The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-07-25
WHEELING DAILY IleENeER WEDNESDAY, JULY IS 1900
was satisfactory, 80 the box wal losl;ed

was satisfactory. so the box was locked
up. but the supervisor preferred IL re-
main right there until the contents Of
the box should be counted. So the su-
perylsor sat down and guarded the sa-
cred box. But the safe, which, stood
against a partition. had q false bnck..
The partition was also prepared for the
occasion. The black guard never heard
the exchange that went on in, the renr
Of that safe. but In a very few seconds
the glorious Republican dream faded
away.
The Hinge Of the Result.
a prominent negro precinct In r
county pollcd about two hundred votes.
This precinct was the hinge of the re-
suits. A negro victory seemed evident.
The votes were cast in cigar box
One OF the members OF the committee
came to the polls without his overcoat.
The weather was not cold. but late in
HthS ucNtIlihS tHc iiieIllueI fCulllpitllltuF VI
being q little chilly and indisposed. A
boy was sent for the coat. In this
great coat was n duplicate cigar box,
with its votes all made out and doctor
ed for the victory. At the close of the
election the lndlsposed man took up the
cigar, box OF votes and crnmmcd It into
q pocket of his overcoat, and all passed
out to the inevitable supper When the
time came to count the votes the wrong
ballot box emerged from the coat, and
another victory was scored. .5t5.
& On another occasion the negro super
visor. sat by the box the whole day.
never leaving the room for an instant,
for he had promised his people that this
election should show up the truth in all
Its nakedness. The usual. supper was.
served by the prominent family. No
one seemed to care who had the box in
charge. except the lofiicious Nero. He
never took his eyes from It until cir
cumstunces demanded It.. u.
One of tho Members Groaned.
The ballot box was placed on a small
table in the dining room where all
could see 1t. When, supper was almost
finished member Of the board groan-
ed, threw his arms up. and fell back
from the table. Confusion reignad, and
everybody gathered around the man TO
assist him, II possible. The supervisor
was alarmed In the extreme. and was
dispatched to tho well for water In a
great hurry. Some one held the lamp
down near the sick mans face. a wind
from somewhere blew the light out.
The exchange was successfully made.
the man soon grew better, and all pass
ed off smoothly the remainder Of the
evening.
At q little luncheon, in honor Of the
board of election, the fair hostess was
tenderly caring for the wants of all, es-
peclally gracious to the supervisor. who
had set the ballot box on the floor at
the side OF his chair. While she, stood
by him offering the Injuries Of the
evening her dainty foot quietly moved
the ballot box elong the floor until 1t
was at the edge OF bed just back Of
the unsuspecting supervisor. Here ar
engagements had been fully made. and
the destiny OF another election was
changed.
These Schemes Successfully Worked.
These schemes and similar ones. are
worked to successful examinations In
various districts at every election
throughout the southern states where
a negro majority Is possible. Many of
the minor majoritics originate on tally
sheets.
In Justification or such means to
handle the negro vote the south claims
that she is In the heat OF race strug-
gle. The question Is one OF dom!na-
tion-shall the Caucasian or the Afri-
can rule" The government has left 1t
to the decision of the ballot, but the
southern white man has not and will
not accept the situation. The struggle
has become silent, but intense and de-
tcrmincG. The negro is too easy prey
not TO be devoured. His inferiority
makes him so. He is citizen with n
ballot better uncast. for with 1t would
he bring on his own destruction. The
negro at the ballot box In the cotton
growing states is n straw man. He Is
black dummy, putting up mimic
fight for the government that gave him
freedom, for the government. that Is
powcrless to sustain the rights that 1t
has given him.