The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-05

Now that the election Is all over ana
,be recount all settled in this county. we
deem 1t proper and right TO make a
nIaIn statement OF affairs connected
with the result and correct some OF the
wild and unrounded statements that
have appeared in the papers OF the state
charging wholesale fraud and corrup-
lion in preston county. and we want the
wheeling Register to take particular
notice Of what we sag, for most OF this
reckless and unreliable stun has APP
peared In It's columns, and has been a
direct and totally uncalled for SANDER
On the good citizens of this county, both
Democrats and Republicans, and as ed
Itor OF the Democratic organ OF the
county and chairman Of the Democrat
Ic committee, we are supposed TO know
what we a.c talking about and to speak
oGlciallly and with right and authority
20 do SO.
II has been heralaed broad cast that
gross frauds were committed in this
county by the Republicans, when
THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE WHAT
EVER FOR THE ASSERTION.
II there had been any frauds we
would have known 1t as soon as the
Register or any of Its correspondents,
and would have been the FIRST to call
attention to 1t and demand and have an
Investigation.
THE CHARGES ARE A REFLEc-
TION ON THE DEMOCRATS OF THE
COUNTY AS WELL AS THE RE-
PUBLICANS.
In the first place. part of the officials
who held the election at every precinct
In the county, were as good loyal DEM
Ocrats and honest, intelligent citizens as
there are in the county, andNto charge
fraud and corruption about the conduct
OF the election and the making out OF
the returns, was to accuse the Demo-
cratic members OF the board with sell.
Ing ont or conniving with the Republic
cans. or else they were such q set or ig-
nOramuses and idiots that they were
easily hoodwinked and fooled by the
Republicans, and either way you take
II, the reflection is a serious one on
them, and also on the writer Of this,
who, as chairman OF the Democratic
committee Of this county, selected the
IlElluGIS VI TIC NlNGAAgAA buuhN ~ NAA@h
precinct, and with a commissioner
clerk and challenger, who were well
known for their fealty to the party and
Integrity and intelligence, we were will
ing to risk the returns signed by them,
and In many cases brought in By them.
Had there been any frauds OF rascal
fly accomplished. or even attempted, 1t
would have been promptly reported to
US. A number OF lrreEularlties and some
illegal voting was reported to us and
promptly exposed In this paper, and the
attention OF the public and the canvass
lug board called TO II. However. we do
not believe that there was any more Of
chs kind of work done than in other
Counties OF the state controlled entirely
BIZ one party. Under the present election
law there are so many requirements
and complications that there IS not
county in the state but what some flaws
can be picked in some of the returns
aad some Irregularities noted, II they
are examined closely. We will risk our
reputation and every dollar we have In
support OF this assertion.
When the county court convened as a
canvassing board, attorneys were here
to represent Mr.. McGraw in the re-
count, and they were treated with
great courtesy and patience by the
court, and had every opportunity for
discovering frauds, had there been any.
One OF the attorneys, lion. Sam "
Woods OF Phillppi, went home after one
days investigation, satisfied that there
was nothing wrong
The returns frem a number Of places
were not signed on the outside OF the
Hour sack containing the ballots across
the sealed place. as required by law. but
the court promptly sent for oil the ON
Gals from these precincts, who came in
and Identified the returns from their
precinct under oath and signed them,
and after several days spent In COR
rectlng these irregularities and perfect
ing the returns, as was right and pro-
per. the court then canvassed the re-
turns and found them all right. and
then proceeded with a recount on the
candidates for Congress, as requested
by Mr. McGTaw, through his attorneys.
They picked on four places that we're
supposed to be thc most corrupt anu
where the most glarlng frauds were al
legged to exist (althouEh we knew bet
ter and told the attorneys that they
would find nothing wrong) A recount
was made OF these places and Dayton
gained six and McGraw two. so the re-
count was dropped. The only reason for
suppGsInu that the returns from these
places were not correct, was because
some one who was either lying or didn't
know what he was talking about, had
reported to McGraw's agents a different
estimate based on an alleged poll OF the
vote Of the unreliable statement made
by Dayton kickcrs, who were going TO
knife him and play the devil generally
before election, but walked UP and took
their medicine straight when they came
to vote.
Now let us see little about the ac-
'ual figures from this county and
whether Mr.. 9IeGrs# or any other
Democrat has any right to complain OF
the result. Two years ago the Republic
can majority IN this county was 9,2lo.
THIS year We held them down to 1905
Tor Dayton. n decrease Of over three
duaircd In spite OF the fact that the
Republican committee declared all
along they would have $500 for Dayton
and made the hardest fight they ever
made in the county.
Two years ago Mt the bio election
whcn there were candidates. FOR every
Office from President down 10 constable
ard when the vote Is all out, the Dem
ucrllig vote OF this county was l,Jll.
This year at 0n or year election. when
q fuIl vote Is never polled, we got oui
l,2l7. the largest OF year vote We ever
had IN the county and within less than
q hundred Of our full vote Tho Repubil.
can vote was not out by AZ least 400