Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1880-06-19
MIR, henry TURNER.

Auo 100
very simple one. In the city election
Tuesday. June 1. the returns oil the
judges showed that he had received '9o
votes, and his opponent. Mr.. Clagett'
$50 votes. In the first ward n more
vote is given the candidates fcr register
than was cast. This vote is credited to
Mr.. Turner. II this is true. there IS a
tie. In any event, there is an error OF
the Judges in that ward. which should be
corrected by a canvass OF the vote' by
the council.
Then. there are four negroes under
arrest, charged with illegal voting, be-
cause OF the fact that they have been
convicted of crime. The law in the case
is this:-"Every person who shall be
convicted OF arson, burglary, robbery,
or larceny. in this article specified. or
| who shall be sentenced to imprisonment
in the peuitentiary for any other crime
punishable under the provisions OF this
article, shall be incompetent to serve as
a Juror in n cause, aud shall be Tor
ever disqualified from voting at any
| election, or holding any office OF honor
trust or profit. within the state" line
article alluded to covers all grades OF
larceny.
Three of these negroes have had pre-
hminary trials, and have peer commit
ted to Jail to await the next term OF
criminal court. There ls little or no
doubt of their guilt. As there is a de-
| tense to be made IN the case OF the other
one, we may leave him out of the count,
though the probabilities are that he, too
will be found guilty. A white man has
| also been committed under like cIrcum-
stances. The Jour negroes voted for MIR.
Turner. it Is rupposed; the white man
voted for Mr.. Clagett.
Now. so tar as the public appearance
of the case is concerned, counting only
the three negroes, and leaving Mr.. Tur-
ner with his one majority. and a contest
would have the effect of reducing Mr.
Turner's vote to 1857. and Mr.. CIagett's
to sss, giving Mr.. Clagett a majority oil
ono. This is only taking what is evil
dent upon the face of a contest, without
locking deeper into its merits.
1t Is thought by Mr.. Clagett's lawyer
that more such cases will be found
enough to make his majority a very re-
spectacle ono. Mr.. Turner has always
received the negro vote, and. no doubt
owes more than one of his elections to
Just such votes as these. His organ
says:-.sThose who have caused the ar
rest of these men say they are only doing
as the law directs. This is only an ex
/ cuse. They want to throw out a sufi
Gent number of votes to unseat a mai
who was fairly. and honestly elected t.
/. the Office which he holds" 1t is a sui
ficient answer to this charge to say tina
Mr.. Blackwell, the prosecuting attorney
| is responsible for these arrests. Know
D ing this, the people OF Lafayette count
e will understand that it is done in the in
. terest OF no man, but in vindication c
S the law.
The moral t%urpitude of a public jour
nal which lends its influence to illegs
voting, by opposing the arrest oil 81
e convicts for voting, can only be surpas'
ed by a journal which would open til
ballot to convicted thieves. Hear NJ
Turner's organ again :-''They (hatc
n Brown, Monroe Johnson and John Di,
9 on) had been convicted of petit larcen.
k and 1t is said that for this reason the
d were not legal voters. We do not kno
whether this is the law or not, but if 8
it 10 a shameful law, and no jury can
!, found that will convict these unfortuna
men of violating it," We should like
is know if the republicans OF Lexlngt(
D. indorse the idea that convicts should e
in Joy the rights OF citizenship.
IA So much for thai feature OF the cas-
lis Now to another. The law requires tn
the poll books, ballot boxes and ballc
to of all elections shall be turned over
to The county clerk, to be kept in his CT
lis tody. Instead of doing this, MIR. 1t
Mt ner, after the election. took possessi
70. OF them. Mr.. Steele, in pursuance
ss the law issued the following writ, VIII
on explains itself:
N. To the sheriff OF Lafayette coun
On Missouri Whereas an election was,
ID the 1st day OF June, 1880, held IN
els city of Lexington, Lafayette county M
ty. for city officers, and whereas the ball
AN boxes and poll books have not be
yht delivered to the county court, J
w. are hereby commanded and ordered
ind call upon the person or persons hav'
aid the same in their possession, and dem'
IAN that the said ballot boxes and poll bD
uld be delivered to you for the purpose
Of beng placed in my office, and in
ian they will fall not, under the penalty
inc the law. Given under my hand and
me seal OF the county court of Laiay'
A county, Mo-, this 7th day OF June. Il
his w. B. Steele, Clerk.
|, OF MIR. Meuntjoy served this writ on
ms. Turner on the day that it was issl
,oa. and was met with a denial on his
,cy, that he had possession OF the articles
@ to handed, and up to this time he has
that fused to put them in the hands OF
ack. proper custodian. He thus places
self in the position of a man who i:
fying tho law, in order to keep in
8 no own possession public evidence in W
and he is directly personally interested.
here org an again shows its appreciate
go the proprieties OF lie in saying of
feature of the case, NO doubt alludir
the Messrs. Steele and Mountyjoy:- -
is a poll book question seems to inter-
IN a great many disinterested persons"
bs q question suggested here is :-What
y course could officers of the law pr
70 Oh than the one taken by these gentle
New Must they permit a fragrant violati
3 a. the law In the interest of Mr.. Tu
4 M We are further told by his organ
~ The republicans are ready tor the
stlcut test. The city council stands ii,
New publicans to three democrats. with
g be. publican mayor" This is a fine
rr., ment OF the virtue OF his homo
49, mayor, and his five republican
shaAe leagues in the council. 1t is one
It are is below our estimate OF them. "
lieve that they will honestly try the
as to and. let it 60 al it may, we hope
find ourselves deceiyed as to the cl