The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1913-08-08
GOVERNOR COX
CHARGES FRAUD.
Claims Many of the New Petitions
Contain Forged Signatures
Airs MeeIGIsOn Affair.

Counsel For the Equity Association
Names Former Speaker Vining In
Connection With the Alleged At
tempt to Thwart the Filing Of Petit
tions For Referendum On the New
Tax Acts.
Columbus, o., Aug. 7.-Charges by
the Equity association of Cleveland
that men connected with the Demo
cratic administration and other prom.
inent Democrats had resorted to I'M
lawful means in an attempt TO pre-
vent referendum petitions from being
filed on the Warnes and Kilpatrick
taxation measures, were met by coun.
ter charges from Governor Cox that
many of the petitions filed contain
forged signatures and that the Equity
association evidently had employed
the same means in securing sigma
lures as was used in securing names
for the referendum on the Green
workmen's compensation act.
Additional statements given out by
Former Assistant Attorney General
Miller, local counsel for the Equity
association mention Former Speaker
of the House Of Representatives S. J.
Vining Of Mercer county in the al
legged attempt to thwart the filing of
the referendum petitions.
Detectaphone records, alleged to
have been taken Of a meeting of Dem
ocratic leaders in a local hotel, are
said to tell of a conversation between
Mr.. Vining and c. C. Meekison, Henry
couty auditor, now under arrest on a
charge of attempt to burglarize the
rooms Of the Equity association in
Cleveland
TO back up Governor Cox's state
ment that signatures have been
forged on the Warnes and Fitzpatrick
petitions, is an affidavit Of w. H.
Clare of Cleveland, formerly connect
ed with the street cleaning depart
ment there under the Baer admins
tration, who says that more than 200 !
names have been added to the petit |
tons which he circulated and made |
to. Clare, according to his |
statement, was employed to circulate |
petitions by Walter McCaslin. now |
under arrest on charges Of perjury in
with the compensation act |
petitions.
so far as the Meekison affair is
says Governor Cox, the
at hand leads us to be-
ieve that it is purely the illumination
If bunch of lobbyists, who have
been into this thing from the very
start"
Show Part of Evidence.
Governor Cox also stated that cur
iory examination of the Warnes and
petitions shows that many
If the solicitors are now under arrest
N charges of perjury in connection
With the workmens compensation
eferendum or are being caught as
ugitives from justice.
Attorneys Dunbar and Miller of the
Equity association showed part of the
which Burns detectives have
objected against Meekison. Assistant
attorney General McGhee said that
he attorney generals department
'ill aid in the prosecution Of Meeki-
on when the evidence is placed in
is hands. Dunbar and Miller have /
romised to do this.
1t is said about the statehouse that !
hose chiefly engaged in an effort to
reyent a referendum on the Warnes
nd Fitzpatrick taxation bills were J
ounty politicians who were seeking
obs as deputy tax commissioners.
Ieekison is alleged to have been as
iring for the position in Henry coun- d,
r. By preventing a referendum on !
ne Warnes measure this law would
0 into effsct Immediately and the po-
tions would be open.