Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-14
RUNNING DOWN SLANDERs.
1he Truth About the Election in
Phillips County.


AS all readers OF the UazetJe KNOW,
charges have been telegraphed to the
st. Louis Globe Democrat from Little
Rock and Helena 10 the effect that In
portions OF Phillips county colored
Republicans were not permitted to
vote. Meeting Judge l.. II. Mangum
yesterday, who is chairman Of the
Phillips county Democratic Executive
Committee, a Gazette reporter inter
viewed him in order to obtain the real
facts.
in the outset" said Judge Man
gum, "the pledges made by the Gov
ernor aud in behalf Of the Phillips
county Democracy, were strictly
carried out. The Republican candi-
dates for the Legislature aud county
Offices cauvassed the county, not being
interfered with or molested in the
least. They made bitter speeches and
threatened aud attempted to bulldoze
colored Democrats, and j. 7. White,
one of the candidates for the Legisla
ture, threatened the merchants aud
planters that if his ticket was not
elected he would take the labor out Of
the county"
THE ST. FRANCIS TOWNSHIP AFFAIR.
ut is charged" said the Gazette
reporter, that Republicans were re-
fused permission to vote in one
Helena precinct. What are the
facts2"
mot a single Republican vote was
driven from the polls or prevented
voting as he wished at any polling
place in the county. The facts are
these. AT the Courthouse in Helena,
the voting place for st. Francis
township, john Q. Taylor, the Re-
publican candidate for County Clerk,
mad placed himself alongside the poll
ing place with a box. He proposed
that the Republicans should deposit
a ticket or coupon with him before
giving their ballots to the judges, who
mad been sworn to hold and were
holding the election. This conduct
was both a reflection on the officers of
the election, and calculated to create
disturbance. So Mr.. Taylor was or
dered to desist and requested to 20 to
his own ward. He resisted aud the
deputy sheriis forcibly elected him.
He weut to his ward and there voted"
coLoREp PEOPLE REFUSED TO VOTE.
"Were any Republicans voters b.
longing to that township molested In
any way?"
mot at all. But after the events
above narrated the Republican negroes
we're by their bosses ordered to stoI
voting. They were told by s. D.
Lewis that by II O'Clock he would
obtain an order from Gov. Churchill
to open another ballet box at the
courthouse, where they could all vote.
Hundreds of negroes stood around the
telegraph Office for hours, looking fol
a dispatch from the Governor to estab.
lish another ballot box. Colonel Bar.
low and l, together with a number Of
prominent Democrats, all we'll known
to and on good terms withthese coloreG
voters, went to them and tried to con.
vince them that they were beinl
deceived. We assured them that tn,
Governor would not order another
ballot box established, aud we urged
them TO 60 back to the COURTEOUS,
and vote. We assured them that the,
should vote as they plelsed, and tina
every vote would be counted as cast
But their leaders we're determines
they should not vote unless anothe
box was established, and our effort
were in vain"
"Then they alone are responsible 70
their failure to vote?"
Certainly, or at least their leader
are responsible, for their influence ant
the nonsense about the expected tele
gram from the Governor outweighet
our efforts to induce them to vote a
the only legal polling place. This i
the fact, and no one will attempt t
disputeit, for everything can be prove,
by the most reputable men in Hell
ena."
HOW THE VOTE STOOD.
Asked the reporter: Judge Mar
gum, if all the charges made by th
Republican leaders aud telegraphed I
the Globe Democrat we're true, woul
/ A. --.l =. IL l. IT,