Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE M M I KK WATCKMAN. I -.hlied April, 1SS0, "Be Just and l'car uot?tot ?II tile ends Thou Alirs't at be thy Country's, Thy God's and Tralh'a." TUE TRUE SOl'TIIROX, Established June, 1S4?. Consolidated Aug. 3,1881. 8UMTER, S. C, SATURDAY, AUGUST 30, 1913. Vol. XXXVII. No. 2. ELECTION DECLARED FOR DISPENSARY I rohibitionists Give Notice of Appeal to State Board of Canvassers. CAUSES HOT DISCUSSION. Result, at Complet\>n of Tabulation of Commissioners of Election Shows a Total of 470 Votes for the Dispensary and 466 Votes for Prohibition?Ten Prohibition Votes Withdrawn and Deducted From Previous Count and Four Dispensary Votes Withdrawn?Affidavits of Dispensary Advocates Prevail Over Those of Prohibitionists. From The Dally Item, Aug. 26. Confusion reigned from the time that th'? commissioners of election opened their session shortly before noon Tuesday umil the last vote had been counted and the chairman had decided to allow the attorneys for the dispensary more time In which to secure evidence that votes had been Illegally cast for prohibition in Ward 2. Thlu was after every box had been canvassed and It was seen that the returns gave a majority of two votes agsinst the dispensary. The count as tabulated resulted In changes for both sides at a number of precincts, reducing the number of votes to 4 76 sgalnst the dispensary and 474 in favor of it. The tabulat? ed vote as made by the commission? ers wa?: Against For Ward 1. 4 3 23 Ward I. 127 9< Ward 2. 07 61 Ward 4. 38 40 Providence. 31 :i sfsyesvtlle. 20 20 Concord. 22 5U Privateer. 32 70 Hhiloh. 21 41 Otrwego. 22 2 Mlddleton. 20 16 Btateburg. t 10 Rafting Cfsjek. 11 16 Manchester. 3 11 I 476 474 The whole session was a battle be? tween the attorneys for prohibition on the one side and the attorneys for the dispensary on the other side. As each new box was taken up there was a lit? tle lull In the noise and confusion of Voices, but aa the count was announc? ed the confusion broke out again with redoubled fury The crowd hlb d the mom. until It was almost suffocatlnglv hot around the table where the com? missioners of flection were gathered. Their Job was not an easy one, but the hardest Job of all was that designated to the stenographer, who was sup? posed to tske down the proceedings. Motion and counter-nod ion w as made Without cessation. Repeatedly ordei war called for. but the. crowd was n<>t sn orderly one. those present had to express their feelings and they did so. whether it disturbed the board or not. Sn,?n after the meeting was called V4r. If C <'uttino, on* of the mem hers, th.tntened to put eversboiy out of the room, when Judge It. < >. i'urdv again and again called on the chair? man of the b...ird to hear his protests. Practically every motion made by the attorneys for the prohibitlonlati was overruled, or passed by us not worth listening to. Mr. Jennings and Mr. ?'iiffon. attorneys for the dispensary, Were called on sewral times for advice by Members of the board The crowd In the room *;is seeming? ly equally divided, and ca< b person was ;.n Interested WfM* latoff and p it tl< Ipator. Ae the first box as opened Judge I'urdv mude his entrance and naked f T time In which !? mack a protest against Um pr.tsUnn The whole election wa-< protested on the ground that one-third of the ?|ualkhed \oters of the county had not petitioned fof th?* Sj|gS IftSjf The protest *as made in the name of i? James Wing and an affidavit to thn* effe< t was made by Y. V. Miller Fui iber Information sboiK thM line Was prodmed by Mr. I'urdy ss to the methods of Super vis??r Pitts In ascertaining the nunv her of registered voters signing the petition Mr Jcnn.na* ma lc ohj?? tb?n to i hi < evidence on I he ground that It was the same a* bid been sei before Judg?*'* Wilson, when be had ruled In favor of holding tin- eb.ie.n Judae I'urdy stated that Jndge Wll son *tat?w1 that the prohibit IonIstx bid a remedy at law and produced I In law to tola cflc-t, Hut UM matin should come before the commission? 's of election for them to pass on. J. E. DuPre, chairman of the hoard, overruled Judge Purdy's motion and state I that the law made it manda? tory up >n the commissioners of elec? tion to meet and canvass the vote and declare the election and he pro? posed for the hoard to do this. Messrs Clifton and Jennings, when called up? on for their opinion, were in favor of and upheld this ruling by the \ chairman. Mr. IX fX Moise stated at this point that he was present to represent antl dispensary forces and that he wanted all votes to be counted, unless thej dispensary forces could show that ( they were Illegal. This point was ' disputed pro and con by the attorneys j ! and members of the hoard and it was) during the disputes that Mr. Cotttno declared that unless the board was allowed