Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-10
ION. JOHN 7. McGRAW


Majority Has Grown out of All Proper
ton to Popuiation-Uhy lie Thinks There
Have Been Serious Irregularities.
Special to the Register.
Grafton, w. Va, December 9-Your
correspondent to-day called upon Mr..
McGraw, at his Office, and asked him
if he had seen the letter of Mr.. ]. Sill
dell Brown, published in the In
telligencer. He promptly replied that
he had read it, and strange coinci-
dence in that connection was the fact
that the statement OF Mr.. Brown con-
tanned in the article referred to was
in substance, if not in fact, the same
as that published during the recount,
in the Intelligencer. as the answer of
the Preston county Republicans, to the
charges of irregularity which had been
made.
"A simple statement said Mr.. Nc
Graw, "of the facts in respect to the
Preston county vote is the best argu-
ment in favor of the Democratic posi-
ton that grave Irregularities are to
be found in the majorities which Pres
ton county returned against Demo-
cratic canGi0ates, since The inagura-
ton of the present system of voting.
Two years ago I thought that Pres
ton county's majority against Mr..
Brown, the Democratic candidate for
Congress, was out Of proportion to the
voting population Of the county, and
believed then that some investigation
should have been made. After my
nomination l promptly took up the
Preston county vote had it carefully
tabulated, and kept man employed
in a systematic effort to secure a fair
vote in that county. From the incep-
ton of the campaign I was advised of
Republican claims that Preston county
would return a majority Of 1880
against me, and I knew they did not
have such a majority in the county,
hence l gave that county such
WATCHFUL ATTENTION
as l could throughout the whole cam
paign. l was advised from sources
that l knew to be absolutely authentic
that in Preston county | would get
large number of Republican votes, and
at different places in the county | had
perfected personal organization look
ing to the proper return of these votes.
At one of the places | know Of IA Re-
publicans who voted for me, have since
said SO, and yet only got the number
Of votes at this precinc which Mr.. Bry
Of these votes, as shown by the poll
books, can be accounted for, as Demo-
Gratis. At another place had substan-
tial Republican support, received
great number of Republican votes, and
yet the returns show that l got but one
vote in excess of the votes received by
Bryan two years ago. When Preston
county's majority of 1900 was reported,
l challenged the integrity Of the report,
and took such steps as I could to OBJ
tain proper investigation, not SO much
for the personal benefit to me as TO
vindicate the position l held and to
right the wrong, if one had been COM
mitted.
I'm this connection, might say that
the men l sent there could not get
much local aid, and 1 was compelled to
send Judge Woods, of Barbour, and Mr..
Butcher. OF Marion, there whose press
ing engagements permitted them to re-
main but a day. and afterwards Mr..
Post, Of Wheeling, represented me most
efficiently throughout the remaining
days of the contest.
"A SIMPLE STATEMENT
from the record Of Preston county's
vote for the past twelve years will
show the reason l had upon which to
found this opinion.
Commencing with the Flick and
Wilson Congressional campaign Of 1886,
there were cast $500 votes, OF which
Flick received 2.454 and Wilson lisp,
leaving Flick a majority over Wilson
of 1902.
In 1888, when General Goff was the
Republican candidate for Governor and
appealed most strongly to the soldier
vote of Preston county. there were east
4,409 votes, of which he received 1908
Continued On Third Page.