Muncie Post-Democrat, Muncie, Delaware County, 29 October 1925 — Page 1

THE POST - DEMOCRAT

Volume 5—No. 39.

MUNCIE, INDIANA, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29,1925.

Price 5 Cents a Copy—$2.00 a Year

Big Election Fraud is Discovered in Muncie

Everything coroes out in the wash, as the old saying goes. The democratic city central committee, serving as washwoman, has discovered the most amazing election frauds ever attempted in the state of Indiana. After wrestling for days with official registration and primary election records, the democratic workers are simply astounded at the wholesale frauds uncovered. With the positive evidence that illegal votes, possibly in excess of two thousand were cast for Hampton in the spring primary, the expression was general, “No wonder he beat Cal

Farisl”

And the joke of it is that Hampton and his crew of political pirates have the unutterable gall to think that they will be permitted to use the same blackjack on Milt Retherford.

In the primary last spring they voted them from vacant lots, empty houses, school yards, stables, garages, woodsheds and business rooms. They got by with it in the primary, but as under the new law those who voted were automatically registered, the evidence of the wholesale crime

appears in the records.

It is now easy enough to see why City Clerk Dalby, in a panic, grabbed the election records the day after the primary, took them home with him and kept them there under lock and key, under orders from Billy Williams for many days, producing them only after Cal Paris had abandoned his original intention of contesting the election. ~ ~~ — Dalby hid these records because he knew that they contained damning and conclusive evidence of the wholesale frauds which have been revealed by the investigation of the democratic precinct workers. If Cal Paris had contested the election with Hampton, and got the case before a fair judge, the crooked work would have been exposed early in the year, instead of late in the city campaign. It is estimated that at least fift epn hundred illegal votes-were ca^t for Hampton in the primary. “Repeaters” were voted in every precinct and absent voters’ ballots bearing the names of fictitious persons and giving imaginary addresses, were used in large numbers. With all this stealing it was necessary for the Billy Williams boards to throw out additional votes to beat Paris. It was impossible on primary day to check up on these frauds, but since every “phony” vote cast in the primary means the automatic registration of the names and addresses, it has been easy to detect the fraud. In some precincts it is shown that there were more than one hundred illegal votes cast. Having employed these fake names in the primary to defeat Paris, the Hampton crowd is preparing to try the trick a second time, using floaters, repeaters and absent voters’ ballots. In order to get ready for the attempted fraud City Clerk Dalby ordered 3,600 absent voters’ ballots printed. Quite likely Dutch Anderson, Gerald Chapman and the “Big Turk” have sent in their absent voter ballots by this time. Dispassionately viewing the work done by Billy Wiliams and his gang, as disclosed by the primary election records, we have no hestitancy in saying that Bath House John and Hinky Dink, in their palmiest days, never tried anything in Chicago half as raw. For instance twenty-five or thirty phony voters are registered from a church in the south part of the city. Whijje this imaginary congregation was being voted by Hampton’s repeaters, Bob Graves was hauling a bunch of colored voters from poll to poll, voting them under different names in each precinct. Four voters, with names unknown to Muncie, voted from 114 South Elm street. The structure standing on the spot which should be 114 South Elm street is the barn at the north end of the lot upon which stands the residence of former mayor Rollin H. Bunch. “Richard Bebout” voted from 509 West Main street, first precinct, and was given registration number 725. M. E. Bartlett, residing at 509 West Main street says no on by the name of Richard Bebout ever lived at his home and he never heard of such a person. “James Gossey,” registration number 674, and “Blanche Gossey,” number 675, both in the first precinct, were supposed to have voted from 215 South High street. There is no such number and no such names in the city directory. The location gievn

would be the entrance to the alley in the block occupied by High Street

Methodist church.

“Everet Viles” and “Gladys Viles, two more imaginary voters whose votes were employed to help swell the fraudulent vote for Hampton in the primary ,are registered from the home of A. F. Meeks, 216 West Adams street, in the shadow also of High street Methodist church. Nobody by the name of Viles ever lived there, according to Mrs. Meeks. “Lester Covn,” another fake voter whose phony cognomen was used to help Hampton in the primary, and which Hampton’s gang hopes to use next Tuesday, is registered from the home of Harry Walk, well known Muncie attorney, 512 West Jackson street. Mr. Walk is indignant that his residence should be selected as the imaginary home of one of Hampton’s fraudulent voters. He never even heard of a man by the name of

Lester Covn.

“Celia Gise,” unknown, is registered from 101 South Franklin street. There is no such number and nobody ever heard of Celia Gise, yet her name was on the records which Dalby grabbed and ran away with when Cal Paris threatened to contest the primary. ^~ Daniel Imes is registered from Chris Heckenhauer’s shop, 305 1-2 North High street. A junk dealer named Daniel Imes is said to have lived in Muncie a number of years ago, but no such man lives here now, nor does anybody at all live in the Heckenhauer shop. These are only a few cases typical of hundreds and hundreds. People were surprised when the daily newspapers published the statement that twenty-four thousand voters had registered. There were that many registrations, all right, but probably three thousand of them are absolute-

ly fraudulent.

