The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-30
.COUNTEEss*,ARGES
BY REPUBLICANS
Reply to the Address of the
GoebeI Leaders.
DENIED RIGHT TO VOTE
REPUBLICAN ELECTION OFF
GERS ELECTED FROM BOOTHS
THE MAYOR OF LOUISVILLE ARRAIGNED
Bradley Defended in Calling Out Troops. Tissue
Ballots Said to Have Been Used by Both
Parties. Charges Of Wholesale
Fraud bv Democrats,

Frankfort, KY, Dec. 29.-The address
of the Republican leaders, in reply toV
the recent address of the Goebel lead
ers indorsing the contesting candidates
on the Democratic State ticket, was
given out tonight. 1t replies specifcal-
ly to the Democratic charges of fraud
and makes some sensational counter
charges. 1t is signed by Governor Tay-
lor, Chairman Barnett, Senator DeBOe,
Congressman Pugh and others includ-
ing all members of the State Central
Committee. 1t says:
Hundreds of ballots were thrown out
without excuse; many legal voters were
denied the right to vote and illegal votes
taken. Challengers and inspectors We're
IN many cases denied admission, while in
many others they Were forcibly elected
from the election booths.
THE Mayor of Louisville arrogated
to himself the power to issue a pro-
clamation, prohibiting people from as
sembling at the polls i'll open defiance
of the provisions of the constitution
and 24S extra police were appointed
and used to intimidate and browbeat
the free men of that city. On the after
noon preceding the election 81 election
officers who had been appointed to rep
resent the Republican party, were sum-
marily dismissed and like number ap-
pointed in their places, who could be
relied upon to favor the Democratic
conspiratoFs The firemen were turned
| loose. too. and did assist the police in
the intimidation of voters. and in this
| at thpuSan1 MOI m
would have voted the Republican ticket
were so alarmed that they did not at
tend the election. In addition, voters
were intimidated and many similar
frauds perpetrated in Covington. Lex
ington and other cities of .he common
wealth, causing loss of not less than
5000 votes to the Republican ticket. In
some of the counties actual force was
employed and voters were driven from
the polls and with few exceptions
frauds were committed in all Of them.
Every ballot that even bore a finger
print, voted for the Republicans, was
thrown out in the count. 1t cannot be
doubted that at least forty thousand
votes were lost to the Republican party
by these unlawful and outrageous tac-
tics. Large sums of money collected
from Democratic officials, saloons, pool
rooms, gambling houses, breweries ana
other sources, in and out of the State.
were used TO corrupt the voters of the
State.
Voters were hired to refrain from
voting. to mutilate their ballots. or to
vote the Goebel ticket Whole pre-
cincts, that gave Republican majorities.
were thrown out and the Goebel Dem
ocratic Committees and candidates i'm
augurated IA saturnaia of crime, cor
ruption and force.
But the attempt to fraudulently pro-
cure certificates was futile Neverthe-
less, the conspirators were unwilling to
stay their hands. A meeting of Il few
Democrats was called, who it was
known, would be willing to 20 to any
extremity to accomplish their ends, and
these gentlemen advised contest in
order that an excuse might be afforded
the candidates for making the same and
an opportunity given to procure 10y fraud
the offices which an outraged people
had decreed should go to Others
Ashamed of their conduct apd knowing
that some excuse must be made, even
to many of their own party, a remark
able address has been promulgated, and
for the first time in the one hundred
and eight years Of the States existence,
there is a contest over the offices OF
Governor and Lieutenant Governor"
The Republican reply defends Cover
nor Bradley i'll calling out troops. says
the charge that tissue ballots were is
sued is flimsy as like ballots were used
in Democratic counties. that the Demo~
Gratis set the precedent i'll the use of
the injunction and concludes by saying:
"The charge of corruption ut the
hands of the Louisville and Nashville
Railroad is only a repetition of SLAM
der worn threabarc in the late cam
paign. and even if true. which is de-
MED, does not involve the Republican
party. and was more than offset by the
corruption fund collected by the COM
plainants from the sources named in this
address. These conspirators have delib-
erately invaded the liberty Of the people,
and every fraud had been committed
which political ingenuity could devise"