Mexico weekly ledger., 1908-08-20
cOwHRRD REPLIES TO BALLS
LETTER
Expresses HIS twnnngnsss to As
sist In the Detection And Con-
vieron OF Any one That Has
Engaged in ANY Kind Of
Election Day Frauds

Kansas Cty. No, Aug n-N.A
cowAerd, Democratic nominee for
Governor, made public tonight bis re
ply TO David A. Balls request that
mr.. COwhsrd 20 to 81. Louis ard
Strengthen out the charges Of fraud
there. The letter. which was mailed
to Mr.. BAN today follows
Honorable David A. Ball, Louisiana,
No: Dear Mr.. Ball-Your letter OF
August s reached my once on last Sat
urday, but owing 10 the fact that |
had left that morning for visit to
my farm neal Blue Springs did not
receive the same until yesterday
Mondsy) evening IL was duly for
warded from the office, but there Is no
Sunday delivery on the rural routes
Ibave read your letter carefully,
and likewise the newspaper comments
upon the condition In St Louis since
my return. l shall be very glad TO
give you, or any officer OF the law,
any assistance in my power to detect
and convict anyone engaged Ia any
KIDD OF e~lection-day frauds AS you
will remember, however, | spent but
q very few days during the last cam
paign In 81. Louis. / realized the
great advantage you had In your wide
acquaintance over the state, made
daring former campaigns, and deter
mined EARLY 10 the campaign todevote
my attention mainly 10 the large
Democratic counties, but owing 10
the fact that l was compelled to give
more than q month to aid In electing
the Democratic ticket In Kansas City,
l found the time all too short, and was
unable to even visit but little moro
than half OF the counties In the state.
For this reason, / was in st. Louis
two or three times during the entire
campaign and then for very short
periods. l am not acquainted with
local conditions there, and II any
frauds pe~rpetrated, i have no
knowledge regarding them.
Iobserve, however, that there has
been considerable newspaper comment
upon the fact that very large MAORI
ties were given for particular candi-
dates in four wards; in two of which
the majorities were overwhelmingly
for you and two for me. IL these ma
~jorities were frsudulently obtained,
either In your behalf or mine, l shall
be very glad to see the perpetrators
Of fraud punished, and to see the vote
OF those wards discarded In the count.
l am familiar with conditions In
Kansas City, and was there 5n cleo
tion day, visiting many OF the polling
places, In company with my partner,
Mr.. Ingraham, aud Mr.. W. S. Coch-
ran, a correspondent Of The st. Louis
Republic. There was no evidence or
Indication Of any kind of fraud on the
ballot, and In my judgment, Tuesdays
primary was as fair a vote and count
as we ever had In this city.
l observe, however, that because l
carried this county, in which | and
my fathers before me, have always
lived, by q very large majority, some
Of the newspapers are inclined to
question the accuracy OF the returns.
In comparing the votes Of the differ.
ent counties, ! observe that my ma
jority in Jackson, in proportion TO the
vote cast, is but little more than your
majority In Pike, and nothing like as
much as your proportIonate majority
reported from some Of the counties 10
Southern Missouri, where l was I'M
known, and you were we'll acquainted.
| suggest, therefore, that the mere
fact that either one of US received a
large majority In counties where we
were especially well known, and
where the other was a stranger, is no
sign of fraud, whether that majority
was In your favor or mine.
II you desire to investigate the vote
in Kansas City, | shall be very glad
to have you come here, and put In
your command every influence / can
control to aid In that investigation,
and l am sure Judge Wallace, who
presides over the criminal Court; Mr..
Kimbrell, a Republican Attorney, and
the Grand Jury, which l understand
has not been discharged, as we'll as
the Boardsof Election Commissioners,
will all very gladly give you any as.
sistance In their power to make such
Investigation as you desire.
l have no doubt, alsu, that the
Board of Election Commissioners of
st. Louis, the Prosecuting Attorney
and the other officials Of that city will
likewise do their duty to unearth any
frauds If they we're committed In that
city.
l note, however, that the Republi.
can papers are e~ndeavoring to make
political capital for the November
election out Of this claim that fraudu.
lent voting was done In st. Louis. II
trust In your future interviews you
will call attention to the fact that l
am nominated REGARDLESS OF the st.
Louis vote, and that In the best resi-
dence wards, where there has been no
claim Of any Illegal vote, l received a
large plurality, and In the four wards
where the voting has been SO unanim-
Gus as to challenge attention two of
them were carried by you, and two
by me, so that there can be no reason
Or excuse for any question as to the
Of my nomination.
With best regards, / am, yours
truly, w. s, Cowherd.
In Good Luck