The Indianapolis journal., 1899-01-19
CREGOR EVIDENCE FAILS.
Democrats Fail Utterly in the Sem
atOriaI Contest.

The attorneys for Senator Cregor offered
their first testimony before the Senate cleo
tions committee yesterday and to say that
it fell fiat would be but the truth in its most
charitable sense. In but one case did the
evidence show that a cent of Stoner money
was used in the recent campaign in Hancock
county, and in that case it was not
nected with any attempt to bribe the voter.
At the conclusion Of the day the Cregorites
acknowledged to the committee that their
attempt had failed in response to a request
from Chairman Gilbert that in the future
they try and not introduce witnesses with
whom they had 10 feel their way" with
the result that valuable time was wasted.
Bergman Whelcher was the first witness
of the day and the last for the Stoner side.
He said he was seventy years old and al
most totally blind, and that he had not been
allowed to vote because he asked the Re-
publican clerk to mark his ballot for him
He said he would have voted the Repub-
lican ticket had he been allowed to vote.
Cregor's first witness was John d. Huston,
a liveryman of Greenfield and Republican
candidate for sheriff in the last election. He
said that as he had known Stoner for fifteen
years and had formerly lived in Madison
county he drove Stoner over to Anderson
and did what he could to help him secure the
selection of delegates favorable to him. For
the use of his carriage and horses on the
trip and the money expended for living he
charged Stoner IS, which was paid He said
he knew of no money having been paid by
Stoner for election purposes and that the
money paid to him was the regular price
he would have charged any one else for
a similar drive
Morgan Andrick, who admitted that he
was Republican worker" said he saw
Stoner on election day, but never received
any money from him for any purpose. At
tOrney Black, for Cregor then looked him
straight in the face and asked him if he did
not remember some time ago OF making the
statement tnat II 1t hadn't been for Stoner
there wouldn't have been any money to use
in the precinct Andrick calmly replied
that he mad never made such a statement.
francis Banker, a coworker with Andrick
said he did not see Stoner on election day
and didn't get copper cent from him or
any one else, for that NATTER at any time.
On further examination he said that he
never even talked with Stoner about money
AT TINS point the attorneys for Cregor pro-
tested that Attorney Spencer was keeping
the witnesses posted as to what had been
testified to in the courtroom, but Banker
on beng asked If Spencer had told him what
Andrick had said in court replied that he
had not.
Nelson Lace. Democrat, said he had
known Stoner for ten years, and that some
Tune before election Stoner had asked him
to support him and work for. him and
that in return he would pay him for a
days work He said he met Stoner after
the polls closed, and that Stoner walked
down the street with him. When they
reached secluded spot, he said, Stoner told
him TO put out his hand and on his doing
so, dropped 81 into it, On cross-examina-
ll tlon Lace ace said however. that, he had not
the money, nor did he think or say that he
mad sold his vote, inasmuch as the money
was not expected and could not have had
n11 nc Nrrfa I'LL.
at that time closed Several other ques-
tions were asked by Cregor's attorneys with
giving Lace the money Stoner had violated
the law and was therefore ineligible to hold
Office. The only answer given by Lace,
however, was that he had had no reason to
expect the money, and that it was not
given for his vote.
Elmer f. Pratt a ''nonpartisan Demo-
crat, of Maxwell, testified to meeting sew
eral Republican candidates in Thayer' s
store before election, and that he had been
siyein. wv TO be used to help elect the Re-
publican ticket. Stoner was not there how
ever, and he had never at any time received
a cent from him for election purposes The
money given MIN was to be used for the
good of all the candidates, and not for any
one in particular. In continuing the ques-
lions, Cregor's attorney, brought out the
fact that at the time he was given the
$40 he had also $3.50 of Democratic money
on his person.
Elmer E. Binford. Republican county CEN
tral chairman, said he went to Madison
county with Stoner in the effort to secure
support for him, but that Stoner never paid
him any money other than his regular as
sessment. They visited Anderson, Elwood
and alexandria, and he paid part of the
expenses of the trip. The Cregor attor-
neys attempted to show that the Home In
surance Company of New York for which
Stoner is agent, sent Binford a draft for
Sl0) to be used in electing Stoner, but Bin
ford said that he received no money, except
from the politicians interested in the cleo
ton, and then only to the amount of their
assessments.
Sidney A. McKelbe, Democrat, of Phil
adelphia, said that Stoner had asked him
to support him, and that on the night be-
fore election Stoner had told him he would
see how the precinct went" and if he did
him any good he would make it right with
him. 1t was not shown that he had given
any money. The last of the Hancock county
witnesses will be heard this afternoon,
after the adjournment of the Senate.
During the examination of the ballots of
the last election in Greenfield the commit
precinct Of Sugar Creek township. 1t was
marked to vote the Democratic ticket. but
instead of being crossed within the cir
Gle was marked with figure s. The rec
Ords showed that when the ballots had been
counted the Republicans protested against
this one being counted. but it counted
over their protest. The committee took
charge Of it and will consider the advisa-
| bility of throwing it out.