The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-03-05

former governor claims votes were
bought. Illegal voters were imported
aud money used brazenly. In Clay
county, he says, prominent republicans
offered money TO induce democrats 10
stay away from the polls. Two OF tue
ringlcaders were arrested. In Law
renee county. he says. an effort was
made to buy up the judges Of election.
and in the township of Lukin arrange
mcnts had been made TO pay them $780,
Arrests followed and two prominent re-
publcans were held to the grand jury.
In Springfield. the former governor
says. 1s2 men were allowed to vote al
though they were not registered. lie
says votes were counted in Springfield
for one man when they were cast for an
other He explains that the men con-
cerned in these frauds were not prose-
cuted because all the officials were re-
rublicans. lie says that in some pre-
oincts in the state the "endless chain
method" of fraud was practiced by the
republicans.
'You ask whether I mean TO insinu-
ate there was fraud committed in Chi
caco." continues the governor. who
adds:
II answer do not care to make insnua-
lions I say positively that ! am satisfied
there were frauds committed in Chicago
We have already seen there was re-
ported increase OF 10000 votes In chicago
between 1902 and 1896, during which time
there were no material additions made 20
the city. We have also seen that accord
ing to the school census az Chicago ana 20
other data bearing upon this question. the
natural and normal increase OF voters IN
\ Chicago during these four years could
hardly have reach n 5000. Deducting this
SO. 900 from the los Ooo. II leaves ", 900 votes
returned in Chicago last fall which can
not be explained"
Accusations summed Up.
In concluding his long letter MT
Altgeld says:
Taking the entire state together. several
things stand out prominent:
81 That in those precincts where the
greatest republican gains were made ana
In those precincts where there was an as
tonishng increase in the vote. the republic
ans absolutely controlled the whole ma
chinery-not only the election machinery,
but the prosecuting machinery.
90 That there appears to have been a
system in the method OF perpetratins
frauds, as there were at least 1--WE distinct
the state.
"s. That out OF 2l7.coo increased vote in
our state in 1896 over that of 1892. only about
$1,000 were legitimate and legal, and that
over $4,000 have not been explained and
can neither be explained nor located. A.
this letter is already much too long. VIII
only glance al few of the other states.
"In Ohio the vote returned in 1896 was
nearly 100000 more than that returned II
1892 indicating an increase in the popula
, IL. in nrr
. whereas. prior to that time 1t had takeI
, the state three-quarters of a century Il
gain 100000. Manisestly there Is some
thing wrong here. Several things at once
become apparent on examination:
Claims Concerning Ohio.
Il. That In the agricultural sections o
the state and in those cities where there
not large ignorant vote the increase u
population was only the normal increase
: and the democrats made great gains.
80 That the republican gains and al
normal increase in vote was reported fror
: those precincts and counties in which IN
D republicans had the entire machinery |
. their hands
''s. That the great republican gains an
: abnormal Increase in the vote were alon
: the Ohio river and In those manufacture
N and other centers where there was larg
. colored and ignorant foreign population
Examination of the facts forces the conci'
c sion tha; Bryan carried Ohio by over 900
$ votes.
i "A similar state Of affairs exists in II
diana Kentucky and in California-in fac
u In every state that Mr. Hanna made
Il strong effort to carry. Wherever you fir
. a state. north or south. where there is a
!. enormous increase In the vote. you wi
= lind that Mr.. Hanna's agents were opel
u ating there. In all OF the remainder {
the states of this union the legitimate n
crease in the vote OF that state went
air. Bryan.
s mir. Cleveland carried Indiana by 100
@ Mr.. Bryan received 1900 more votes tina
!, Mr.. Cleveland did. In Kentucky Mr. Clevs
= land received a plurality OF 10000 Nj
J. l,ryan received 5000 more votes than NJ
n Cleveland did. and yet 1t is claimed he To-
A the state. The more the matter is exam
med the more giaring the frauds appea
y I am Informed by people living in the sout
e that IL has recently developed that durin
- the campaign thousands Of negroes wei
= taken from different places OF the sout
= and distributed in Kentucky, West vi
e. ginia, Ohio. Indiana and Illinois.
n Corruption and vulgar pomp 20 togets
er. and the harharic display to take pla,
March 4 will be "A fitting finale TO this who
business.
70 Il know Mr.. Mckinley will be seated al
te SO great Is the suffering OF our people ar
In so strong the cry for relief that not on
N hope that his administration will be a su
" cess, but l most fervently hope that he ma
ne be able to deliver the good times and Il
Ut prosperity that were promised. No ma
Is ter how l might otherwise feel about
ye when a great nation is in distress and CT
re ing for relief no political jealousy can
nc tolerated for a moment. On the 9th
,g hand, IL our institutions are to endure tho
II steps must be taken to make II impossib
x to repeat the work OF last fall. IL corruptis
a and crime can control the elections
N. America. then the nag has been robbed
OF its glory. the doom OF the toiler IL seal
e. and the future generations will simply
u born into sorrow.
e. Mckinley cabinet may be trut
~ fully christened The Millionaire Ca