The Billy Williams gang started out in the spring to steal the primary but honest election officers will be in charge of the polling places and there will be wholesale arrests if an attempt is made to repeat the pri-

mary fraud.

One couple, a man and woman who were run out of Muncie and are now operating a blind tiger in Fort Wayne have hopes of casting fifty votes for Hampton. They are registered in every one of the twenty-four precincts under assumed names and in their own former precinct in their proper

names.

The plan was to vote the fifty fake names by absent voters’ ballots. Over one hundred fraudulent registrations were brought down from Fort Wayne. Hampton, Pete Everson and Sheriff Hoffman worked personally in Fort Wayne. The Post-Democrat could fill this entire issue with specific instances of fraudulent registration and fraudulent voting in the spring primary. The fraud is a matter of public record. Any one interested in decent elections and a fair count can verify these facts by calling at democratic headquarters in the Delaware hotel and examining the public records. In the light of this disgusting registration scandal, the statement of a local newspaper, that no fraud had been enacted here, deserves a place in the New Joe Miller Book. Republican City Chairman John Lupton has also put out the statement that he wants a fair election and does not want his candidate for mayor to receive a vote to which he I is not entitled. Uncle John was city ! chairman last spring when Hampton | received about two thousand that did | not belong to him, yet we do not re- ! call that any complaint came from

Lupton.

People of Muncie, will you vote with a gang that will deliberately violate the election laws? Could you trust such people in office?

STAY WITH THE GUNS There is some talk that there is a disaffection among groups of Southside democrats who voted for Cliff Cranor in the primary and that they contemplate voting for John Hampton. Cliff Cranor himself is a true democrat who will cast his vote for the democratic ticket, from top to bottom, and it is inconceivable that he could be in sympathy, in any way, with any movement within the democratic party, looking to the success of the rotten Billy Williams machine. I supported Cliff Cranor in the primary, both by my vote and through the columns of this newspaper. Milt Retherford was my second choice in that contest. He is now my first and only choice for mayor. When I cast my lot with Cliff Cranor in the primary, I worked shoulder to shoulder with some of the best people on earth. We were defeated in the primary by a narrow margin in the mayoralty contest, but won notably in contests for several of the other nominations. We made a clean and honorable fight, have nothing to regret, and there is no reason under the shining sun why every man and woman who voted for Cliff Cranor should not now give his or her whole-hearted support to

the democratic ticket.

I have had many things done to me by the republican machine because of my steadfast and unfaltering fight against political corruption in Muncie and Delaware county, but if any of my own political friends, with whom I worked and sacrificed in the city primary, join hands now with the bitter foes of the Post-Democrat, and cast their votes for John Hampton, I can only say that “this is the most unkindest cut of all.” The Billy Williams machine and its satellites in office have done everything they can possibly do to drive the Post-Democrat out of existence and to send me to prison. John Hampton is the trained Ku Klux jury commissioner for Judge Dearth’s court who has filled Delaware county juries with male and female parasites of the Billy Williams gang. When I was tried, and most ridiculously convicted, for “libeling” George Roeger, John Hampton, not satisfied with having selected the regular jury panel, sat in a darkened back room of the sheriff’s office and conferred with jury “pick ups” who were brought in by Sheriff Hoffman to fill vacacies occasioned by challenge. Judge Dearth had already fined me one thousand dollars and sentenced me to six months imprisonment for contempt. In the Mbel case I had no more chance than a cat in hell without claws before a jury selected by the gang that sought to destroy me.

How a friend of the Post- Democrat could hold his nose long enough to cast a vote for John Hampton,

wholly beyond my understanding.

is

For five years this newspaper has been winning friends among all classes and all parties by

truth about a consciencless group of political freebooters.

telling the

existing

Thousands of republicans of the highest type, informed by the Post-Democrat of the corruption within their party have enlisted in this fight to overthrow a rotten political oligarchy.

The moment of a great victory for the people is at hand arid all true democrats should put their shoulders

to the wheel and help swell the majority.

Now is the time for all democrats to wipe out all thought oi trivial differences growing out of the primary

contest.

