The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-12-08
men ACCUSED OF.
VOTING FRAUDS
MAY BRING SUITS
Cape Residents Say They
Have Been Damaged
by Charges.
STEAMBOAT ENGINEER
LISTED AS A FRAUD
Martin Besen Says He Has
Lived in the Cape for
Sixteen Years.

A storm of protest was raised yes.
terday by a score Of well-known Cape
Girardeau men, who were listed r
Henry Brinkopfs list of men accused
of fraudulent voting at the recent cleo
ton. In Mr.. Brinkopf's contest suit
brought against y. J. HutsOn, sheriff
elect, he charges that three hundred
Illegal votes were cast, and with this
as his basis, he attempts to prevent
Hutson from taking his seat.
Brinkopf charges that many of the
alleged bal!ot-box suffers voted at
several precincts IN the county on the
day or election. In the Cape precincts
he lists & large number Of men, who,
he says, violated the election laws
wnen they cast their ballots. He says
in his petition that he made & canvass
/ Of the various precincts and was IN
! able to find the men who We're record
ed as having voted. and was unable
10 find anyone who knew them.
Several influential Cape men were
listed among the s0-caiIed fraudulent
voters, indicating that those who went
forth to find these men, did not PIT
forth a very great effort
An cn~inecr Oh Can't. Jayncs steam
/ 5e..l. >..,.y.. VS. .acersed when n
discovered that Mr.. Brinkopf had list
ed him Is i fraudulent voter. The
engineer called on Mayor Rage yester-
day and announced that if he was en-
titled to vote in this city after Il con-
tinuous residence hove for more than
.1G yeas. he woulG like to have his
taxes refunded. This engineer has
voted in every election since he moved
to the Cape, he told the Mayor, and had
never been called a criminal for doing
it before.
Another Cape Girardeauan, the son
of a city official, cast his first vote on
Nov. 7, and he voted the straight
Democratic ticket. He was surprised
to discover his name among the lit
Of sc-callad ballot box bandits, set
forth By M BrinEopl.
Another resident Of this city, whose
name was printed with the 500, said
he would bring su.t to Gear his name
of tho cloud that had been cast upon
t BY the petition.
There were no less than ono dozen
men, of more or less prominence in
this city, who were listed as ballot box
suffers. They cannot understand why
they were held up as criminals.
Reports from New Madrid, Penis
cot and Mississippi counties say that
suits, similar to that filed by Mr. Brin-
kopf, have been instituted there, and
in these are the name Of reputable
men, who are accused of stulIing the
ballot boxes.
Mr. Hutson defeated Brinkopf by
approximately 30 votes. The chief an
nounced last night that 4 number Of
his friends, who were called Illegal
voters, had called upon him yesterday.
Several of them told the chief that
they would bring suit against Brin-
Iiopf for damages. While it is said
that Brinkopf did not initiate the suit.
he signed the petition, which, accord
ing to attorneys, who were consulted
makes Mr.. Rrinkopf liable. |
Among the Cane men who protested |
Yesterday at being called ballot box |
suffers. were: F.. P. Smith, Robert |
Hyatt. Martin Eesen, Dave Harris, |
Oliver Boswell, Harry Gaines and 4
core of others equally as weIl-known.
Hyatt asd Boswell announced they |!
we're going to sue for damages to
heir character. Others consulted at
orneys yesterday and it is expected
number of damage cases will be filed
within q short time.
Hutson has employed, the services
If A. NJ. Srradling to defend his newly
conferred title.