The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-10-23
THE CITY ELECTION.
EFFORTS OF THE RING TO DEFEAT
THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE.

The Pretexts OF Protest-The APplfcn-
tton to Judge Graham In Behaif OF
Pillsbury-The Writ OF Mandamus
Granted-Its Service Upon the Alder
men.
The result of the election of the I'd of August
was stunning blow to the Pillsoury Clique.
They had expected to carry the day by threat
and bribe, and BY appealing to the prejudices
ofthe colored people. But the spirit of fair
play and honesty was around. The Republi.
cans, white and colored, marched shoulder to
shoulder into their quondam opponents, and
The whole Riff.Raff ticket was handsomely de-
feated by majority OF nearly eight hundred
votes. For some time the Ptllsbury-
ties were paralyzed. Their own organ
frankly admitted that the election
was fair in its conduct and decisive in It's re-
suit. The unfaithful servants made ready to
$acate their snug seats on the first day of No
vember; and there was no thought Il resist
ance until one of the boldest of the crew
suggested that protest might be patched up,
which would engage the City Council, and
cause the installation of General WAGNER and
his Aldermen to be postponed until after the
meeting of the Legislature. With the help OF
the city police some material for protest was
gathered together, and the bulky document was
handed in to the clerk of council. But there
was no meeting of Council, in consequence
a the absence from the city, or of the indispo-
sitiou of several OF the aldermen. The days
were slipping by. Something must be done.
Chief of Police Hendricks posted to COLUMBIA,
and on his return it was bruited abroad that
Governor Scott, the man of many promises,
was ready to declare martial law In Charles
ton and garrison the city with State militia.
How much of this rumor was true, time will
show. But this, was not enough, and now
Chief of Police Hendricks and Alderman COL
lins hurry again to Columbia and confer with
their counsel, General Worthington, who in
.quired of Judge Melton whether ne would
hear an application tor such writ as the
Pillsburyites required. Judge Melton respect.
fully declined, and on Thursday last General
Worthington and "Judge" Hoge ran down to
orangeburg and presented to Judge Graham
the following petition:
THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, CHARLESTON
couSTY-IN TUE COMMON PLEAS.
The State OF South Carolina, on the relation OF l..
T. Gardiner, James A. Williams Thomas q. Til
lnghast, J.. z. Ancrum, William Dart, and II.
Bolden Plckenpack, vs. Michael -. Collins,
George ]. Cunningham, W. r. q. Hampton,
james F. Greene, Robert Howard, L. T. Potter.
P. NJ Thorne, L. F. Wall, E. P. Wall, William
McKinlay, Thomas r. Small, Charles Vogt,
Richard Holloway and J. D. Geddings, as the
Acting Board OF Aldermen Of the City OF Charles.
ION, aud Gilbert Pillsbury, es the Acting Mayor
OF the City OF Charleston-complaint for Writ
OF Mandamus.
10 the Hon. r. r. Graham, Circuit Judge Of the
First Judicial Circuit orthe satd State:
Your REALTORS above named. complaining Of the
defendants above named, respectfully show unto
bur HonoS:
-fnat your REALTORS are snd we-eS on the ses-
cond day Of August, Ammo Domini 1871, corpora.
tors and electors of the corporation OF the city Of
Charleston; and that the defendants above named
are the acting Mayor and the acting Board OF
Aldermen OF said city:
2. That pursuant ID the provisions OF an act OF
the General Assembly Of the said State, approved
March 7, 1871, entitled "An act to determine the
day OF election Of the Mayor and Aldermen OF the
City OF Charleston an election for the ofaces OF
Mayor and Aldermen Of the aaid city was, BY pro-
.clamation OF the said acting Mayor, ordered to
be held on the nrst Wednesday, the same being
the second day Of August, A. D. 1871. ..
8, That, on the said second day OF August, A.
D. 1871, the polls were opened at the usual places
OF election In the several wards OF said city, by
persons who claimed to act, and did act, as man
ayers OF said election; alc tcat, at said several
placts OF election, votes were cast by electors OF
said CITY, for persons TO nll said ofices OF Mayor
and Aldermen.
4. That, on the day ensuing the said day Of
election, the said persons acting as managers OF
said election met and proceeded to count the
votes which had been cast at said election, and
did transmit to the said Mayor their statement OF
the whole number OF votes cast at the said elec-
tion, and the whole number cast fot each candi-
date.
S. That the said Mayor did open the report o:
the said managers. and. py his proclamation,
dated the sth day Of August, A. D. 1871, did an
nounce and publish that, as 1t appeared by the
said report, John A. Wagner had received the
largest number Of votes for the office OF Mayor,
and that Bernard 0Nell and o. A. Bowen, In
Ward No. l; W. B. Smith and @. Michaels in Ward
No. 2; Alvs Gage, S. B. Garrett and John Kenny,
in Ward No. 8; G. yoigt E. F. Sweegan, G. A.
Glover, a. S. Johnston and J. q. Taylor, In Ward
No. 4; william Moran and F. Brown, in Ward No.
S; E. Garden and A. Simonds, in Ward No. 9; F. J.
Pelzer, in Ward No. Z, and G. B. Sigwald, In Ward
No. 8, had received the largest number OF votes
for the ofices OF Aldermen Of the said city.
6. Your REALTORS further show unto your Honor
thhA by the nth section OF an act Of the General
Assembly, ratified the 25th day Of September, A.
D. 1868, entitled "An act to provide for the elec-
ton OF officers Of the Incorporated cities and
towns in the State Of South Carolina" it Is decar
ed as follows: "The managers Of elections shall
decide contested cases, subject to the ultimate
decision Of the Board Of Aldermen or wardens,
when organized except when the election OF a
majority OF the persons v.ted for are contested,
or themanagers charged with illegal conduct, in
which case the returns, together with the ballots,
shall be examined, and the case investigated by
the acting Board Of Aldermen, who shall declare
the election, and their decision shall be binding
on all parties"
Z. That, Immediately upon the announcement
Of the acting Mayor OF the result Of said election,
ss reported BY the said managers, your REALTORS
and others, being corporators and electors OF the
said city, not being content with the election as
thus reported and announced, and having, as
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