The state herald., 1905-01-27
ADAMS ANSWER
IN PEABODY ELECTION CONTEST
Accuses Big Corporations and Mine
Owners Association Of Fraud, Cor
ruption and NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
10000 Plurality Of Legal Votes.

ruption and Intimidation-cIaim
10000 Plurality Of Legal Votes.
Denver, Jan. 22.-Before the joint
assembly yesterday afternoon Cover.
nor Adams filed his answer to the con.
test of James H. Peabody for the ofticl
of governCL 1t is lengthy documeI
covering tsom 10000 to $4,000 words,
or ut'twelve newspaper columns.
On its receipt 1t was ordered printed
and distributed to members and then
referred to the committee hearing the
contest.
Following, In brief, are the charges
made by Governor Adams:
That gigantic conspiracy was
hatched by the corporations and the
leaders of the Republican party last
fall to carry the election for Peabody
by unlawful means.
That the plot to debauch the ballot
was participated in by agents of the
American Smelling and Refining Com
pany, Colorado Fuel and Iron Company,
Victor Fuel Company, Colorado Mine
Owners Association, the sugar trust,
the Denver utility corporations and the
railroads, and that officials of these
companies aided and abetted in the
crimes committed for the purpose
named.
That these corporations practiccd in.
| timidation and coercion on their EN-.
ployes by threats of discharge unless
they voted for Peabody.
That corporation agents md public
officials padded the registration lists
with fictitious names; that aliens were
imported into the coal mining counties,
were fraudulently naturalized and com.
PEELED to vote the Republican ticket
That an immense corruption fund
was contributed by these corporations
to debauch the election in Denver, Pu.
eblo. Las Animas, Teller, El Paso,
Boulder and Huerfano counties.
That in Pueblo county County Clerk
| Fairfax and County Judge Gibson as
sisted in the naturalization of hun
dreds Of foreigners at the behest OF
the smelling and fuel company agents
who imported them shortly before the
election.
That armed deputy sheriffs and
armed guards acting under the per
sonal direction of d. \. Chappelle were
used TO intimidate the coal miners of
Huerfano county TO vote for Peabody.
That 1000 armed deputy sheriffs se-
lected by the mine owners association
ran with high hand the election in
Teller county, terrorizing and driving
from the district thousands Of voters.
That in Las Animas county open
bribery was practiced blythe coal mag.
mates in addition 10 other election
crimes.
That In San Miguel county miners
were threatened with deportation, loss
of their homes and permanent separa-
! ton from their families unless they
agreed to support the Peabody ticket.
That as n result of scheme con
cocted by the heads of the Republican
/ county committee OF Denver. scores OF
ballot boxes were stuffed with fraudu.
lent Democratic ballots In order that
at an investigation planned for the fu.
/ ture the entire vote of large Demo
cratic precincts could be thrown out,
thus DISTINGUISHING thousands of legal
voters.
That the Republicans In Denver car.
| ried on general system of rcgistra-
ton and election bribery; that hun
| drcds of ropeaters were employed by
| lHt ftNDOuN managers.
That instead Of n plurality Of 9.77i
over Peabody, contestee was elected
by at least 10000 plurality, II the elec.
ton and count had been honest"
/ Denial is made that any conspiracy
was entered into by election Judges or
/ clerks TO encompass the defeat OF the
contestor. II is also denied that II Is
impossible TO determine between legal
and Illegal votes In the precincts In
/ question.
Governor Adams further AYERS that
| II any Illegal ballots were cast for him.
which he denies. or for the confession.
that they should be separated from the
legal ones by tho joint convention, and
/ the latter should be properly credited
TO the contestec or contestator, MS the
case may be. Unless this be done there
Will be many thousand legal voters
dlsfranehised. is the claim OF the an.
swcT.
Another allegation is that II Is n
1 part Of the conspiracy In the interest OF
the contostor 10 attempt to induce the
Joint convention to nullify the cleo.
lion IN the precincts complained
against by throwing out all the votes
/ sast therein.
Contestcc further AYERS that the pro.
| tcedings which occurred before the Su.
| hrcmc Court have nothing TO do with
/ this contest, for the reason that the
rontestce was not n party TO the pro.
/ feeding and had no opportunity 10 be
/ heard by the court or to present TO the
/ court any matter which he may have
desired. and that II is contrary to law
that u Judgment entered by the said
court in n proceeding 10 which he was
not party should be permitted TO pre-.
1 ludice the rights Of the contostcc.
Therefore the contcsteo denies that
any consideration or weight should bo
given by the Joint assembly TO any In.
vcstigation or Judgment OF the Su.
prcme Court In the contest proceed.
lnes In the final determination OF the
contest.