The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1916-10-27
REPUBLICANS PLAN
TO VOTE NEGROES
FEDERAL SLEUTHS TRAIL NE
GROES MOVED TO DOUBT
Full STATES.
Indianapolis Grand Jury Prepares to
Take ActiOn-Republicans Had
Planned Fraudulent Voting.

Chicago, Oct. 24.-The vigilance of
the federal authorities in Indiana,
Ohio, Kentucky and Illinois is expect
ed to interfere with plans of Republi-
can leaders to increase the vote of
their party in Ohio, Indiana and Illi-
nois counties near the Kentucky line.
Federal government sleuths are try
ing to find out why large number of
negroes has been sent from Kentucky
counties across the border into Ohio,
Indiana and Illinois during the last
| six weeks.
To the democratic mind the expla-
nation is easy, but it is not the one
| advanced by the Republicans
Revival of Old Fraud.
The exodus of negroes from Ken
lucky to Ohio and Indiana towns is
regarded by the Democratic managers
as indicating the desperate determi-
nation of the Republican managers to
revise the old Dudley "blocks of five"
method, introduced into Indiana poll
tics thirty years ago to insure the
election of Republican candidates.
In those days, it was easier to in
flate the voting lists of Indiana than
in these days, when abnormal in
creases in registration, floating and
repeating are subjected to a more
minute scrutiny. Yet the opportunity
for swelling the party vote in South
ern Ohio and Indiana still is possible.
| The Democratic managers of the
western department have been sus-
picious for some time that the influx
of entucky negroes into Ohio and In
diana has some connection with the
activities of Republican experts versed
in the ways of devising means for
overcoming normal Democratic ma
jorities.
Early in September it was discov-
cred that large numbers of negroes
were leaving Kentucky to take up res
idence in Southern Ohio, Indiana, and
in some instances Southern Illinois,
ostensibly to be railroad laborers.
1t was noted at Hickman and Hem
derson, KY, that 1000 negroes had
been engaged by labor contractors for
service on railroad undertakings that
did not exist.
Orders From the East.
Inquiry by the Democratic man.
ayers resulted in the discovery that
the services of these railroad con-
tractors had been enlisted by "some
parties in the East" Some of the
negroes who changed their place of
residence on surprisingly short no
tice said that they had been paid
bonuses and has been promised a
minimum wage of $3.50 a day for
ninety days from September 1.
The negroes did not appear to know
just what would be required of them.
According to the report of Democrat
ic investigators, the negroes were en-
gagged from lists furnished the con-
tractors by Republican local leaders in
Northern Kentucky towns. Squads
of these negroes have been traced to
Evansville, Ind, Cincinnati, and to
other points in Hamilton county, Ohio,
and to East st. Louis, III.
The negroes were recruited from
all classes of labor. Many of them
had been employed as cooks and
walters, as hotel porters and in to-
bacco fields.
The Democratic committees in the
Ohio. Indiana and Illinois towns to
which the Kentucky negroes had been
sent have inaugurated an investipa-
ton.
The result has shown that few, if
any, of the negroes have actually been
employed on railroad construction
work, but that they were split into
small bands and scattered around in
the large towns of the states, without
visible means of support.
Grand Jury Takes Notice.
The federal grand jury in Indian
apoils has turned it's attention to the
matter, and there is likely to be a
disclosure that will reveal the actual
purpose of the attempted colonization
of the Kentucky negroes in the three
doubtful States, and probably estab-
llsh the connection of the Republican
leaders with the undertaking.
So far no official of the Republican
organization has been identified as
having hand in promoting the at
tempt to carry the three States for
Mr.. Hughes through fraudulent votes.
There has been a good deal of gos-
sip connecting with the scheme the
name of an official of the Republican
national committee. It is not likely.
however. that evidence of guilt will
be found against this man.
In more than one instance he has
demonstrated extraordinary skill in
covering up his tracks and has been
known to work for months before his
trail has been disclosed According