The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-01-30

tee in Charleston last week by the VIII
nesses from Camden Democrats and
R. A BLAIR, (coLoRED.)
This witness testified that he was U. s.
Superyisor at the Market Hall precinct, Mt
Camden, Kershaw county. He had started
to keep poll list, but shortly alter ne
started, General Kennedy said that the su,
neryisors were not allowed to keep poll
lists. except in cities of 20, 900 inhabitants.
He had then desisted, and had not attemP-
tod TO keep the list any longer. During the
day, every time crowd OF hepuGiioAuS
came up TO vete the Democrats woula make
q great noise outside, and the managers
would shut down the window under WHICH
The box was kept. This was done Blk OF
seven times during the day. Finding that
the Republicans were being crowded away
from the polls, he and MIR. Shannon the
Democratic supervisor, put up piece OF
scantliug, so that the voters could 60 up IN
file. The Democrats got ahead Of the Re>
nnblicons. however, and wouldn't move to
let them in, and after being kept back un-
til they were tired, large number Of ne
publicans had gone home without voting.
The whole number of votes cast was I9l,
of which the republicad candidates received
80. At the last election the Republican
vote at this same poll was 90O. He had
seen the canvass of the votes, and every
thing appesred to be fair. ,,.
MIR. McDonald-Did the Republicans
have any printed tickets there on their ta-
BILE that day?
Witness-No sir
MIR. McDonald-Don't you know that
most Of the republican tickets voted there
were written because you had no printed
tickets :,
Witness-the most of them were writ
ten.
Mr.. McDonald-What time did you say
the Republicans left the polls?
Witnsss-About o'clock.
Mr.. McDonald-Don't you know that the
crowd was removed from the polls through
the;exertions of Genl. Kennedy and others
as early as o'clock, and that after thai
everybody could vote ? o..
Wi,ness-l don't think the way was clear
as early as that 1t was clear after l o.
clock, or it might have been l2 o'clock,
Mr., McDonald-And yet you say thai
crowds of colored people had TO 60 away
without voting "..
Witness-Yes; hundreds.
Mr.. McDonald-Dont you know that tht
reason you polled so many republican votes
previously was that the Republicans heie
possession of the polls all day and kept th'
Democrats from voting :?
Witness-I can't say that.
Mr.. Teller-Why was it you did not haV'
tickets on the day of the election
Witness-The man we gave the tickets
to print, said he could not print them, be
cause his press was broken. He printed
mart Of the tickets. | heard that the pres
vas not broken, and that this excuse wa
only blind.
MIR. NcDonald-Do you know that tn
press was not broken
W,lness-I don't know. l Was told 50
, Mr.. MoDonald-Then you doH1 know
anything about it?
say TO YOU about b1eplng poll list! =.
Witness-Ye said had no right to do it
and was not, entitled to do it by law.
MIR. McDonald--H Hasn't Gen. Kennedy
always treated you kindly
Witness-I don't know anything agains
Gen: esn:k4seRllReastYau ksRlReassHYaut got some tickets printe,
IN Columbia and some in Camden /?
Sitness-Fes sir; we got about 800 from
Columbia, and had sorne few printed il
Mr.. Teller-It was Only after the colore'
people had all left the polls that the demo
Gratis cleared the way? -
Witness-Yes sir.
Mr.. McDonaldc7-Theu, after IL o'clock
the Republicans could have voted.as mucl
as they wanted to, according to your state
nent, and didn't do it becauae the poll
were crowded in the early part of tn
p day.
Examined by Mr., Teller: Was supervi
sor at the courthouse precinct in Camden
General Kennedy came in and asked mi
what was going to do. When ] told hin
that ] uas going to keep poll list he tolt
me that as chairman of the State Democrat
ic Committee, he forbade me to keep thu
list. He said he knew the law. then reti
red and sat around. The Democrats encir-
cled the poll, and only allowed those color
ed voters to come in whom they could per
suade to vote the democratic ticket. One
voter started up, and white man drew his
pistol and pushed him back, The fuss then
became general. Gen. Kennedy tried tc
quiet them. but it is said that all the time
he nodded his head to encourage them.
They kept up the opposition until the re-
pubficans found it was no use, they could
not get in without difficulty, and then they
left about IL or o'clock. At 2 o'clock
there were scarcely any Of them to
be seen. About 200 went away without
voting. From that time the place was qui-
ct. At six O'Clock they opened the box
and commenced to take out the ballots.
According to the count, there were $50
ballots, and SS8 names on the poll list
Some of the tickets were folded together.
suspected something. Again, there were
several tissue tickets. They took out eight
ballots folded two together, and destroyed
eight of the votes, which accounted for the
excess of the polll list. There we're 63 Re-
publican tickets; balance were Democratic.
Didn't see any tissue tickets voted, but
there were hundred or more in the box.
Suspected something about the poll list be-
causeone of the managers told me they
could only vote three votes in ten min
utes, and while was out ten minutes they
filled up two sides Of q paper.
Gross examined by Senator Randolph
Am % years old. Never have attended On
election there before. Have heard that the
vote at that precinct has been rs high as
1000, but don't knowit, saw every ticket
that went into the box. Gould see what ev-
cry voter had in his hand, and ON positive
that no tissue tickets were put in.
@. You say you suspected something.
What did you suspect?
A. I Suspected something after they