The Post-Democrat began fighting the Billy Williams mad» : ne years before this city campaign was thought of. Those with whom we were associated in the primary campat^u were and are still, warm triends of the 1 os Democrat. If any of them assist the Hampton campaign they will he striking bitter blows directly at this newspaper, which was their friend, and supported their cause in the primary. A democratic victory, anddefeat of the Williams-Dearth-H»*enton-Hoffman machine, will be a victory for the the principles espoused and fought for by the Prist-Democrat for live years If I have suffered continuous scurrilous abuse, impoverishment, criminal prosecution, imprisonment twice in the county jail and once on the penal farm at the hands of the enemy, only to taste the bitter ashes of defeat at the hands of men and women who ought to be my friends.then will my cup of sorrow overflow. In this unequal five year contest I have never asked for quarter. I have never been disloyal to a friend and ;he enemy has yet to see my back. To those of you, who, with me, fought for Cliff Cranor in the primary, please to regard our failure to nominate our friend as a sufficient excuse for deserting to the enemy camp, let me urge you, m all seriousness, please don’t do it. • The lying Hampton organization is persisting in spreading the scurrilous libel that the democratic Southside wiil cast its vote for him. Let’s nail that lie on the head by carrying every Southside precinct for the democratic ticket by recordbreaking majorities. This is no time for hair splitting. Itis a time for sacrifice and self-forgetfulness in the cause of good citizenship and political decency. Don’t let the people of Muncie point the finger of scorn at the Post-Democrat and say: “See what your friends went and did.” Reflect, and avoid the Hampton camp as you would a pestilence.

BOOTS AND HER BUDDIES One night last week police raided the home of Pearl Moore, white, 502 East Second street. Pearl was all “lit up” as were a mixed group of whites and negroes, men and women, who were in the house. “We’re all for Hampton,’ declared Pearl. “John’s my buddy and he’s going to be the next mayor of Muncie.” Police searched the house for liquor and in every room they found campaign cards and pictures of John Hampton, Harry Redkey and Maynel Dalby, republican candidate for mayor, city judge and city clerk. “Hump” and Mary Lee, colored, were raided twice last week. Considerable liquor was secured and the interior of Hump’s “tiger was profusely decorated with pictures and cards of Hampton, the mighty sheik, Dalby, the careless and Redkey, the bosom friend of Bob Graves. Hump Lee is an understudy of Bob Graves and is said to be keeping the homefires burning while Bob is being detained' at Michigan City prison. Hump was with Bob and helped shoot up Franklin hall when Ardelle Hutchings was murdered. When neighbors complained of a riotous gathering at Pete Barlow’s, 426 East Second street, the other night, a squad of police called to investigate. Several empty bottles were found and a very talkative crowd. It was a Hampton meeting and Pete Eckerle, the klux grocer who went on a bootlegger’s bond for a thousand dollars two years ago and was not required by Judge Dearth to pay when the bootlegger jumped the bond, was to be the speaker of the evening. Barlow’s guests were assembled for the purpose of formulating ways and means to make Muncie bigger and better and to make Muncie safe for the bootleggers. ~ Ambrose Golliver and Ray Clouse, who recently opened a joint on Walnut street in the room formerly occupied by the Linn shoe market, and are conducting a dime grabbing gambling house, are out whooping things up for Hampton and telling their friends that they are going to “put on the works” as soon as the big boy gets to be mayor. Ralph Lyon’s petty gambling house, the Banner Cigar Store, is still a center of Hampton activity and Art Stout’s cigar store and card room on South Walnut street, is strong for the candidate who declares that he is for “law and order.” Bob Hinshaw, holding forth at Brownie’s, who has become affluent taking bets on the ponies, is also strong for a change of adminstration. Once in a blue moon Bob loses a bet. When Hampton becomes mayor he is going to have an ordinance passed making it a penitentiary offense for a patron of the race track to leave Browne’s with more than a nickel left in his pocket.

THE CITY ELECTION

It is the duty of all partriotic citizens to go to the polls Tuesday and vote for Milt Retherford and his assoviates on the democratic ticket. In asking the men and women of Muncie to vote for Mr. Retherford we are not making a partisan appeal. It is a question of whether Billy Williams is to rule the city or not. John Hampton is a mere figurehead. If he should hapepn to be elected Mayor he would have nothing to say concerning the conduct of municipal affairs. Billy Williams would relieve him of the necessity of doing any thinking for himself. Billy would do his thinking for him. He does the thinking for the county commissioners. He rewards and he punishes. , Sheriff Hoffman obeys Billy in all things and the benevolent despot has allowed Hoffman to become rich through felonious contracts with the county. Prosecutor Ogle and Judge Dearth worship at his shrine. Ogle has jumped from poverty to affluence and the boss raised Dearth’s salary and allowed him to put his, Dearth’s, wife and sister-in-law on the public payroll. If John Hampton should be elected mayor of Muncie it would merely mean that Billy Williams wuld have the same control in the city that he has now in the county. He would name the police force and gamblers and bootleggers who are now supporting Hampton would pay tribute to the boss, and reveive favors from him. The board of works would be a creature of his designing and contracts for public work would not be let on the competitive system, but by agreement with the boss.

