Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-29
Mr.. SMITH RETIRES.
ACCEPTS THE RECOUNT AND SPOTS
WOOD DECLARED The NOMINEE.
The Graceful Act Commended by Counsel
and tho Committee--rhe Jeffer-
son Ward Recount.

| from entering upon a rccanvass.
The committee met at $50 o'clock in the
| Circuit-Court room. and there were good |
many spectators present.
The Chair stated that when the special |
meeting of the committee adjourned the
| recount had been finished and 1t was now
in order for the recanvass TO begin, unless
the body ordered otherwise.
Nr. Bowry sald it having been shown |
by the recount that Colonel Spotswood
had received majority of all the legal
| votes cast for Commonwealth's-A s-Attorney
| in the late primary, he thought II was IN
order for Mr.. Smiths counsel to take the
| initiative If there were TO be any further
| proceedings.
Here Mr. Tompkins. superintendent Of
| Monroe Ward stated that he understood
that the ballots thrown out at the tifth
| Precinct in his ward had not been turned
in.
Mr.. Cosby. of counsel for Mr. Smith,
| said he had Just been informed OF the tact
stated by Mr.. Tompkins, and asked that
the ballots referred 10 be examined.
Mr.. Wallace asked where these ballots
| were.
Mr. Tompkins replied that he had heard
for the first time that morning OF the fall-
ure TO turn them in. and he understood
that they were still in the bailot-box. when
| WIS III luf uduuS OF lDt I'EiHlidIs
NOTICED AT THE RECOUNT.
| Mr.. Wallace said that when the ballots
| were recounted 1t was noticed that the
irregular ballots from the precinct III
question were not IN the sealed package
Now. IL was not competent TO take cogni-
| zance of these irregularities.
The Chair said that on the night OF the
| election he had asked each registrar II ali
the ballots cast were in these packages
| ON rao.srra1 nirfp va rQptIpg
Mr.. Hall, who. with MIR. Wallace and
others, recounted the vote of the ward,
said the discarded ballots were not found
in the sealed package OF Fifth Monroe
| The committee he concluded, could not
now touch these ballots. No one knew
| where they were.
The Chair said il was thei duty of the
Superintendent of the ward to see that
| the discarded ballots were returned to the
! committee on the night of the election, 20
which Mr.. TOmpkins replied that he could
not be at every precinct at one time.
Mr.. Ferrter said he was one OF the COM
| mittee who recOunted the ballots Of the
| precinct in question. and this was the first
intmatiOn be had had Of any irregular
| ballots. He thought the whole matter
| should be taken into consideration. There
might be four or five ballots which would
change the result.
TOO LATE TO RECEIVE THEM.
Mr. Bowry asked Mr.. Ferriter if he
| thought the citizens Of Richmond would
be satisfied with result changed by bal
| lots that had bsen held in the hands of
outside parties for weeks.
Mr.. Ferriter. in replying, said he only
wanted fairness TO al parties, which posi-
ton Mr.. Bowry said he also occupied.
The Chair ruled that the discussion was
out of order. and the question OF gong
into :he examination Of the discarded bal |
| lots could only be reached by motion to
examine them.
MOMENT OF INTENSE INTEREST.
At this juncture Mr.. Smith arose aud
| said that he had attended tine meeting of
! the committee IL order 10 submit q letter, /
( which be held IN his hand. lie had just |
| been apprized of the nOn-turnin. III OF the |
discarded votes of Fifth Monroe How |
| ever, this he considered the proper mo- |
ment to present his letter.
| While the Chair was perusing the letter |
| there was a stage wait. There had during |
| the day been various rumors as to what |
course hlr. Smith would pursue. and |
| anxious expectancy was depicted on the |
faces of the majority present. On the con-
| tents of the two sheets of note-paper pro- |
| badly depended whether the celebrated |
| case would end with this meeting of the |
| committee or there would be protracted |
! fight. Those, however, who knew MIR. |
| smith best. although they were not in his |
confidence IN this especial matter, antlci-
| pated what he had written.
| HIs LETTER OF WITHDRAWAL.
