The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-12-17
A CARD.
ALEXANDRIA, La,
Dec. 18th, 1879.}

FDIToR DEMOCRAT
An article appeared on Saturday
last, in a newspaper published here,
called ave The People," casting re-
fictitious con the count of the vote at
Ward No. 2, Grant Parish.
The facts are these: On Monday,
the 9th day of December, after the
District Court had adjourned, met
Mr.. Pirtle, a merchant from Colfax,
who gave me copy of the Colfax
Chronicle, containing the official
count of the vote of Grant. In the
tabulatcd list I found that the vote
from Ward No. 2 had not been coun-
ted. I asked Mr.. Pirtle the reason,
and he said the tally-sheets and re-
turns had been destroyed, and that
the box alone containing the ballots,
hadbeen returned to the Clerk of the
Court. I asked HIM how the Ward
had gone, and he replied that he I'M
ders:ood that l had a majority of the
votes cast. This information was
corroborated by one of the Commits.
sioners, Satcher, who stated that it
was his recollection that I had a
handsome majority Of the vote of
Ward.
After consultation with many per-
sonal friends, they insisted that l
should 60 to Grant and have the vote
in the box counted. / agreed to 60.
On reaching Colfax / employed H.
L. Daigre, Attorney, to obtain man-
damus from the Parish Judge, and
compel the Commissioners to make a
count of the vote in said box, and
due returns made, and then left for
Alexandria.
The count was made under an Or
der of Court, and I am informed by
those present, that the Commission
ers asserted that the box had not
been tempered with, and it was only
after the count and my majority as.
certained, that objection was made.
This, my Attorney informs me to be
the facts, and also the Chronicle.
C. Fl. Willet was the Commissions
err who read out the vote at the box,
was the Commissioners who had
charge Of the returns and tallysheets,
so / am informed, and came into Col.
fax on the morning after the election
in state of intoxication, anil on be,
ing asked for the returns by the
Clerk of the Court, said he did not
know anything about them. The re-
turns had been destroyed, for what
reasons know not. They were in
possession of Willet, the Commits.
sioner who signed the affidavit pub
lished in ave The People," who is
personally and politically opposed to
me, being considered Radical Re-
publican. Willet is we'll and unfav.
orahly known, and / prefer to believe
the statement made by Mr.. Salcher,
respectable gentleman Of standing
in the community, who was one OF
the Commissioners at said box. Sat.
cher says the box had not been tam
pered with, and that tie count now
made, in his recollection, is exactly
the same made on the day of cleo
ton. Other persons who were pres
emf, say the same thing.
I had 48 votes at Lecomte that
were cast for me, but not counted,
besides, according to Republican au-
thority in Grant Parish, there were
$50 voters in Ward l that were for
me, but were refused the right to
vote on the day of the election. I
could not tell how the election stood
until the ballots in box from Ward
2 were counted, and l had to resort
to legal proceedings to have it done,
and ascertain whether it was for or
against me. There was a majority
reported for me.
l have this to say to the public,
that whilst I am not willing to let a
combination of personal and political
enemies deprive me by fraud or 9TH
erwise, of the office to which / am
fairly elected, yet, at the same time,
should ] ascertain after an investiga-
ton of all the facts, that there is any
fraud connected with the election, or
that the ballot box and ballots have
been changed, | will, Of my own ac-
cord, refuse to accept the position.
am fairly elected without the
vote of said box, although it is be-
lieved that I have been defrauded in
other places.
Yours truly,
W. F. BLAcKMAN.