Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-06-11

| 1llA4E AAdA @ANs
HUNTERS BILL.
| In Cbancerv Court-To the Hon. Jno. W.
Harris, Chancellor Of - Division:
Your r~elatOr, VIM. Hunter, OF SheIby
| county, Tenn, IS aforesaid, a contestant
/ against VIM. NJ. Smith, for the Office OF
] Chancellor of the Chancery Court of
Memphis, states to your honor that nder
and bv virtue Of an act of the Gen AS
sambiv of the state of Tennessee, APP
proved February 20, 1869, and in pursu-
ance of a special proclamation issued by
his excellency, d. VIC. Senter' Governor
of said State, an election was held IN the
said county Of shelby for the purpose OF
eIectinr persons to fill the following
| offices. to-wit: etc, etc. That at the sad
election v0ur relatOr and the said W. NJ.
smith. ana the said j. p. Caruthers, both
citizens Of Shelby county, were
candidates before the qualified voters
of the said county for the once
of Chancellor Of said Chancery Court;
that ten DAYS previous to the said cleo
ton vour relator filed in the office of John
Ioague CLERK OF the county Of said coun-
~ of shelby. and also in the Office of the
| Secretary of State of Tennessee, the oath
required bv law TO be taken by candidates
for Office.
WILLIAMS C0NSPIREs WITH ASTON
OTHERS
Your relator further states that said
election was held by n J. L. Williams,
Commissioner Of Registration for said
county. assisted by certain Deputy Com
missiOners appointed by him; that some
time before the date of the said election,
the said Williams entered into a corrupt
cOnspiracy and combination with the
agents and employees OF the said William
N. Smith, whose names are now
to YOUR ~relatOr, through L Auguston
J. - -s-rh hole hur 1F tho said
VIM. NJ. Smith, and Clerk and Master of
the said Chancery Court, for the purpose
and with the intent of f~raudulently de-
feating your orator and securing the cleo
ton OF the said VIM. NJ. Smith TO the said
Office.
FRAUD AND CORRUPTION.
Your orator further states and charges
that in of said conspiracy and
| combination, the said Williams, for many
DAYS previous to the said election, resort
ed to various corrupt practices and dis
honest devices to secure that end; that
during the time intervening between the
ordering and holding said election the
said Williams registered as legal voters
and gave certificates to all persons apply
ing for them who avOwed their intention
of voting for the said W. NJ. Smith, and
whom he believed would do 50, and this
without anv evidence oftheIr claim there
to, without taking the oath prescribed by
law. and when he knew that they were
expressly prohibited from the priv
ilege OF The elective franchise by
the laws Of this State. And IN
many instances when the parties
1 obtaining them were not residents OF the
state or Of the county Of Shelby, when
at the Same time he persisEcutly threw
every obstacle in the way Of those asking
certificates Of registration who were
known or suspected Of being friendly TO
YOUR rcl3tOr and DESTROYS Of his election.
! COUNTY PRECTNCTs-ELANEs FoRGoTTEN.
That ssverald DAYS PreviOUsto said election
he caused printed notices to be circulated
/ through the said county, announcing his
intention Of visiting tie various civil dis
tricts and election precincts in the county
On certain davs therein designated for the
purpose Of registering and delivering GER
tifcates thereof TO the qualified voters OF
the said districts. but he wholly failed 10
attend according 10 his said appointments,
and in the majority of the civil districts
aforesaid he never did attend for any such
purpose; that in others where he re-
| paired osTensibly for that purpose
and found tha a majority of the citizens
therein were favorable to the election of
your relatOr, he falsely pretended that he
had forgotten to bring with him the nee
essarv blank certificates Of registration,
with the corrupt design Of fraUdulently
| depriviug the citizens of the-privileges of
the franchise and comprising the defeat
Of your r~clator, and by this means did de-
urive your relatOr of more h five hum
bred votes at said election, which your
relatOr believes and charges that ne would
otherwise have received.
BLANK CERTIFICATES.
Your relator further states that some
DAYS previous 10 and on the day OF cleo
/ ton. the said Williams caused large num-
bers of blank certificates to be placed in
the hands Of persons employed by said
AugustOn Aston and William NJ. Smith,
signed by the said J.. +. WilliamS,that the
blanks therein for the name oithe voter
might be filled up with the names of per-
sons who would consent to east their
votes for the said VIM. NJ. Smith, for the
said Office of Chancellor, by which frau
dulent and corrupt means several hun
bred illegal votes were h u polled for the
said W. NJ. Smith. at said election, which
blank certificates will be produced in evil
dence on the trial of this cause.
"oUT OF BLANKS"
Your relator further states and charges
that almost every day whilst said VIII
liams was registering votes previous TO
said election. he failed and refused, under
fraudulent and frivolous pretences to reg
lister those wbO were suspected of an in
tentiOn TO vote for you r~elator, some
times pretending that the supply Of blank
certificates was exhausted: ut others that
ne did not have time TO register them on
the day when they applied; vet your re-
lator is informed, believes and charges
that the said Williams had at all times
sufficient blanks, and found abundance OF
time to, and did, just preceding said elec-
ton
VISIT All
of Shelby county and REGISTER ALL UICE
CRIMINALS THEREIN CONFINED, and GILL
up, sign and transmit to several hundred
prisoners, who never asked therefor, GER
t~iticates of registration, when he well
knew such persons were by law prohib-
tied from the privilege OF The elective
franchise, and which persons voted against
your relatOr.
CRIMINALS VOTE.
Your relator further states that on the
day of said election the criminals confined
in the said Jail OF shelby county Were
brought out OF prison, 10 the number of
about seyenty-lye or more, and intiu-
enced bv those in charge of them, with
out any voluntary act on their part, TO
vote for the said ". NJ. Smith.
NEGROES REGISTERED AT THE POLLS.
Your relator further states and charges
upon Information and belief hat the said
Williams attended the Ninth Ward col
I OEtl IDAAS anu DlltI> III lIt Civ VI Altui-
phis, and then, while the ballots were
being taken, registered a large number of
persons who were not residents Of Shelby
county, to the number, as yOur relatOr is
informed and charges, of three hundred,
and not entitled to registration, and who
cast their votes for W. ". Smith, as aforc-
said.
ILLEGABCERTIFICATEs ISSUED.
And your relator further states and
charges that fraudulent votes were cast in
the First. Third aud Ninth Ward colOrod
polls in said city of Memphis, of persons
who were not lawfully entitled to vote at
said election, for the said VIM. NJ. Smith,
to the number, 2syouT relatOr IS informed
and believes, Of more than dye hundred
votes.
VOTES LIFoRTED FROM MISSISSIPPI AND
ARKAEsAS.
Your relator further states and charges
that more than four hundred persons We're
brought from other counties and from the
/ States Of Arkansas and Mississippi, and
! resident therein on the day Of election,
who were furnished with certificates by
: ~ III Do.sotrar and na~nafffal 10 yrnfa