to proceed without so many interruptions, it would put everybody out and canvass the votes in secrecy. Judge Purdy explained that he only wanted fair play and he thought it but right that it should be granted to all. At the close of the canvassing of the votes in the tirat box, Judge Purdy challenged the whole box on the grounds that the ballots were of an illegal size. In Ward 2 one vote was withdrawn because Mr. J. W. Mc? Coy was allowed to vote against the dispensary without a ccrtlticate. All , of tho contested votes were thrown out. When it came to Ward 3, there was again a long discussion and dis? pute, all of the contested votes llnal ly being withdrawn, on the state? ment of one of the managers that only two of the persons casting them having both registration certificates and duplicates from the clerk of court. Mr. COttlno called for tie Provi? dence registration hook and had the voters names on the poll list tallied with the names on the book. Every? thing was found correct. At Concord five mutilated votes were taken out, four against the dis? pensary and one for it. There was a great deal of dis< ussion as to the rea? son for writing on the ballots, the rotOtl themselves being present and stating in most cases it was at the Instance of managers. Privateer showed one more ballot than names on the poll list and the box was reduced by one dispensary vote, which was drawn by Mr. Cut tlno. The prohibition Vote was also reduced by one because it was stat? ed that someone had voted at the box who had not shown his poll tax receipt for 11* 12. 1 The result at Bhlloh was changed to U for and 21 against, no recount being (ailed for. OOWegO was also tallied with the registration book, but found to be correct. At Mlddleton no ? hange was made, while at Stateburg, the rciorns from the managen was announced ;<s I against nnd 1<> fol the dispensary, giving a majority of one instead of a majority of live for the dispensary. ' At Rafting Creek Mr, DuPre stat? ed everything was correct, except as to the four contested votes, which were not counted by the board. At Bloom Hill no ? hongC was made. The votes were then counted up und it was found that their was still a majority of IWo against the dispen? sary, Mr. Jennings made a motion that the board take ? recess until he could get evidence In shoo thsi more votes against the dlspcnsnr> should be taken from Word I, There wer? protests on nil sides from the anti dispensary men The chairman nl the board had ruled once prior t" this during the da) that i he sutl-dlspeti sar> men must secure evidence bet.,re the looming Ui the balbds was r. pleted Ol he WOOld not admit it. and h-? was now abked for fair i'Ui}. Uel overruled the motion and stated that the hoard would take a recess until 4.10, when '.t would re-convene to hoar any further evidence and de? clare the result. Again the prohibit? ionists called for fair play, but he re? fused to listen and declined to tall the election on the results as tabu? lated from the returns. Htlbbllb and confusion reigned for ?bout live or ten minutes until the Chairman announced a recess ajrid there was no further use for argu? ment. There were witty remarks thrown OUt by both sides at Intervals and sev? eral times the attorneys for the pro? hibitionists were caught in traps. One vote mutilated from Concord was consented to by Mr. Seabrook, but ob? jected to a moment later, when he found that it was for the dispensary. All boxes were challenged on ac? count of the size of the ballot except those where the prohibitionists had a majority. Mr. J. B. DuPre was caught fairly In a trap, when after reading several paragraphs from n pamphlet, which he stated had been given to him as the law and by Which he would go, was referred to another paragraph which Indicated the size of legal ballots, but at this point his eyes were too bad for him to read the Indicated paragraph. The board meets again at 4.30 to hear any further evidence and to de? clare the result of the election. Vrom the Daily Item, Aug. 27. The election of last Tuesday was declared at 4 o'clock this afternoon, after an interesting session beginning at 11 o'clock, for the dispensary by a majority of four votes, the complete tabulation of the managers showing a return of 470 votes for the dispen? sary and 411 votes for prohibition. The session of the board continued over from Tuesday afternoon was well attended and the interested crowd of spectators watched and lis? tened to every move of each side with the most intense attention. At ev? ery contested point the dlspensar advocates won out und the election went to them. Numerous affidavits were submit? ted on both sides, but in this contest of affidavits, as well as in the legal and technical disputes before the boa/d those of the dispensary adv. COtes prevailed over those of the anti