The sun., 1898-11-07
THE BALLOTS WERE RUBBED
An Ugly Charge Which Seriously
Reflects on Four Men
in Kent.
RICH CORPORATION AT WORK
Money Sent to Smyrna to Defeat T. G.
Moore, Who is in Favor Of an
Electric Railway Charter.
An Old Scheme
Worked.

oMYRNA, Del, NOV. O.-1Ho polltlCal
situation here presents some very inter
esting features.
The local Republican leaders seem to
believe that, as the Democrats have the
majority of officials at the election booths
enough Republicans will be chaI-
lenged to give them the majority in the
vote.
This can be very easily done. All that
is necessary to cause man u lose his
vote is to refuse him and the challenged
voter has no redress He must simply
move away and make room for the next
voter This can be done under the cover
of provision of the new election law.
In Mills the special agent of the Penn
date on the Regular ticket for Legisla-
ture. This is said to be simply colossal
bluff The real reason for his appear
anc4 on the ticket, it is claimed, is to de.
feat John Houston and to throw the vote
to Samuel W. Taylor, the Democratic
candidate.
The same scheme which was exposed
in East Dover hundred is being worked
in Kenton hundred. Negroes who have
registered and are qualified as voters are
being approached with offers of money.
If they accept they are arrested on a
charge of accepting bribes and impris-
oned for term which will keep them
away from the polls on election day.
The negroes are wary, and, so far, little
success has attended the efforts made to
corrupt them.
There is story, which is widely cur
rent here, which reflects seriously upon
Clerk of the Peace Dickson, of Ken.
county. The story has it that last week
four men were seen in the office OF Mr.
Dickson, late at night. The quartette
were engaged in rubbing the ballots.
The scheme is said to be worked on the
chance that, with the assistance Of the
inspectors, the mutiiated ballots will get
into the hands Of. Republican voters, and,
when it comes to the count, be thrown
out. This is said to be only one of the
desperate schemes which are being
worked by men who are driven to des-
perate methods.
In regard to Clerk of the Peace Dick
sons connection with the affair, the be-
lief is general that he had nothing to do
with the matter.
His reputation as Square" man is
opposed to such methods. Yet the
charge is openly made on the streets
here and throughout the county, and his
friends think and are urging upon him
that he should 60 into court and clear
his skirts of the matter.
The charge is specific that men were
seen to mutilate the ballots in his Office,
and Mr.. Dickson owes it to himself as a
county official and as an honest man, to
thoroughly sft this matter.
Mr.. Dickson's good name is too valu-
able to be dragged in the mire by disrep-
utable and irresponsible tools, men
whose actions are governed by unscrupu-
lous political shysters.
The unscrupulousness of the scheme
simply and clearly shows the utter des-
peration of the situation. The Demo-
cratic leaders will take all chances to
defeat Hoffecker and the Republican
legislative candidates.
They have the Regulars with them in
any scheme.
Among the conservative voters here
to- night it was stated that another at
tempt will be made to defeat certain
men who are on the Union Republican
ticket for the General Assembly.
1t was learned that the reason for this
is that these men are in favor of grant,
ing Smyrna charter for the construc-
tion of an electric railway, which would
connect it with Dover and Delaware City.
The charter was defeated by the last
Democratic Legislature, and is likely to
be brought up before the next General
Assembly.
1t is known that Thomas G. Moore,
Union Republican candidate for State
Senator in the First District OF Kent,
is in favor Of granting the charter.
Isaac N. Mills, Regular Republican
candidate for Representative in the
Third District, is an anti-charterite, and,
fearing the election of Mr.. Moore, is do
ing all in his power to prevent it.
In this it is claimed he is backed by q
rich railroad corporation and also by one
OF the most prominent Regular Republi-
cans in this State.
1t is said that tho latter has furnished
the money wherewith to defeat Moore,
but as the people are now acquainted
with the scheme they say it will be
Moore or nobody.
Mills, it is also said, intends knitting
Hon. John Fl. Hoffecker for Congress
and insists on the Regulars voting for
Hon. L. Irving Handy.
In speaking OF the situation last night
DR.. Moore said that registration was full
and that no trouble beyond that named
is anticipated.
He further stated that the Republicans
would use no money and would see that
the Democrats offered no bribes. DR..
Snl,hers and Thomas Jefferson both
talked on the same strain.
From the conversation heard in the
streets here great many registered Dem
Gratis state that they will not vote unless
they become acquainted with the long
green.
At a meeting of the Regular and Union
Republicans last night they agreed upon
election officers. Two years ago they
failed to agree, and the consequence was
that the Democrats had everything their
own way.