public J. Y. Foulk a.
Georgetown. after ex-Representative Ben
tJmin ButterwOrth OF Ohio appeared as Mr..
Willis counsel and proceeded 10 investigate
the result of the election in Sussex county.
MIR. Handy refused to attend the hearing
IN the ground that the time for the taking
Of testimony in the case had expired.
Neither Handy nor his counsel or any
one representing him attended the hearing.
Sheriff Trl xton. republican. was called
and testified to the Whereabouts of the
ballot boxes and also that they had not
cen tampered with He then COM
rpanded TO break the seals on the boxes
and recount of the ballots began. The
recount of the ballots in West Little Creek
Hundred showed glaring frauds.
The tally sheet called for JIS votes and
cnly 5}I ballots were in the box. The in
crease of the vote was made at the ex-
pense of The Union republican ticket.
Up to noon today more ballot boxes had
been opened and il each fraud was un-
earthed.
The investigation SO far shows that the
union republican ticket was frauduently
deprived of More than 800 votes in Sussex
county. The majority claimed by the dem
ecTats in Sussex county IS 212
The investigation will continue until
every ballot box in the country is opened
and the ballots counted, after which
similar investigation will be made in Kent
county.
Two clerks and a stenographer are en-
gagged in the investigation. which is being
conducted under the supervision of Mr..
Butterworth.
The latter will submit his report to Con-
greSS.
The person most interested the investi-
CATION is j. Edward Addicks- Mr.. Adjicks
says that he intended that Congress should
know the true result of the election in
Delaware He aims not only to show that
Handys majority over Willis is Illegal but
TO bring proof of fraud to vitiate the cleo
tion of Senator K. K. kenney
With clear proof of the election of th.
raT, Loci EIa
Kent and Sussex counties. Mr.. Addicks
hopes to convince the Senate that his
rump" legislature was not a farce
NJ Willis contest is the first attempt
the republicans of Delaware have ever
n 1de to get behind the returns made by a
democratic canvass board.
The regular republicans are joining Willis
and AddiCkS. as they want Kenney un-
seated in order that the republicans NAV
get together and elect two United States
senators.