dispensaryltcs. A number of votes were withdrawn from the boxes, or reduced from the previous count, ten of these being prohibition votes and four of them dispensary votes, thus l changing the result from the two ma? jority which the tabulation of Tues? day gave to prohibition to a majority of four for the dispensary. Today, as on yesterday, the legal battle was a hotly contested one. At every point the prohibitionists or the dispensaryitcs protested and ground was given slowly by the prohibitionists who wer? overruled in each contest by the chairman Of the board. The ballots on which the re? sult was changed today from Tues? day's tabulation were the following: It was alleged that A. G. Spears, Sr., had voted on the registration certificate of A. O. Spears, Jr., and de? spite the presence of an affidavit from A. G. Spears, Sr., to the contrary and that he voted for the dispensary a prohibition vote was deducted from Ward 3. It was alleged that H. D. Ifolse cast his vote for prohibition and that he did not have a registration certi? ficate, but a certificate from the clerk of court. Despite his protest that no one knew how he voted, a prohibition vote was taken out. Affidavits were produced to show that J. Dargan Jones and S. J. P. Brown lived in Privateer and Provi? dence townships, respectively, and that they had voted for prohibition, and a vote was deducted from tin* count in Wards j and each for pro? hibition. i s. w Benson had voted without a registration certificate for prohibition and his VOtO was deducted. w. ft, Du Hose lives In Providence township und voted In Ward 3. it was alleged that he voted for pro? hibition und his vote was deducted. J T. lirogdon, it was alleged lives in Privateer township and voted In Ward 3 for prohibition, and his vote w as deducted. H L .Kennedy lives in Sumter. and was alleged to have voted for prohibition at Ktutebtirg and a pro? hlbltlon vote was deducted from thai box, It M Sanders voted in Ward 2. An affidavit was introduced stating that be Pad voted on u certificate rrom the ? lei K of court. ion be produced In ? onrt his registration certificate and a certificate from the rotinty treasur? er that he bad pnld nil Inxcs. He cause his registration certificate did not tuiiv with the. number cu the book, his vote for prohibition was withdrawn, j F. (). Jennings, it was alleged, had stated that he voted for prohibition In Ward 2, while he lived in Provi? dence township, and his vote was de? ducted. Un the other hand the following dis? pensary votes were east out: Affidavits were Introduced by the prohibitionists, signed by B. F. Miller I und W. H. Felder, that they hud seen j Perry Moses, Jr., and A. J. Moses vote in the election for the dispen? sary. Allidavits were introduced in reply by the dispensaryites, signed by A. J. Moses and P. Moses, Jr., j that they voted a folded ticket and | 1 that no one saw how they voted, and j j by C. F. King that no one saw how j Perry Moses, Jr., had voted. Two bal? lots were withdrawn from the box Without any knowledge of which Bide i they were for, both by chance being for the dispensary. A ballot cast by J. J. Britton, who I lives in Concord township, for the i dispensary, was deducted, from Ward 2, where he voted. A ballot cast by H. Ashley Mood, alleged to have been for the dispen? sary, in Ward 3, without his having a registration certificate, was with? drawn. Affidavits introduced by L. D. Jen? nings as to ballots cast by Douglas China and John I. Brunson were Withdrawn, as there was uncertainty as to that east by China, and Brun fton swore that he had his registra? tion certificate with him when his j ballot was cast. Ballots alleged by L. D. Jennings to be illegal, because they were cast in a different township from tha: in which the Voter was living, were allowed to remain, as they had already been 'counted and it was not positively known how they were cast. They wer? J. F. Jenkins, A. P. Vinson, Jr., 8. W. Hafiield, W. S. Lcnoir, W. H. Jennings A. W. Sudcr, it was alleged by the prohibitionists lived in Ward 3 but phad voted in Ward 2. His vote was allowed to remain because he lived in Bumter township. Votes of S. C. Brown and W. N. Bradford, for the dispensary, counted Tuesday because it was supposed that I the men had registration certificates, j*were allowed to remain counted, al? though an affidavit was Introduced from the clerk of the managers stat? ing that the men did not have regis? tration certificates, but certificates from the clerk of court. MEXICO POLICY CRITICISED German Diplomat Objects to Wil? son's Plan. Berlin, Aug. 2C.?What he calls> America's "do nothing policy" is criticised today by Baron Hartman Von Klchthoften, formerly secretary of the German embassy at Washing? ton, later charge d'affalrs of the German legation at Mexico City and now a member of