The sun., 1898-10-12
From a staff Correspondent.

From staff Correspondent.
DOVER, Oct. 1.-THE vote of Kent
county at the general election in 1896
has at last been counted.
After two years interval marked by re-
peated mandamus proceedings, the
Democratic inspectors of the last cleo
tion in Kent county have today shown
where they deliberately stole the vote
of the entire county.
The count lays bare the greatest politi-
cal steal in the history of the state and
the result of that count today clearly
demonstrates the enormity thereof.
Obeying the order of the court the
Board of Canvass in and for Kent county
met here to day in the court room and
gave the certified returns of the votes re-
ceived in his district. Sheriff Shaw pre-
sided and A. A. Watson and Secretary of
State Hughes were chosen secretaries by
the Republicans and Democrats respec-
lively.
In vivid contrast to the memorable
day two years ago when the vote was
first counted the scene in the court room
presented itself today. To begin with
the WhOle vote was counted and then
there was a noticeable absence of the
gang Of Wilmington toughs who were
brought here by the Democratic leaders
and used as factor in the steal. At the
canvass two years ago this crowd of ir-
responsible hoodIums stood by while the
Democrat inspectors refused to tabulate
the returns and would agree to count
only those which favored the election of
the Democrats.
Today's proceedings were quiet and
orderly. From the time Sheriff Shaw
called the board to order at II noon un-
til it adjourned at 4.3O o'clock, business
was transacted with dispatch-this busi-
ness being to tabulate the proofs that the
Republican county ticket was elected in
1896 although the action OF the Board of
Canvass defeated the will Of the people.
The canvass today showed that at the
general election in 1896 ten members of
the Constitutional Convention were elec-
ted by the Republicans in Kent county
of whom but five were seated; that
seven representatives and one state sena-
tor were elected by the same party, none
of whom were ever seated; that several
members OF the Levy Court were elected
by the Republicans, none of whom were
ever seated, and that the Republicans
I who were elected sheriff, coroner and
county treasurer respectively, did not
receive their Offices.
Further than this s. r. Meredith, the
holding over senator from Kent county,
occupies place to which he was never
elected. The man who was elected is
James Frank Alice, of this town.
Such an exhibition of crime against
the state and the people as is presented
by the result of the canvass is without
parallel in the political history OF the
United States. The enormity OF the
crime has dawned on many of the in
spectors, and the truth is that every man
who refused to tabulate the returns Of
the Kent county election in 1896, is
politically and socially ostracized. They
are dead. Men Of opposite political
faith look upon them with contempt and
members Of their own party loath them.
William H. Walker, inspector for the
Second election district OF East Dover
hundred, William H. Greenwell inspec-
tor for Kenton hundred, and Samuel G.
Hughes inspector for First district South
Murderkill hundred deplore the situa-
ton.
These three men were inspectors who
refused to tabulate the returns of the
election, who deliberately stole the
Offices from honestly elected men and
placed the same in the hands Of men
who did not represent the majority OF
the people.
All three Of these men today expressed
regret that they had been party to this
disgraceful action. "Why," said Mr..
Walker, "the men who gained the plums
of office by our act today sat in their
offices as we passed on our way to the
court house and laughed to think