Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1890-08-12
cowAN's CLOSE CONTEST.

elsewhere it will be seen that Prows'
is given majority OF five votes ovel
Cowan for Clerk. This is giving Cowar
the advantage of two errors in add
ton of one vote each, one at Handy
and one at Crofton. These were dis
covered after the count had been
made and the Board had announced
Prowse's majority to be seven votes,
As the mistakes found did not change
the result, recount was not made,
The changes from the semi-oilicial
figures by which the result was
changed were in Hopkinsville No 4,
Bainbridge, Handy and Crofton.
Cowan started in with lead OF 7
votes. He gained 8 in Hopkinsville,
No. A and 8 in Handy. On the other
hand his majority was II less than
reported at Bainbridge and Prowse
gained 8 votes at Crofton. These
changes would have left the result q
tie, but Prowse gained 2 votes at
Barkers, 2 at Fairview and ! at Bev-
erley, making his majority s votes.
This is on the face of the returns, but
mistakes have already been found in
recording the votes Of three precincts
that show Cowan to have been elected
on a correct record and count of the
votes cast. Two of Cowan's votes in
Hopkinsville No. 4 and one at Balm
bridge were put by mistake in
Prowse's column and 80 counted. At
Crofton also two voters recorded for
Prowse have made affidavit that they
did not vote for him at all. These
changes and corrections would show
Cowan to have been elected. For
these reasons Mr.. Cowan has deter
mined to contest the election OF Mr.
Prowse and will ask the coptesting
board, composed of Judge Winfret
and the two magistrates nearest thu
court house, (Esqs. Dawson and Nor
ris) to have recount of the votes ant
correct votes wrongfully recorded anC
counted against him. One OF the
votes counted for Prowse is that Of
Mr.. Cortez Leavell, a lifelong Demo,
crat, who never voted Republican
ticket in his life. He declares that he
voted the Democratic ticket, while he
is recorded for the whole Republican
ticket. This is clearly a mistake o
the clerk at No. 4, Mr.. Frank p. Cook
who was greatly hindered and annoyed
in the discharge OF his work by thu
disturbance and disorder around th,
polls all day. The wonder is that hs
he did not make more mistakes thar
he did in recording the votes. 1t ha.
also been developed that in Balm
bridge and several other precincts
persons were allowed to vote the Re.
publican ticket on fraudulent regis.
tration certificates, when subsequent
examination showed they were mol
registered voters. In many instances
registered voters who had left theil
districts were allowed to return and
vote the Republican ticket. A great
many such cases have already been
reported from the southern districts,
where the colored people are constant
ly changing their homes. Even un-
der the registration law an illegal
voter occasionally registered and
some parties who have not been in the
State long enough have been found
and few ex-convicts eluded the Wig
ilance of the officers and got in their
votes. There is still another class
whose votes will be challenged, viz;
those who were illegally registered
on July 2S, under the ruling OF the
Clerk that sickness or absence one
OF the four days was sufficient cause
for allowing affidavit registration.
This is clearly not in accordance with
the law, which provides that sickness
or absence on the days and not on
one day of the regular registration
shall entitle voters to register in the
Clerks Office.
Mr.. Cowan's friends are satisfied
that scores of Illegal votes were cast
against him and are confident that
the courts will give him the Office to
which he has been elected. Messrs.
Joe McCarroll, Wood & Bell and
Henry j. Sites will be his attorneys
in the case and the contest will be
begun at once.