the Keischstag in an article in the Zeitung Am Mittag. The baron demands that speedy steps be taken to establish a perma? nent government in Mexico. "This," he says, "is possible by i means of a strict closing of the frontier, for revolution would be im? possible without the Importation of arms ami filibusters and Provisional President Huerta would find the nec? essary funds in Europe to maintain his army if the United States would act even in this negative way. "If America is unwilling on moral and other grounds to give this sup port to Provisional President Huerta. the government should announce it openly, but should offer to his suc? cessor guarantees for the absolute closing of the frontier to both men and arms." Gen. Huerta, the writer concludes, is probably patrtlot enough to retire under these conditions. I _________ KEURO HANGED AND SHOT TO DEATH. Bullet Diddled Rod) Pound bj Cor? oner of Greenville, GU, Greenville, Qa., Agu. 26.- The bul? let-riddled body of Virgil Hwanson, a negro, was found hanging from a limb in a lonely spot near here late yester? day, the local coroner learned today A verdict of death at the hands of. un? known parties was the result of the coroner's Investigation. it was s;iid the body evldentlj had been hanging from the tree several hours before be? ing discovered, The lynching is sup? posed to have been ;< sequel to the killing of I- C. Mnrehmon, a farmer, i>\ Walter Hrewster, n negro, about n week ago, Hrewster was captured nl I .a Grange, On., und Jailed, it un? derstood Hwnnson was rhnrged with having aided Brcwstcr to hide from the uflKers. - , BOARDS UNABLE TO DECIDE IN T?RKE COUNTIES?5 COUN? TIES GO WET; 2 RETAIN DISPENSARY, 1 RE MAINS DRY. Lexington, sumter ami Wllllamsburg Scenes of Legal Bettle, When Com mlssioncrs Attempt to C anvass Re* BUltS?Reports from Other Coun? ties ami How They Went. Columbia, Aug. 26.?The canvass of the vote in the dispensary elections held Tuesday, August 19 in 11 coun? ties of South Carolina, served to bring changes In the hitherto publish* ed returns. In only three counties was there a serious contest and in these three?Sumter, Lexington and Williamsburg?the boards of canvj ers failed to finish their work y I *? The results in the other *' fa* were declared as appeared ^* < the I published returns. Und' * / clas? sification the counties v * ^ went wet ?e are: Calhoun, Barnw . /angeburg, Bamberg and Dorr V . Florence and Jasper have ? d the dispen? sary. Abbeville .med <lry. I l <. \ I, FIGHT IN LEXINGTON. Prohibitionists Allege Irregularities in Registration of Votes in Lexington County. Lexington, Aug. SC.?With two Stenographers-?Miss Elizabeth Kd lian of Columbia and Miss Zula Meetz of Lexington?the former represent? ing the side of prohibition and the latter taking the testimony lor the board of canvassers, the election com* missioners today began to hear testi? mony on the petition of protest and grounds of contest tiled by the prohi? bitionists in the election held on the j dispensary or no dispensary a week ago today, which resulted in j favor of the dispensary by a majority I of 5t>, according to the returns of the managers of the several voting , precincts. j When the commissioners net this morning they proceeded to count the returns as sent in by the managers, but no result has been declared, the I prohibitionists indicating that they were ready for a contest. An adjourn? ment was taken until after the noon 1 hour. When the commissioners met j B. K. Kyzer, chairman of the board, announced that he overruled, in ad? vance, the protest on every ground, , and said that he did not care to hear any evidence. T. H. Kawl, another member of the board, took the floor 'and suggested that the commissi.>n send for an attorney. X. P. Stllpp, clerk of the board, was delegated to go out and hunt for an attorney, and he returned in a short while with j George Bell Tlmmerman. Mr. Tim merman at first stated that he had no*, been employed in the case, but that ' he would give the commissioners ad v ice on *>ny point at issue upon which ' they desired any information. D. W. Robinson of Columbia, representing the contestants, stated that he ."ould he glad for the commissioners to se? cure counsel. Then the question arose as to who and how the testimony should be taken. Miss Kllllan of Columbia was on hand to take the testimony, she having been brought 'here by Mr. Robinson. Mr. Kyzer chairman id* the board, again objected to the shorthand method, saving that he would not hear to any testimony that was not submitted in writing. Then it was suggested that the com? missioners secure a stenographer also, and Miss Meet/.e was sent lor. The first witness who took the stand was M. P. George, secretary of the , county board of registration. Attor? ney Robinson questioned the witness as to the manner ol