When Chairman Wood had finished his |
| perusal he passed the letter 10 Secretary |
| Wallace, who read it as follows:
RICHMOND, April %, 1892.
DR.. Jud. h. Bood, Chairman CHy Democratic COM
niittee:
My Dear Sir,-It will no doubt simplify matters
/ tff~ff I.t..s srfrr IL
| abide the result they have reached In their re-
count OF the ballots cast IN the late primary.
| II your committee is satisfied that their work |
| was accurately done, as know 10 was honestly |
| done then Colonel Spotswood ~ the party nomi- |
| nee for Commemorative Attorney.
| beg 10 remind your committee however, that |
| charges Of fraud, irregularity, and improper |
conduct have been made as 20 sixteen precincts.
! SO far "a am Informed no investigation has |
| been made by the committee or any one else OF |
! any precinct other than Third Jefferson. trust |
| the committee will proceed 70 Investigate the |
| whole matter thoroughly and let tho public |
| know who are the perpetrators Of these frauds |
ana who has been guilty OF improper conduct
| TIE fullest investigation that the committee |
| can give this whole matter Is due 10 the party
| Ii. N. SMITH, JR.
THB RECOUNT WAS ACCURATE.
| Mr. Ferriter said no wanted 10 ask every mem |
| her Of The committee II be believed the recount
| was accurate. with q view Of moving that Colo |
| mel SpotswoOd be declared the nominee OF the |
me committee was polled, and each member
answered that he was satisfied that the recount |
| was accurate.
| nominee OF the party Mr.. Guigon addressed the |
| chairman a. follows:
II AK permission, Mr.. Chairman, In the name
! of Colonel SpOtswOod and my associates, 10 !
! CONGRATULATE Mr.. Smith upon the graceful man /
! ner IN which he has put an end to this most un-
fortunate controversy, ana would also cOngratu-
| late the Democratic party and this committee |
..,s,f fla ri
roached. ..
the committee for the patient hearing they have
given and for the ultimate result oil their do
"Slnce this result has been reached with such
| unanimlty. IL is, OF course, not our purpose 10
| nnrsue our Investigations tuIther, but we feel
that II is due 10 ourselves and 10 this committee
| that, having made grave charges we should hand
here and nov 20 the chairman the various eyi-
dences wo have searched to sustain them for
such disposition as the committee may thinK
Mr.. Guigon closed his remarks by passing over
| 10 the chairman a number Of books aud papers.
WANT FULL INVESTIGATION.
| Mr. Flournoy said, as superintendent OF JEFF
ferson Ward ne asked that the fullest inyestiea-
! tion Of the Second and Third Precincts OF that
/ ward be entered upon, and that every man con-
/ nected with these precincts officially pe investI-
! gated also. The innocent should be ylndicated
and to the guilty should be meted out Just pun
! ishment. ono member OF the committee had
| heen charged with indiscretiOn III connection
! win tho voting In Jefferson Ward, and be want
| ed to move that he be investigated also. ms
, WAS due Mr.. BOtto, the member alluded 10.
| Mr Botto said he would heartily second the
| motion. lie wanted the fullest investigation.
Mr. SMITHS COURSE COMMENDED
Mr. Philip O'Neii offered the following:
| Resoiped That II Is the sense OF each and
| every member Of this committee that Mr.. ii. NJ
smith Is In no manner responsible for any OF the
| ,raud or irreguarity proved or charged at the
! late primary, Lu, that they hola hlln one 700
higb.toned and honorable to In any way connect
| himself with such dsgraceful or dishonoraoo
/ ghey also extend TO Mr.. Smith their thanks
| for the graceful manner in which he has yielded
| 90 the result, and thereby relieved them IRON
| ,,r,i'er Investigation and embarrassment in tho
matter ,..,, ,.,,a
| though Mr. Bowery stated that he thought II was
| unnarossary as No one had any idea that Mr. ]
| smith MAS in any way connected with the frauds
GIVEN THE CERTIFICATE.
Mr. Ferriter then moved and the motion was
| n nat Colonel S.OtsEOOi