The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1905-08-23
Brookland Fraud Case Ends in Conviction.

general sessions TO-DAY GeO. p. NC
Combs, ex-mayor of New Brookland,
along with T. D. Mitchell, formerly
town marshall, and n. L. Fox we're
found guilty OF .ampering with the
election returns Of the municipal cleo
tion held in New Brookland on the 9th
OF last May.
At that time McCombs was the in
tendant of that town, and he stood for
reelection, being opposed by Mr.. J. S.
Gunnell. The managers of the cleo
tion appointed by McCombs were NJ.
L. Fox and George | Busbee, who it
was claimed, entered into a conspiracy
with McConbs and Mitchell to declare
the reelection of McCombs and his
ticket regardless of how the ballots
counted.
The election returns were so manipu-
lated that McCombs was declared to be
elected; Gunnell and his friends were
satisfied that fraud had been perpetra-
ted. and they contested the declaration
of McCombs' election to the extent
of having a warrant sworn out
against the managers and Mitchell,
which resulted in Gunnell's being de-
clared entitled to the Office ofintendant.
McCombs. Fox and Mitchell were
placed in Lexington jail under the
charge of conspiring to cheat and de-
fraud in town election. Mitchell is ac-
credited with concocting the scheme to
defeat Gunnell's election. This is the
same T. D. Mitchell who divided hon
ors with Halsenback as star witnesses
swearing for defendant in the case
when the slayer of n. G. Gonzales was
was tried at Lexington two years ago.
After Mitchell was put in jail he
wrote to Mr.. Gunnell begging him for
mercy. saying that he was willing TO
take his share OF the outcome of the
matter, and hoped Mr.. Gunnell would
see that he IMitchell did not
have the whole burden to carry. Then
he tried Mr.. Gunnell's sympathetic
nature, in the same communication,
appealing to him, Think of my little
innocent children as you pass my house
and go home and ask Mrs. Gunnell
what you ought to do, and I am satisfied
you Will drop the Indictment. In the
same letter he admits his guilt in these
words: "I will assure you all parties
have repented fully for what part they
have taken in the matter"
Mitchell's letter to Mr.. Gunnell
failed in it's purpose. Mr.. Gunnell in
his reply spoke of Mitchell as Judas
Iscariot, accused him OF pretended
friendship while he was scheming with
others to defraud him out of the cleo
tion. He stigmatized Mitchell as a
traitor, and intimated to him strongly
that he was vile creature; told him
plainly that he would not stop the
prosecution but promised him to see
that he got a fair trial.
Mitchell and his confederates have
had fair trial and have received JUS
tice at the hands of the jury who have
convicted them.
Sixteen of the best citizens OF the
community of New Brookland testified
at the trial just terminated TO circum-
stances pointing to establish that fraud
had been practiced in the municipal
election. and that Mitchell was in CO.
lusion with the managers to cheat
Gunnell out of the Office. One of the
managers would take the ballots out OF
the box, hand them to the other, who
would call out the names to the secre-
tary, the idea being to keep the count
so as to be sure that McCombs would
be ahead and at the sametime run the
votes so nearly even that fraud might
not be suspected.
Mitchell's part in the conspiracy was
to keep tab sheet separate from the
secreta:y's, and every now and then to
call out how the candidates were run
ming and at least u couple of dozen
times during the listing Of the votes
Mitchell's voice would ring out for the
guidance of the managers the status OF
the count. For instance, when the
woes wor,i run so close as to put Gun
nell mayue Two or three ahead of Nc
Combs, Mitchell would sing out ''Eh,
be God. Gunnell is two ahead" This
would give the clew to the manager
who was calling out the ballots, ard it
would change, and the votes would
then run mostly for McColnbs, and
Mitchell would call out ''McCombs four
ahead" or five ahead, as the case would
be. This novel way of keeping tally
worked successfully and at the end of
the count McCombs was declared to be
elected by FIVE majority. The fraud
was so palpable that it put the friends
of Gunnell upon suspicion, inquiry and
investigation.
After the managers finished counting
the votes the ballot box was turned
lover to McCombs, who refused to de-
liver same to committee who waited
upon him and asked that the box be
turned over TO another committee for
the purpose of recounting the votes.
McCombs after his refusal 10 deliver
the box or to have the votes recounted,
took the box containing the
votes to his house. What was done at
his house that night is best told by Mr..
Geo. Busbee, one of the managers, who
turned what is termed Estates evi-
derce."
He testified as follows: 'iOn the 18th
of May I was first approached by Nc
Combs to be a manager Of the election.
Friday night before the election Nc
Combs, Mitchell, Fox and l met and
had talk and agreement that I was to
call tine votes out and run McCombs
ahead OF Gunnell, regardless of how the
votes read. | was to call McCombs'
name where the vote was needed, al
though the ticket should read Gunnen.
Mitchell was to stand outside OF the
railing and tally and call out to keep
me posted and straight, so could keep
McCombs ahead of Gunnell. We de-
clared N1cCombs elected, when as an
actual fact Gunnell was elected, as Gun