The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-24
THE NEVER ENDING GRIND
FEDERAL COURT AT LITTLE ROCK
DEALING WITH ELECTION CASES.
Republican Supervisor Carr, at the Au-
gusta Poll. Tells His Story of How the
m Election Judges Hoodwinked Him in
the Ballot and Count.
Special Dispatch to The Appeal.

Special Dispatch to The Appeal.
LITTLE Rock, Ark, April 23.-The Fed
eral Court resumed business this morning,
with Judge Caldwell presiding, and the
case against J. II. Hopkins, Samuel Da-
venport and l.. HIickerson was called.
They are charged with ejecting J. ]. Carr,
an election supervisor, from the polls at
Augusta, Woodruff County, at the last
November election.
JEFF Carr, the colored supervisor, was
the first witness called for the prosecu-
ton. The circumstances OF tho case. as
related by him, seem TO DO as follows:
On the morning OF the election about
o'clock he appeared before the proper off,
Ger TO qualify as election supervisor. He
claims that when no asserted that IL was
his duty to stay in the room and
watch the casting and recording OF
the ballots, that the men who were
present began to ridicule him, and ro-
piled that his duty was TO build
fires, carry water and wait upon the
judges. He thought they were in fun, and
accordingly jokcd back. At the polls,
however, some question arose as TO wheth-
or Carr, as Supervisor, had a right 10 re-
main in the room with the judges The
matter was ended by the Sheriff, who, as
Carr claims, ordered him out OF the room.
lie obeyed, but one of tho electors--a
white man--raised the question OF his
right TO remain. At first there was some
talk OF telegraphing Judge Caldwell about
tho matter. Tho Sheriff said he would
attend TO that matter. In about an hour
he told Carr to 60 into tho room and stay
there. At night, when the question OF
sealing the ballot.box came up, Carr
claims that A. w. Jones cursed him and
told him TO keep his hands of OF II. Carr
wanted 10 paste Republican ticket over
the slot, but Jones objected. Mr.. w. L.
Ferguson. who was present, fastened
piece OF legal cap paper over the place.
There was quite u controversy about
counting the ballots before leaving tho
polls. Carr Chains that the judges in
sisted upon putting them In the county
vault for the night, while he wanted 10
count them there. The box was put In
the vault against the wishes OF Carr, so he
claims, and the votes were not counted
I'LL Thursday morning. II was further
brought out that during Wednesday the
box was accessible 10 those in the county
Office. Nothing was said about the votes
having been tempered with.
A number OF witnesses were examined
for the prosecution. who, in the main,
agreed with the statements made by Carr.
The Federal Grand Jury returned the
following indictments this morning: w.
r. Ferguson, charged with interfering
with the supervisors OF election at
Augusta, Woodruff County; Quinton II.
Webster, charged with interfering with
the supervisors In Lonoke Township,
Lonoke County; Therver Wann and
Robert J. Smith, charged with failing TO
count ballots and ejecting supervisors OF
election at Augusta, Woodruff County;
Henry Askew, Jerry Clark and Ii. x.
Thcc. charged with failing TO hold an
election In Freeman township. Woodruff
County; Edmund Raddy, charged with
eIec,ing an election supervisor at Augusta,
Woodruff County.