West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1898-11-17
ELECTION CROOKEDNESS
In the Banner Republican County.

this, there were many other irregu.
larities at various voting places
that have been reported to us, and
perhaps others that VIC have not
heard Of. 1t was no use for the
Democratic officials TO challenge a
vote. No difference how illegal i,
was. the Republicans, being in the
majority, would over rulc the Dem
ocratio officers aud take the vote if
the voter was n Republican. Here
are Il few samples TO start with.
Over at GAINESVILLE. the polls
were moved on election day over
haif u mile. without warrant or
authority. except from the Chair
man Of the Republican COMMITTEES.
who had nothing Whatever to do
with it. The County Court is the
n to make such changes when
necessary. The law allows the
Election Commissioners to move
the voting place to the nearest con-
venient point, when it is impossi-
BILE to hold it in the place desig-
mated by the Court. This pro-
vision OF the law is in case the
building should burn down, or be
torn down or washed away, or some
thing OF that kind, just before the
election. But there was no emer-
gency OF this kind at GAINESVILLE.
The place was there all right where
the election had been held before,
and the only excuse for moving it,
was that the school house was a
better place for holding it. One of
the Commissioners informed as
that they felephoned to Chairman
Flynn about it, and he told them
to go ahead and change, as it was
on record to be held in the school
house. 1t may be on record at Re-
publican headquarters, but there is
nothing on record about it in the
County Clerks office, where it
should be. Several parties lost their
vote on account Of the change, and
n man ia Democracy went on to
Terra Alta, the next neares voting
place, and voted, and his yote was
challenged, and they found that he
did not belong there and burned
his vote. which they had no right
to do at all.
AT Rowlesburg they moved a
voting place on the day of the cleo.
ton from the Old Factory, whore
they have been voting, to Justice
John W. C%arrico's office, without
any order or authority from the
Court to do it,. We have it on re-
liable authority that one of the Re-
publican election clerks, G.. f..
Emerson, tore up one of the ballots
because he thought it was not prop.
erly made out. This is a violation
OF the election law, which is very
strict. lie also stated shat be knew
the men (Republicsns) who voted
for Dayton, and he would ''give
them away"
At Kingwood a man came home
from Charleston to vote for Dayton,
who had been there several years,
and voted there. Sam Montgom.
cry, who mas a position in the Hos.
pital ut Spencer, was sent here to
vote, because his wife is here visit
ing her parents. They have never
kept house or resided here since
their marriage. and Sam lived ut
Newburg previous to that.
But the most fragrant case that
VIC know Of, is that of Ed Perry,
who is a night watch at the Weston
Hospital, and moved there from
T%nnnelton two years ago, and has
bad his family there and been
house keeping there for two years,
and has not been assessed or paid a
cent Of tax in this county since, nor
owned a cents worth Of property
OF any kind in the county. And
he could have voted all right at
Weston, but was needed worse
here, SO the Committee sont him
back to Tunnel5on, but bo was
challenged there and came on down
here to sec the Republican Com
mittee. They SLED up one Of the
blanks for him that are furnished
for voters who are challenged, and
James W. Flynn, The Chairman,
and Jas. W. White. the Secretary.
signed it, certifying that sard Perry
had been a resident Of this county
To- ~s-sw H.. 49, A.