The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1903-11-27
BLAKEY ROBBED
of His Election AS Circuit
Judge in The Breathitt
District.
OUTRAGES AT THE POLLS

existed in Breathittscounty for many
years continues now to such an extent
that little information has ever reach
ed the outside world concerning the
manner In which the recent State, ju-
dicial and county election was con-
Quoted there and the methods adopted
to Insure the defeat OF Theodore P.
Blakey for Circuit Judge and James P.
Adams for Commonwealth Attorney
to succeed the infamous Redwine and
the famous Byrd, respectively.
Breathitt county elections have been
a travesty on free ballot under the
rule of the Hargis-Callahan official
lawbreakers. In the Goebel-Taylor
election, 1t will be remembered, the
late James B Marcum was Republican
inspector of the count In the court
house precinct OF Jackson which had
gone Republican by good majority.
The Hargis-Callahan Goebelitest re-
fused to begin counting the vote I'M
der various pretexts until hours after
the polls closed, the purpose being to
wear Mr.. Marcum out and get him to
relax his vigilance. Finally by pre-
concerted arrangement the gang be-
gan firing pistols into the ceiling of
the court house itself In order to put
out the lights and create a stampede.
In the excitement OF the fusilade Mr..
Marcum was pushed out of the room
and the door locked on him. AS
soon as he was disposed of the count
proceeded and a precinct that had un-
doubtedly gone Republican by so gave
an enormous Goebel-Hargis-Calla-
han majority OF $50 to 400, aslthe wri-
ter now recollects.
This Is a sample of the election
methods by which the Hargis outlaws
have maintained their grasp on
Baeathitt county and made themselves
so useful to the State Democratic ma
chine that the entire executive, judi
cial and military power Of the State
Is at their command.
Stories OF the election 1t Breathitt
county few weeks ago are finding
their may out to civilization and are
enough to make the blood OF honest
men boil with indignation.
At Frozen Precinct, the largest
Republican precinct In the county,
there was a very quiet orderly election
with a very large vote polled, the Re-
publicans sweeping everything before
them, and even the Democrats
admitting that the precinct had given
at least 100 Republican majority.
Just at ! o'clock, according to the
report received here, the Beckham
coldiers from Jackson marched into
the voting room, ordered the Repub-
lican election officers out at the point
of the bayonet, proceeded to superin-
tend the court Of the vote to suit
themselves and the Democratic elect
officers. They counted al night, but
did not announce the result, and car
ried the ballot box and returns to
Jackson. Several days afterwards 1t
was given out from Jackson that Col.
Belknap and the Republican State
ticket had carried Frozen Precinct by
"a majority, but that Judge Riddell,
the Haigis candidate for Circuit Judge
and the rest OF the Democratic local
ticket had carried the precinct by a
majority ranging from 30 to 100,
which Is an obsurdity On Its face,
when practically the only scratching
was done by Democrats who voted for
Beckham and the State ticket and for
the Republican candidate for Circuit
Judge, Commonwealth Attorney
and county officers.
This Is a sample Of one precinct In
Breathitt county, and others were
worse.
Mr.. Blskey, the Republican nominee
for Circuit Judge, carried the three
Republican counties OF Estill, Lee and
Magofin by the splendid majority of
SIS. The Democratic county OF Wolfe
gave Beckham 354 majority, but Judge
Riddell only carried it by 3o7. Mr..
Blakey went to Breathitt county with
a clear majority of more than 500.
His friends there, both Democrats
and Republicans, say that he carried
Breathitt beyond question, as there
was an uprising Of the people against
Hargis and Callahan, and yet the
Democratic machine there counted
the county for Judge Riddell by a ma
jority OF 700 or 500. Their figures
have never become fixed or station