The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-31
JUOGEF0R
EXPOSING CRAFT
Men and Women of Adams County,
Ohio, Pleased by Crusade Against
Vote Traffickers.

WEST UNION, o.. Dec. 3l.-That
the purchaseable vote OF Adams coun-
ty has for years past been carefully
listed and the list for each precinct
turned over 10 one precinct worker OF
each party to buy, is the conclusion
that Judge Blair today announced has
determined him not to let up on his
present probe until he has landed the
men higher up" the men who de-
vised and carried out this system.
The prevalence of such a regular
system of vote-buying has been DEM
onstrated TO Judge Blair, he said to-
day. by the fact that OF the 400 vote
buyers who have confessed to him.
every one has declared that he had
never been approached by more than
one worker for each party. OF the
1900 men who have so far been in
dicted, every one has been merely for
Vote-selling, and not single one for
attempting to buy votes. Il Is be-
cause OF this situation that Judge
Blair announced at the opening OF
court today that when the present
special grand jury adjourns tonight he
VIII at once prepare TO call another
to indict the men responsible for this
system Of vote corruptlng.
With the opening o. court today
the 20 new indictments that were re-
turned yesterday were reported bring
ing the total up to at least 1900, the
court having lost track of the exact
For the first time since the
investigation and confessing began, a
few of the indicted ones today entered
pleas of not guilty and announced
their intention Of standing trial. One
Of these. however, John w. Mccoy, q
prominent Franklin township farmer,
after declaring his innocence to the
court started home. but after cover
ing ten miles Of the distance. was
stricken with repentance, and return
ing. changed his plea to guilty. Judge
Blair imposed no additional penalty
Tor his frst evasion of the truth.
Every man who ever ran for con-
gress in the district in which Adams
county Is located. was bled by Doth
Democrats and Republicans. No con-
gresham was able by himself to pay
the price. SO money was sent into
county from the general ma.
tional campaign fund and from the
state campaign funds.
The vote-buyers and vote-sellers OF
Adams county mad in fact, four differ.
ent sources of revenue--the national
fund, the state fund, the county fund
and individual candidates.
The withdrawal of Congressman A.
r. Johnson from the race for re-elec-
ton during the last campaign. is said
to have been because of bis realization
that the campaign would be largely a
Doodle" race.
Before this investigation began,
Adams county vote-sellers complained
that this was not as good year in
the vote market as OF yore. Sixteen
thousand dollars was distributed
among the voters-a big sum, but the
veteran votesellers cited the election
Of 1887. That year has become tradi-
tional In the commercial annals Of
Adams county, tor about $40 900 was
and one politician alone
handled $4,000.
Every progressive man and woman
in the county Is supporting Judge
Blair, and is proud OF the fact that
Adams has started cleaning up.
Rev. Emil Bauman, of the Presby-
terrain Church Of West Union today
voiced this sentiment. He said:
1T is true the school Of politicians
has found many a teacher from this
But the school OF Christian
and reformers is recruit
I'd also from this place. The corrup-
ion I'm politics as shown by the pres
ent investigation, brings to light the
weakness of Adams county but also
he strength of it's better citizenship.
We ere taking care of our own sins
and setting good example. Let
some other county try to clean up.
Good people are necessary for such
cleanup and the fact that Adams
is having such . cleanup. In
licates that 1t possesses the neces-
,ary good people"