“Fraud and More Fraud” Real Slogan of Hampton Crowd

With the horrifying thought pressing down that a vast majority of the men and women of Muncie expect to cast their votes for Milt Retherford and the democratic ticket Tuesday, the Billy Williams organization is resorting to rank and palpable fraud in the maniuplation of absent voters’ ballots. This week workers sent out from republican headquarters have been going from house to house in every precinct inducing persons in good health, and perfectly able to go to the polls in person, to vote as absent voters. Women have been doing this delectable piece of trickery. Rose Cowgill, a worker employed by John Lupton, republican city chairman, secured a number of these fraudulent absent voters’ ballots. Tuesday morning she called on Eliza Gillon, 1409 West Fourteenth street and induced her to sign a request for an absent ballot. Later in the day Mrs. Cowgill called at the Dillon home with a balot, which she induced Mrs. - 4 Dillon to sign. Mrs. Dillon said the Cowgill woman told her that it would save her the trouble of going to the polls on election day and that she had a right to vote that way. Mrs.Dillon says she was not requested to sign the usual affidavit. If it was sworn to at all when it was presented to City Clerk Dalby, it had to be some notary or officer who was not present when Mrs. Dillon signed it. Mrs. Dillon has made an affidavit that she is in good health, that she has no reason to believe that she will be absent from Muncie on election day and that she is perfectly able to go to the polls. This only one of numberless cases where representatives of the Hampton candidacy have openly violated the election law. Mrs. Alice Rodecop, 1411 West Fourteenth street, the next door neighbor of Mrs. Dillon, also marked an absent voter’s ballot and gave it to the Cowgill woman. Mrs. Rodecap is in good health and able to go to the polls in person. We mention these two cases as typical of scores and scores that have been discovered. The Hampton workers are so exceedingly kind and non-part-isan, also, in their efforts along this line! In every case they tell the women that it is nothing to them how they vote. All they have in mind is to save busy housewives long and tiresome trips to Uu.- polls -.>« dlocvloa dsy. “Vote as you please; here is a lead pencil, mark your ballot and hand it over to me; I will see that it is turned over to the city clerk and voted,” is the kind offer. Lead pencil marks are easily rubbed out. Would you trust your ballot in the hands of persons who knowingly violate the election laws by inducing able bodied persons who expect to be here on election day to vote as absent voters? The local dailies have announced the slogan of John Lupton, republican city chairman: “Let’s have a fair election and see that no fraudulent votes are cast.” Imagine John Lupton, taking orders from Billy Williams, who always votes the entire county infirmary roster as absent voters, talking about a fair election. If John and Billy have their way about it, (which they won’t) the election Tuesday will be just as fair, and no fairer, than the primary, in which Bob Graves and his gang voted repeaters in every precinct on the Southside and did their part toward swelling the total of the two thousand fraudulent votes that were used tonominat e Hampton and steal the nomination from Cal Faris.

CITY CLERK DALBY’S BLUNDER COST TAXPAYERS 12 THOUSAND DOLLARS

In the year of 1924 the citizens of Muncie were compelled to dig doi into their pockets and pay $12,000 because of a blunder made by City Cle Dalby, who is now asking to be re-elected. On September 6, 1922, Dalby certified to the county auditor that i council had fied the tax rate for park purposes at seven cents on each t hundred dollars valuation in thecity.when, as matter of fact the council fis the rate at five cents on the hundred dollars. On page 155, ordinance record number 6, section of “An Ordinance Le' ging the Taxes of the City of Muncie, Indiana, for Year 1923,” says: “Be it further ordained that a tax of five (5) cents on each one hi dred dollars valuation or over be levied and collected on all property, real a personal, in the city of Muncie, on the city of Muncie, on the general list taxables of said city for the year of 1925, subject by law to taxation for ps purposes.” The ceritfication of the rate, filed by City Clerk Dalby, and sworn contained what purported to be a copy of Section 4 of the ordinance but w notably different in a vital respect. Dalby fixed the rate at seven cents a hi dred in his sworn certificte,making an increase in the rate for park purpo which cost the taxpayers twelve thousand dollars last year. If Dalby did this purposely he committed perjury when he swore t the council had fixed the park rate at seven cents. If he blundered, the net suit was the same as if he had intentionally sworn falsely. The tax pay were compelled to dig up twelve thousand dollars needlessly in the year IS Dalby tries to tell everybody that he has been the watchdoy of the tre ury. As a matter of fact he has been a rather costly piece of furniture.

Make no mistake. The hungry pack that has bankrupt the county is yelping at the threshold of Muncie. Their master, swinging the bull whip is goading them on for the final effort.

Be on guard Tuesday and g Muncie from the disgrace of bee ing a mere chattel in the hands of unscrupulous political trickster. KEEP THE WOLVES AWAY.

A.

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