The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-01
MAY INSPECT THE BOOKS.
TIE COMMISSIONERS OPEN TIE
REGISTRATION LISTS.


A Lively Time at the Investigation.
Mr.. Charlton's Statement Before the
Commissioners in Behalf Of the Gen
.tlemeu who Preferred the Charges
of Irresularity-TheI Investigation to
Be Continued Tomorrow.
The registration lists are open for inspeo-
ton. The candidates who made applica-
ton to tue county commissioners for
permission to examine the registration lists
on the ground of alleged frauds and irregu-
Iarities in the last election can inspect the
lists TO their hearts content.
The clerk Of the commissioners and the
clerk Of registration IN justice to them
selves will be present and the inspection
will be conducted under the supervision of
the board of commissioners. There is no
provision in law for such a privilege, but
the commissioners have assumed the au-
thority TO grant it.
The board met at $3.50 O'Clock. Those
present. were DR.. j. B. Read, acting chair
man; Col. J. H. Estill, Ii. z. Smart, ).
Meinhard, commissioners; Capt. Dillon,
clerk; J. R. Saussy, Esq, attorney, and
Deputy Sheriff Westcott.
THE MAKERS OF THR CHARGES.
All four of the gentlemen whose names
were signed TO the communication presented
at the last meeting Of the board, Col. J. l..
Whatley and Messrs. J. s. Collins, p. D.
Dafin and w. S. KING were present, to-
gether with a number Of other gentlemen.
Charlton & Mackall appeared to represent
the gentlemen making the complaint.
DR.. Read called the meeting TO order.
THE BALL OPENED.
I.oII brr Ia
who presented q statement of the position
of the petitioners. This statement contains
the meat of the whole subject, from the
standpoint Of the parties making the
charges. Ii is as follows:
To the Honorable the Commissioners of Chat
ham County.
ON the 2sth inst your petitioners, who are
candidates for various offices at the approach
ing county elections, in perfect good faith, pre-
scented your honorable body respectful appl-
cation TO be allowed TO make a comparison and
inspection OF the registration books for the pur-
pose of avoiding Irregularities They gave as a
reason for this request that at the election for
county officers TWO years ago many irregular
tties were noted and much confusion caused
thereby, which occasioned no little dissatisfac-
ton, many names having been left of the pub
lished lists which should have been thereon, tie
parties being willing to produce sworn evidence
of the fact OF their having been duly registered.
and many others we're on the published lists
who admitted not having registered. Your pc
titioners in giving this reason why they desired
TO make a comparison of the books of registra-
tion TO be used at the approaching election had
not the remotest intention. either of accusing
any official connected with the registration
books of fraud or improper conduct. or of in
any manner rejecting upon the judicial conduct
OF this honorable body or Of any of its officers,
and they respectfully submit that the language
used cannot be tortured into any such construc-
tion.
The object Of said application is clear and
specific, and is to the effect that q com parisOn
end inspection may be had Ia order to prevent
Irregularities, and it would be strange indeed
If every irreRuarity in the discharge Of clerical
official duties could be construed to be- either
fraudulent or Intentional.
At a meeting held to consider said applica
ton, aud after said application had been read
the clerk of the board OF county commission
ers, who has charge Of the registration books
arose and stated to your honorable body that
the said application contained very
grave charge against him or his office,
or against MI. Mcintyre. who is the clerk APP
pointed by your honorable body to conduct the
registration. He further stated that he and
Mr.. Mcintyre were charged with neglect Of
duty in not putting names of persons on the
registration lists who were registered, and put
ting on the published lists persons who had not
been registered, and he then and there insisted
that the language used in said application car
ried with it q charge either that be Capt. Dill
lon) or Mr.. Mcintyre wifully and knowingly
falsi1ed the books of this Office, and at said
meeting one of your honorable body used the
Following language: You must think we
very strange people II we would not consider a
case where we are made particeps criminis of
fraud" And thereupon your honorable body,
instead OF either granting or refusing the ap-
plication OF your petitioners, seemed deter
mined TO interpret said application as a pro-
ceeding looking to the Investigation of the
official conduct Of the officers of registration
And your honorable body tbereupon adjourned
over until O'Clock on the 31st inst. for the pur-
pose, as avowed, of giving your petitioners an
opportunity TO make good their 80 called
charges.
Your petitioners now desire formally TO put
on record the fact that at the time said applica-
ton was presented your petitioners had not.
nor have they now, any intention OF rejecting
upon or Of making insinuations against either
the personal or official character Of any one
connected with the registration of voters in
Chatham county; that they do not appear as
prosecutors, nor will they be driven to assume
any such role, but, if in spite OF this disclaimer
on their part, this honorable body or its officers
insist on putting the forced Interpretation upop
the language of said application above referred
TO, ana insist that charges have been made
against the official integrity Of any one con-
nectsd with said registration books then
your petitioners submit that, under
the circumstances, this honorable
body is not the proper forum
In which to try or dispose Of any such issues
and your petitioners decline to partcipate IN
6ny such proceeding.
On the other hand, your petitioners say that
II any OF the parties connected with said regis
tration who feel aggrieved by the language used
In SAID application choose, for their own benefit
or satisfaction, to seek q Yindication II any ia
necessary. before proper tribunal, your pc
named persons, il summoned properly to ap.
pear, may be able to furnish them with infor-
nation 10 the effect that there have been, at
least IN the past irregularities of more or less
Importance: Frank Blair, W. H. Patterson,
George A. Hudson, S. L. Lazaron, George
Derst, Dr.: Kietfer, V. Z. St Cloud, E. A. We'll,
Henry Willink, Port-warden Virgins, o. II
shatfer. George Derst, William Rawls' e. B.
Peak, Thomas Magee, John Sheveln Frank
McDernaott. And they also suggest that an
inspection and comparison OF the old registra-
tion books and lists might throw light on this
subject.
In conclusion your petitioners renew their re
quest That they may be permitted to make an
examination and inspection of the registration
books, as before prayed, for the purpose of
avoiding Irregularities. feeling as they do that
such inspection will give satisfaction 70 ma
sority or the people OF the county.
W. S. KING,
J. s. COLLINS,
j. l.. WHATLEY,
7. D. DAFFIN.
Col. Estill asked that the letter to the
commissioners. read at the last meeting of
the board. be read again, which was done.
DE was the first to take up the discussion
IA