The Daily Clarion

The Panola Fraud.
In another column will be found a letter to the Appeal setting forth the scheme which the Sheriff of Panola and his deputy were engaged in when detected, to stuff the ballot boxes and alter the registration records. Also a card from Ozanne giving a disconnected and unsatisfactory account of his connection with the matter. Like all culprits he pleads innocence; but makes a scapegoat of Davis, his deputy, whose conduct he admits (not to put too fine a point on it) "was indiscreet and uncalled for." The whole matter is in the hands of competent managers. In the meantime, a colored Republican candidate for the Legislature, disgusted with the meanness of his political associates, has withdrawn from the canvass.
The Charges Against Ozanne, Davis & Co. Reiterated—Additional Evidence of Ozanne's Complicity

Cards from W. W. Howe and Sheriff Ozanne Denying all Participation In the Attempted Fraud of Davis.

[Special to the Appeal.]

Sardis, October 21.—Sheriffs in Mississippi, under the law, have nothing to do with preparing ballot-boxes; but Sheriff Ozanne, of this county, in defiance of law, and, (being a candidate for office,) regardless of good taste, a few days since, presuming on his paramount authority as the Radical chief and high-cockalorum of Panola county, delivered the ballot-boxes, heretofore used as such, to a mechanic, with instructions to place certain new locks, furnished by Ozanne, upon the boxes, giving as a reason therefor that the keys of the old locks had all been lost. Now, since the rascality of Ozanne, Davis & Co., in tampering with the books of registration, has been unearthed, Ozanne, with all the meekness and innocence of a Moses, comes forward with the keys of the old locks, thereby exhibiting to the light of day more of the devilishness of a Judas Iscariot. Had not the first trick been discovered, the last would have remained sealed: and in that event, had the first failed of accomplishing their nefarious schemes, Ozanne and Davis might then have brought into requisition their duplicate keys, stuffed the ballot-boxes, and either defeated a fair election, by having themselves counted in, or had the election declared null and void. The mechanic employed by Ozanne to put new locks on the ballot-boxes, being an intelligent man and a Conservative, had his suspicions aroused by the conduct of Ozanne, and revealed the above facts. Orange Brent, a colored member of the Mississippi legislature from this county, and a candidate for re-election on the Howe and Ozanne ticket, has published a card repudiating the remainder of the ticket in strong language, and withdrawing from the ticket.

CARD FROM SHERIFF OZANNE.

Sardis, Miss., Oct. 21.—The sensational extra issued by the Star office, in connection with my deputy, Mr. Davis, and the registration books, would induce my friends and the public in general to believe me guilty of the charge made therein. After having been in the county for nearly ten years, and trying to establish a character equal to the best, and in my association with the people, extending to them all the favors at my gift, and receiving myself many in return, one stroke of the pen from Democratic leaders would, if they could, destroy it all; and for what? simply for party capital only. I will not speak of Mr. Davis's action, the matter having been referred to an unbiased tribunal; I only ask the public to suspend an opinion until the matter has been fully and closely investigated. Had I had any intention of perpetrating or having any fraud perpetrated upon the people of this county as Sheriff, I had the exclusive appointment of one of the registrars, and I could even have appointed Mr. Davis, my deputy, as one of said registrars, had I been inclined to have had any influence over said board or their books. I will not deny that the action of Mr. Davis was indiscreet and uncalled for, it was done wholly without my knowledge, and had he consulted me in regard to it I should certainly never have permitted it. When two of the registrars called on me to select some one to assist them in the revision of the books, they mentioned Mr. Davis, when I promptly objected to having anything to do with the books. Mr. Davis has been in my employ for twenty-eight months, the people have had as much intercourse with him at my office as myself. I have never seen anything which would justify me in withdrawing from him my friendship. I am not of a disposition to kick at a man because he is in trouble, until it has been fully established that he is a criminal. I trust my friends will not act too hastily in listening to sensational reports, and give both sides of the question a just and careful consideration, and wait until the matter has received the most scrutinizing investigation.

As far as the charges and insinuations in said extra against me personally are concerned, I denounce them as wilful and malicious falsehoods in every particular, and gotten up to make political capital against me.

U. OZANNE,
Sheriff of Panola county, Miss.