Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-10
RECOUNT ASKEpFOR.
col. spoTswoop WANTS The BAL
LOTS CAREFULLY cANvA65ED.
He Charges that Fraud Was Committed In
Numerous Prccincts and Natural
missakes Mads In Othsra

Colonel N. L. spotswood wants g. re-
count of the ballots cast for Common
wealth's Attorney In the Democratic pri-
mary Of last Tuesday.
His written demand for such recount
and recanvass Of the returns was handed
to DR.. Jud. b. Wood. chairman OF the
City Democratic Committee. yesterday az
ternoon, and will be considered at the
meeting of this bocy Tuesday night.
This action is not at all unexpected, as
IL has been current rumor since Wednes-
dsy morning that a review Of Tuesdays
vote would be requested. The. returns,.i 1T
will be remembered, showed that Mr.
Smith received for this Office 1890 votes,
while Colonel Spotswood was given 4,204.
This only left the incumbent q majority
of So.
As soon as Colonel Spotswood's letter
reached DIR. Wood the latter commune
Gated with Mr.. jefferson Wallace. secre-
tary of the committee, and directed him
to notify both Messrs. Smith and SPOTS
wood of the meeting on Tuesday night,
and to invite them to be present.
WHY THE RECOUNT Is ASKED.
Here is the letter of Colonel Spotswood
in Its entirety:
RICHMOND. Va, April Q, 1892.
DR.. Jud. B. Wood, Chairman city Demo-
cratic Committee:
Nv Dear Sir,--I was candidate for the
position of Commonwealth Attorney ut
the primary election held In this city on
the 5th instant, and am dissatisfied with
both the face of the returns and the origi-
nal count of the ballots, for / believe that
a recount of the returns and q re-examina-
ton of the ballots will show that was
not defeated, but, on the contrary, nomi-
mated at said primary. l now leave with
you. as chairman of the City Democratic
Committee, this nv written demand tor q
recanyass of the returns and recount or
the ballots of all the precincts IN this city.
CHARGES OF FRAUD.
/ specify fraud in the First Marshall
Precinct, in the First, Second, and Third
Jefferson Precincts. in this. that dead men
were voted against me at these precincts,
also foreigners and persons upon trans
fers fraudulently obtained. charge that
at Third jefferson ballots illegally pre-
pared were substituted IN place OF those
originally voted. | charge that there was
improper conduct ON the part of some of
those having control of the boxes at Sc
cond and Fourth Monroe. charge that II
| am allowed to recanvass the vote cast at
Third Jefferson that L can show that three
or four times as many persons voted tor
NE as are credited to me on the face OF the
returns. and am prepared to make this
recanvass at my own expense, and TO pro-
duce to the committee the afhdaVlts OF
those who voted for me.
MANY IRREGULARITIES.
/ charge that there were irregularities at
other precincts IN this city. growing out
of no intentional effort to defraud, but
the natural result ot mistakes made by
honest and true men, occasioned by over
work and inability on account OF strain
upon the eyesight to properly read the bal
lots. Some of these gentlemen were
steady at work from o'clock on the morn
ing of the 5th to an early hour on the
morning of the 9Th. charge that irregu-
larities and errors, from overwork, occur
red at Second Marshall. First, Third, and
Fifth Monroe. First, Second, Third,
Fourth. and Fifth Clay. The expression
of those officially connected with the
election at First Jackson was. as am IN
formed, so pronounced against me that |
ought IN justice have recount at that
precinct. =,
This was supposed to be friendly fight
between gentlemen. and yet the frauds
that have alleged and expect to prove
were even greater than those committed
at q general election between the most
bitter political enemies. IL these matters
are allowed to 90 unrebuked by your
honorable committee, no gentlemen can
afford to run in your primaries 1T Will be
a farce tor them TO spend money and work
for weeks and months in all kinds of
weather. and speak at three and sometimes
four clubs at night, and then TO have few
men bv fraud and combination III few
hours to destroy all of their work.
NOT AT ALL SORE.
I am not at all sore over the result, and
am, of course, prepared TO abide the re-
suit of your deliberate action, but l be-
lieye that the prominent Democratic clubs
of the city want to see fair play, and that
the good and true Democrats, who really
constitute the backbone or our party-irre-
spectiye of party preferences-wlll heartily
sustain your action If you order this re-
count. | know that you will be less en-
barrassed because my opponent Will. l am
sure, be only too ANXIOUS to unite with me
in endeayoring to ferret out frauds and
correct errors wherever they are alleged to
exist.
remain yours, very respectfully.
Nj. l.. SPoTswooD.