The menace. [volume] (Aurora, Mo.) 1911-1920, 1917-11-03
Louisville Papers Fail to Print the Ross Side Of the A.
legged Election Scandal---Irish Catholics ANege the
Candidate Stuffed Ballot Box With Forged Ballot in
the Presence of Enemies
ROSS DECLARES 1T POLITICAL CONSPIRACY
Cites Court Records and Makes Startling Allegations to Record
Of His Accusers Naming Them Manly aDenies Amy knowledge
Of DeedMachine Overly Anxious to "Get Back" at Opponents

ET7 LSEWHERE The MENACE men,
IYEI tions the frame-up against William
E. Ross, Republican candidate for
LAIN sheriff in Louisville, by the Whal-
len Gang in an eleventh hour at
tempt to create a political scandal to off
set the beating-up Of Merritt Drane and
the shooting of an election officer by Whal-
len thugs.
As a matter Of interest to students of
religious politics. in action we give an
account Of Just how the friends of Ross
look upon this as frame-up to meet po-
litical necessity.
Mr. Ross is 40 years old, owner Of the
Ross Chair Factory and leading business
man of Louisville. He is a member of the
Board Of Trade, the Convention and Pub
licity League and the Louisville Credit
aspired to office.
His opponent, Mr.. McNally is the Irish
Catholic machine candidate.
In the October primary, Mr.. Ross was
recently accused, month after the al
legged crime, of deliberately stufing SO bal
lots forged by him for himself, into the
ballot box in the presence of his political
opponents who testify against him. That
such high-class citizen with the business
and social interests of Mr.. Ross should
stoop to ballot-box stuffing, would seem
incomprehensible, but three men were
found to swear to the charges and spring
big sensation"
| Mr.. Ross states that after he voted in
the morning, he was not in or around the
polls the balance of the day. The Herald,
remembering the pending $250,000 damage
suit instituted by Sheriff Cronan, the Irish
| Catholic candidate for mayor, actually
fails to print the full statement of Ross.
Some Witnesses Against Ross
Against Ross word is the testimony of
three Whallen ward-heelers.
Andy Fender, saloon-keeper at 9th
and Walnut streets with criminal court
record (See Indictment 26,644) accommo-
datingly "fled away" by the powers that
be, but which is liable to be reinstated un-
less the Whallens win the election. His
saloon is one of the negro crap game re-
sorts and is protected by the usual sign oi
"Chas. ]. Cronan For Mayor" over the
door. Fender is used as a Democratic
election officer.
MAX Gravonsky, conducts negro pool
room and crap game near 9th and Walnu
and is likewise protected by the politica
| gangsters to whom he owes allegiance. H,
also operates a secondhand store where
it is alleged, he deals extensively in good
sold to him by persons whose lawful own
ership of the same could not be estab
lished-known in thieves language as
"fence." Several years ago he was charge
by an insurance company with settin
fire to his own house to get the insur
ance money. (See indictment 33066.
This indictment was also obligingly file
away by the accommodating Whale
court, though the poor negro who acted q
Gravonsky's alleged accomplice was sent
the penitentiary. Unless the Whale
Gang is elected, the Gravonsky indictmer
is likely to be re-instated at any time. Q
course Mr.. Gravonsky flies huge Wha
len banner over his place to show that b
is a true and loyal member of the ring.