Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-08-19

which appeared in Sundays CHRoN-
IoLE, is true, then either Mr.. Anderson
did not get 139 votes, or MIR. Gossett |
did not get II. How this is, as |
matter of fact, outside of the face OF
the returns, I do not know, nor do
I think it relieves Mr.. Reeder from
his original sin of counting Mr.. An
derson 1873 votes contrary to the face
of the returns.
In the 9Th ward the tally sheet
shows on its face, both in marks and
figures, that Gossett received 189
votes. B. J. Campbell. clerk, signs
this tally sheet across its face. On
the back of this tally sheet is the
certificate of the officer, three judges
and two clerks of election in that
ward, dated August 5th, 1880, ''that
the foregoing is a correct report of
the votes polled at said ward in said
election"
Now, here the tally marks, the
figures and the certificate all
show that Mr.. Gossett only received
189 votes. Mr.. Reeder disregarded
the tally marks, disregarded the fig
ures, and disregarded the certificate,
all appearing On the face of the re-
turns, and counted 100 votes instead
of 199, for Mr. Gossett. To justify
this fragrant violation Of law and of
his public duty, Mr.. Reeder relies
upon certificate. furnished to him
by Gentle and others on the day
after the election. This certificate
was drawn up by Mr.. Reeder's un-
scrupulous attorney, with a ballot
attached to it. This ballot Mr..
Reeder added to Gossett's 199 and
made his vote 100. Mr.. Reeder and
his INSCRIPTIONS attorney both
knew that whatever official powers
Gentle and others had, expired on
the day of the election, and that this
certificate was mere waste paper and
could not possibly justify him in
overriding the plain election returns.
In former article I stated that we
had positive and reliable information
that this ''190th" ballot had actually
been counted for Gossett and was
included in the 189 reported for him
on the original returns.
| I here give the statement of
Messrs. Peter Staub and nj. A. Cas-
sidy, who witnessed the counting of
the votes on the day of the election:
We, the undersigned, Peter Stsub
and NJ. A. Cassiday. certify that we
were present at the counting of the
votes in the 5th ward of the city OF
Knoxville, Tenn, on August 5th, 1880.
We have examined the ballot attached
to the certificate of M. J. r. Gentle
and others, now on file in the circuit
court clerk q office and dated August
9th, $780, We recognize this ballot
It was the only ticket taken from The
ballot box that had the names of three
candidates for constable on it. When
this ticket was taken from the ballot
box by M. J. r Gentle, he called 8
rOte for Gossett, and it was taker
down by the election clerks for Cos
sett. Gentle then called one vote
from this ticket for Swan, and th'
clerks took down this vote for SwaG
The ticket ad been printed NV.
Smith, but this name had beer
erased with pencil mark and thu
name of "Swan" inserted in pencil
over it. Gentle could not at first max,
out the name Of "Swan" in pencil
and pissed it to Peter Staub, who toll
him it was 'Swan." While Pete
Staub was examining this ballot to in
form Gentle that the name in pencil
was "Swan," he discovered that tn
! ticket had on it the names Of thre
candidates for constable aud called at
, tention to it. After some convers Atiol
among the judges Of election and til
friends of the respective candidates,
= was agreed that the ballot was proper
" counted for GUssett and Swan, bu
, should not be counted for any con
stable. This ballot was actuall
counted FIR GOssett and Swan an
3 was taken down by the clerks, an,
? was included in the 1879 votes returnet
I for Gossett.
M. A. Cassidy further states that b
: kept a strict account Of the votes, a
l they were called from the ballot. box
e that he counted this ballot for Gossett
/ that his count shows 1S9 for Goseett
: and that his count agreed with th
4 count Of the clerks on the day of cleo
= tion, and agreed with the original re
1 turns now on file in the clerks Office.
8 Peter Staub further states that, afte
[ this ballot had passed around and bee
inspected Gentle took it. Gavin, anoth
er one of the judges, told him 10 han
it over to be put in the box where tn
ballots that were counted had bee
!, put. Gentle refused to hand 1t owe
|, and said be would keep it. We wi
f make oath to the foregoing statement
at any time we shall be requested to d
, so. PETER STAUB,
... s. M. A. CASSIDY.
, Aug, 18th, 1880.
# The two gentlemen making thi
: statement are well known in thi
: county, and were present at the poll
a for the express purpose Of seeing
d proper count.
It Mr.. Reeder says ''insinuate tht
It he has suppressed or pocketed som
r. of the returns from the 5th ward
e and then weekly attempts to quibbl
e out of it by saying that the paper /
d did suppress and pocket was not a
n official paper. Now, this pape
l, whatever it was, was attached to I'll
o original returns and was detache
l. from said returns by Mr.. Reede
i This much he told me himself on A
y gust 9th. Then, he called this pa
It per a certificate Now, he cal
le it ''scrap of paper" and Gentle cal
a it a memorandum in writing" M
b Reeder told me he had surrendere
~