The sun., 1898-11-08
BEFORE THE BATTLE IN KENT
Democrats Arrest Several Negro
Voters Who Are Admitted
to Bail at Once.
ALL REGISTERED MEN TO VOTE
kny Man Who is Challenged Has But
to Swear the Charge is Untrue
and He Can VOte--Charles
G. Collins Released on
Habeas Corpus.
ALL REGISTERED MEN TO VOTE
Special Dispatch to The sun.

DOVER, DEL, Nov. There was con-
siderable excitement in Dover this after
noon when it became nOsed around
that Joshua Parker, colored, one of the
recognized leaders among the colOred
voters of Kent county, had been arrested
on the charge of bribing a voter to re-
main away from the polls tomorrow.
Enos G. Hickey, a white man, was his
accuser, and knows that Parker had
offered him $40 to dig bitches on his
(Parker's) farm tomorrow.
AT the hearing Parker promptly gave
bail, ex-Sheriff John Mcdaniel, a Demo-
crat, going on his bond.
Directly after Parker's arrest and re-
lease the constables brought in Alex
ander Tillman, another colored man,
from North Murderkill. Tillman was
charged with bribing fellow colored
man to register In this case also bail
was promptly furnished, and Tillman,
like Parker, walked out free man to
cast his ballot tomorrow.
This bailing business, evidently, was q
phase of the game the Democrats had
not counted on, and, though it is said
they had affidavits filed for other arrests,
they quit short off, and thus one of their
plans, the locking up of voters, fell
fiat
Hardly had Tillman's case been fixed
when the Rev. Charles G. Collins, the
colored preacher, who was adjudged
guilty of bribery last week and sentenced
by the Judges, also walked a free
man. A writ of habeas corpus had been
sworn out and Judge Pennewill ordered
his release on bail, pending an appeal to
the Supreme Court of Delaware.
Twelve hundred dollars bail was de-
manded, and six men representing prop.
erty worth one hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars went on his bond. They are
Paris 7. Carlisle, Jr., John ]. Connor
Samuel E. Saxton, Joseph Frazier, William
E. Davis, William M. Prouse. These are
all men OF the highest standing and they
all openly say that no one believes Col
Inns guilty. All feel assured the charge
was trumped up for effect by the Demo
Gratis, but it has proved boomerang.
The colored element all over the coun
ty are afire, and colored voters whom
the Democrats might have manipulated
week ago will go dead against them to.
morrow.
The arrests OF Parker and Tillman has
Intensified this feeling, and respectable
conservative Democrats are also express
ing their disgust at what they term
damnable outrages.
Chairman Alice is the most enthusias.
tic man in town tonight. He says the
county is Republican and all the trickery
the Democracy is capable OF cannot
change the result.
One point the Republicans here desire
The Sun to make plain; that is no chal
lenges can tomorrow deprive voter ol
his vote, if the challenged party if will
ing to make affidavit that the charge il
not true.
1t is rumored here tonight that 6
scheme is to be worked by the Democrats
to bluff colored voters by claiming that 6
challenger can make affidavit and the
voter then has no say. The law is plain
the oath of the challenged party is con
elusive.
Thirty-five Pinkerton men came dowr
the Delaware road tonight and they
have been detailed to every voting pre-
cinct in the county. Those who arrived
at Dover scattered Immediately to theil
posts. A squad also went to Sussex
These men are all in the employ of the
Union Republican party.