registration, and as to how many certificates the board had issued at different Intervals, and especially as to how many certificates j had been Issued during the last few months, ami more especially on the llrst Monday in July. Tin- witness stated that many certificates had been issued, but most of them wer re? newals and in this case those who wanted renewals were not questioned as to their qualifications Mr. George said that some certificates were is? sued upon request of persons others than tlie individuals; but in most instances the men were known by at leant one member of the board. The witness was cross-examined b> Mr. Tlmmerman, who sought t<? show thai it had been a long established CUStolll tu issue certificates in the manner thai the present board issues them, ami in t his M r. * h oi Lie agreed. Manv witnesses were placed on the stand who testified as to the irregu? larities and to specific instantes where men had been allowed to vote Without their tax receipts and registration cer tilicates. The contest Will be concluded to? morrow. WILL TAKE TESTIMONY. Williarnsburg Board Sots August .'.<? for Hearing. Kingstree, Aug. 20.?The county hoard of canvassers met at the county court house today to declare the re? sult in the recent primary on the dis? pensary. The official tabulation was: For dispensary 253; against dispen? sary 255. The dispensary adherents presented affidavits to the effect that at Muddy Creek and Hebron polls voters were not required to present registration certificates or tax receipts and through their attorneys, B. L. Hirsch and Le roy Lee. demanded that the vote at these precincts be thrown out and 1 that the election be declared in favor A>t the dispensary. The prohibition forces also filed af? fidavits to the effect that at the Kings tree poll voters were not sworn, and demanded that the vote at Kingstree be not counted. Consequently the board of canvass? ers did not declare an election, but appointed Saturday, August 30, as the date on which it will take testimony I and hear arguments from both sides. NO PROTEST THERE. Demand foe Recount Only Move In 'Jrangcburg. Orangeburg, Aug. 26.?The board of canvassers of election met today at the court house for the purpose of declaring the eletclon for or against the sale of alcoholic liquors in Or? angeburg county. The returns of managers were canvassed and the fol? lowing result was declared: Total number of votes cast 2,307; for dis? pensary 1,162; against dispensary 1, f J5. The reestablishment of the dispensary in Orangeburg county was carried by 17 votes majority. Attorneys were present at the meet? ing today to represent both sides. There were not protests or contests, but a request was made by petition of three citizens that owing to the 1 closeness of the result a recount be ' hud. This recount was refused by the board of canvassers. The board of canvassers: con:*hn>d ? of Noah W. Warts, chairman; W. 8. Barton, Jr., Jno. F. Blanche and J. Leroy Dukes, clerk. Canvass in Calhoun. Bt Matthews, Aug. 26.?The board of canvassers of Calhoun county met today at 11 o'clock and canvassed the vote cast In the dispensary election held last Tuesday. The board found the result the same, except for the Cameron vote, which showed one vote's difference for prohibition. The official report follows: For dispensary. 3SI', against dispensary, 282. The ma? jority was SI votes for the dispen? sary. - Result In HarnwoU. Barnwell. Aug. 26.?The commis? sioners of election met here today to canvass the returns of the dispensary election, the result being as follows: For dispensary, 991; for prohibi? tion, 319. Count in Bamberg. Pamberg, Aug. 26.?The commis? sioners of election for Bamberg coun? ty met today and declared the result of last weeks' election to be 258 for prohibition and 499 for the dispen? sary. Dry Win In Abbeville. Abbeville. Aug. 26.?The official vote In th<? dispensary election was |,00i against to 4 58 for. The vote from Bordeaux was never sent in. ( >nly three boxes gave a majority for the dispensary. LAD SHOOTS MAX. Liquor and a Gun Causes Shot to Re Fired. Rock Hill, Aug. 25.?A combination of liquor ami gun came near result? ing in s killing here Saturday nisht. Rufus Jordan, IK years Of age. shot It aeon Brown In the face with a shot B ?n at the Highland Park mill village Jordan states that BfoWU was drunk and CUrsIng his (Jordan'sI mother and he, In order to stop him, had to use Iiis gun. Brown being B man and ?Jordan a boy. Brown was taken to s hospital and Jordan to the lock ip to awall the effects ?I Browns in? juries. He was this morning carried before Magistrate Wingjate and turned loose by thai offk ial, as no charges were preferred against him. Senator la?dge supports President Wilson .n hi* Mexican policy, ami it must be ? onsldered this is "going some*"?Concord IN .11.) Patriot.