Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-10-18

4
Democratic Observation-Disclosures Repub
lican Judge had to be carried away and
Ithe Democratic judge went to the door o.
the voting place, held up his pistol and
declared he "would shoot the heart out o.
the next man who came in there and
violated the Walton law" The two Dem
ocratic judges selected another Democratic
judge, and the three had it their own way
The Republicans we're, of course, driver
from the polls. and General Walker los
100 or more votes by violence and frauC
at that precinct.
At Stony Creek precinct, Scott county, the
notorious wright" Cox, who as county
chairman of the Democratic party, SEM
out a secret note just before the election
in which he stated that if the Republican
judges were permitted to mark the ballots
of the Republican voters Rhea would be
defeated, was present and lun things bis
own way. He had all the judges and both
the election clerks Democrats. The five
Democratic officers as soon az they were
sworn in appointed fifteen policeman, all
Democrats. These policemen were named
by "Wright" Cox, the Democratic chair
man, and they were armed with clubs and
pistols. The clubs were used by drunken
policemen on Republicans but not on Dem
ocrats. The Democrats had official bal
lots on the outside of the polling place. 1t
is no wonder that Rhea got splendid (?)
majority of 1853 at Stony Creek precinct.
At Lebanon precinct, in Russell county,
2O4 votes were rsturned for Walker. In
dispositions 243 men swore they voted for
him and 81 more made affidavit that they
had deposited their ballot for him.
At Stonega precinct, in Wise county,
General Walker was cheated out Of Al
votes by a sharp trick Of the registrar
at that precinct.
At Clintwood, in Dickinson county,
General Walker was cheated out Of 36
votes, by that number being pnrposely
mutIlated by Democratic judge, who had
been selected, on account of his unsavory
reputation, to do the work. This trick waf
srtfully performed by having the ballot
folded in certain way before it was given
to the voter; and when the judge marked
out the name of Rhea with a stub pen and
black ink, the ticket would be folded by
the original crease, and Rhea's marked
out name would fold directly over Walk
er's name-the ink would still be wet and
heavy and Walkers name blotted out as
we'll as Rhea's.
There were many other points in the
district where frauds were systematically
committed and detected. If all could have
been detected and recorded it would re
ouire large volume to recount them.
Is it strange that Republicans shoult
charge fraud against Rhea and his mana
gers in 1898, or that they should expect
the same men to commit all kinds of pc
litlcal crimes at the approaching election
When men begin TO practice dishonest cleo
tiol methods they generally progress or
that line, Just as they do in other dishonest
practices. Do the intelligent Democrats
of the district doubt that systematic fraud
was practiced by the machine in this dis
trict at the election Of 1898? If they do
it is because they have not taken the
trouble to inform themselves. We have
heard many admit it.
The Bristol News, in an editorial on the
18th inst, said: "Several days ago q
Bristol Democrat made this remark Eve
are going to steal the votes. l am honest
enough to admit that we are going TO steal
to elect Rhea" Now this fellow was hon.
est ~ enough to admit that his party was
going to steal votes. They were stolen in
1898, and they will be stolen this year,
wherever dishonest election officers can be
secured to do the work.