It was about this period that the Ohio ballot box forgery matter became a subject of discussion. On the 11th of September, Richard G. Wood appeared in Columbus, and delivered to Foraker the following paper, and received the governor's recommendation for the smoke inspectorship in Cincinnati:
"Washington, D. C., July 2, 1888. "We, the undersigned, agree to pay the amounts set opposite, or any part thereof, whenever requested so to do by John R. McLean, upon 'Contract No. 1,000,' a copy of which is to be given to each subscriber upon payment of any part of the money hereby subscribed.
"It is understood that each subscription of five thousand dollars shall entitle the subscriber thereof to a one-twentieth interest in said contract.
1. J. E. Campbell . . . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
2. J. E. Campbell . . . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
3. J. E. Campbell . . . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
4. Wm. McKinley . . . . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
5. Justin R. Whiting . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
6. Justin R. Whiting . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
7. B. Butterworth . . . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
8. John Sherman . . . . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
9. John Sherman . . . . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
10. S. S. Cox . . . . . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
11. Wm. C. P. Breckinridge . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
12. Wm. McAdoo . . . . . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
13. John R. McPherson . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
14. John R. McPherson . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
15. John R. McPherson . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
16. F. B. Stockbridge . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
17. F. B. Stockbridge . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
18. …………….. . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
19. …………….. . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
20. …………….. . . . . . . Five Thousand Dollars.
The paper referred to in this alleged agreement as "Contract No. 1,000" purported to be a contract for the manufacture and introduction of the Hall and Wood ballot box, to be used by the United States government whenever it had the authority to use ballot boxes. The merit claimed for the box was that it was constructed in such a manner as to prevent fraudulent voting. This alleged agreement and contract, taken in connection with a bill introduced July 23, 1888, by Mr. Campbell, in the House of Representatives, "regulating Federal elections and to promote the purity of the ballot," which required the purchase by the government of the ballot box mentioned, would of course, if true, present a clear case of corruption on the part of the Members of Congress signing the agreement, so grave as to justify their expulsion.
A copy of this paper was handed by Governor Foraker to Murat Halstead on the 28th of September, and on the evening of that day the governor made a speech at the Music Hall, Cincinnati, in which he referred to Mr. Campbell having introduced the bill for the purchase of the ballot box. On the 4th of October, Halstead published in the "Commercial-Gazette" a fac-simile of the false paper, with the name of Campbell alone, the names of the other apparent signers not being given in the fac-simile and nothing being said about them. On the 8th of October I was informed that it was whispered about Cincinnati that my name, with many others, was attached to the paper. I at once telegraphed that if this were so the signature was a forgery.
When I spoke at Orrville two days later I did not allude to the subject, regarding the whole thing as an election canard which would correct itself. In a brief time this became true. The whole paper was proven to be a forgery. The alleged signatures were made on tracing paper, from franks on documents distributed by Congressmen. All this was done by Wood, or by his procurement, in order to get an office through Governor Foraker. Halstead, on the 11th of October, published in his paper, over his own name, a statement that Mr. Campbell's signature was fraudulent, no mention being made of the other alleged signers of the paper. Subsequently, on the 10th of November, after the election, Foraker wrote a letter to Halstead giving a narrative of the mode by which he was misled into believing the paper to be genuine.
It has always seemed strange to me that Foraker, having in his possession a paper which implicated Butterworth, McKinley and myself, in what all men would regard as a dishonorable transaction, did not inform us and give us an opportunity to deny, affirm or explain our alleged signatures. An inquiry from him to either of the persons named would have led to an explanation at once. No doubt Foraker believed the signatures genuine, but that should not have deterred him from making the inquiry.
On the 12th of November, I wrote the following letter to Halstead:
"Senate Chamber, } "Washington, November 12, 1889.} "My Dear Sir:—Now that the election is over, I wish to impress upon you the importance of making public the whole history of the 'forged paper' about ballot boxes.