Historical Wyoming County September 1949 - Old Fulton History

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fight than eat, landed in the The second day there were but
street on top of J, .'A,. McElwain, • few votes offered, no illegal
one of Rumsey's friends, who from one. The Bucktails concluded not
his business of oil-making was to make two bights of a cherry,
nick-named, "The Grease Grinder". and would all come the last day
After the par tie's had landed in and vote then. They did come,
the street, "The Grease Grinder" bareheaded and barefooted, many
had no trouble in changing his of them with their collars open
position to the one on top and at and their billies in their hands,
the same time each was told to prepared to vote at all hazards.
"Give it to him I",but the parties Very much to their surprise, when
had better common sense, for nei- they came to the hollow(there was
ther of them offered any assault no village then) they found the
upon the other. Soon the "grease sheriff and eight or ten of his
grinder" proposed to Rice to get deputies and magistrates formed
up, which lie readily accepted. beside the street to see that the
Rice, after getting up and stand- law was enforced that last day of
ing around a little, wishing to election, and it was. The notice
brag of his achievements, said, which the committee received from
"I guess the d 'Grease Grinder, their older friends would have
he's sore where I bit him L» been promptly carried out had
The polls opened
afternoon at the old
they not got the sheriff and his
In the men the last day to assist them.
Jenkins j
tavern on the East Hill, There ] Mr. Rumsey had attended the
Rumsey had his clothes, all above |polls the first two days and had
his pants, torn off to the skin ! been roughly \ised, so on the last
in attempting to get him out of I day he thought it would be no
the house. He immediately bor- |more than right that some other
rowed a coat of a friend and but- |person should take his place,That
toned it up, ready to object to ]duty was assigned to J, A, Mc-
the next illegal voter. The evenlElwain, one of the youngest of
ing of the first day, the Vigil- |the committee. The presence of
ance Committee began to think I the sheriff and his staff,includthat
what they had been told, in |ing the board(all politically opthe
first place might prove true. |posed), all determined to take
To be safe, they arranged to send I more responsibility than on the
a private express to Batavia that I first two days in sustaining the
night to notify the sheriff and flaw of the State. McElwain dishis
staff of the' trouble they |covered, during the afternoon,
were having and requested him to lone of our responsible citizens
attend the last day. Col. Arden fat the door talking very earnest-
Woodruff v;as dispatched for the fly with two bullies, or roughs,
purpose.
|who occasionally eyed him. So he