Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-07-04
By either Mr.. Bell or myself, and this solsmnly
TIE CONFUSION.


NY duty as teller being ended, I walked over
to a point near the other side. which u was sap
posed was being counted by Mr.. w. II. Cameron
and DR.. H. ID; kerfoot. At once saw ,het no isis
or at least reliable count could be made under the
circumstances DR.. kerfoot was at least ten
yards behind Mr.. Cameron, the latter going
ahead "a II his life depended upon his reaching
the end OF the line In q limited time, while Dr.
Ksrfoot was followed by several gentlemen,
seif-appointed tellers, who were confusing hin
all along tho line. Men were constantly, after
being counted once. getting In line ahead
Kept busy in putting them out OF the
line. Whether Mr.. Cameron had counted
these men more than once l can't say,
but IL Is a fact that they tried 20 &c: them
selves counted moro than once by DR.. kerfoot.
The confusion, excitement, and bluster was 80
great that IL was apparent no accurate. reliable
count could he made. After Mr.. Cameron got
through, he, without consulting with Dr. ker-
foot his associate teller, announced to the Chair
tnat he had counted lat. and thereupon DR..
Kerfoot stated 10 the Chair that no had
made no count that could be relied on be-
on that side, and was therefore unable
to make any report at all. The Chairman az once
announced IhEt he could act only on Informs
tion received from the tellers, aud as there was
no report from them, he directed q recount 70 DO
had OF the line | do not believe that single
voter on that side had lett the courthouse yard,
but on the contrary | am satisfied that every
man who had been In that line was stili 10 the
n
without difriclty and without injury 10 the anti
O'Ferral side.
RECOUNT DECLINED.
The direction OF the Chairman that a recount
be made was at once positively declined moro
than one OF the adherents OF that side shouting
yociferouslT that no further count would be
made or submitted to. The Chairman then de-
clared the gentlemen reported rs receiving l3%
votes duly elected as delegates and alternateeto
tho convention.
II has been admitted by Mr. Kownslar In his
letter to the Gdzstte that five negroes were in-
cluded In the count on his side, aud ms 10 the
face Of our agreement that neither side should
count them.
do not hold Mr. Kownslar responsible for
this breach OF our agreement, because be-
lievo him TO be beyond such methods, but still
the fact remains that they were counted by
somebody. There were nine negroes In that
line and have their names. There were Ave
men also In that line who last foil voted tho
Third party ticket, and some OF them, IL not all,
am credibly informed, were in
meeting held few days before to send
delegates to tho Lynchburg convention. There
was AT least one minor In the same line, ana
certainly as many rs four persons residing IN
Other districts aud one nonresident. and these
are the men who my friend hOWnslar declares
90 be OF the solid and inyincible Democracy, who
have fought shoulder to shoulder with him In
many hard-fought contest for the supremacy OF
Democratic principles. "Good Lord, deliver Us
from suchw
SUMMARY.
Now to summarize:
/. new count on their request was given
them on tho selection OF q chairman and In the
short interval between the two counts they In
creased ten or eleven In number and this In the
facs OF tho fact that the town and district had
been rakei as with fine toothcomo.
Who're did they como from?
2. The third count as reported by Mr.. Cameron,
the OFerrall teller. disclosed Al votes, an
increase OF 30 or 81 over the Drst count. Where
did they come from? Like doOdlebugs, one
ont of fha
In response TO the siren voices OF those who
called upon them IN tho aour OF their great need
3. They were offered recount while all OF
their voters were still in the courthouse yaTd,
and therefore accessible, aud this they declined.
4. Since the meeting was over and the public
prejudice has boeu sought to Do aroused Dy
partisan and incomplete statement OF the iacts,
and In order TO secure harmony and unity IN the
party ranks, they have been challenged 10
new vote. the only condition or Limitation bong
that II should bo had by primary and that none
but Democrats should vote, and hfs has hkeuise
btSn dec med.
8, There was no such report from the tellers
az could be received and acted on by the Char.
The object of tellets Is 20 inform the Chair that
he NAV be able TO declare tho result, and tho
object Of two tellers, one representing each OF
tho opposing sides, Is TO insure fairness IN the
count. Here one teller says he has made no
count and can, therefore, make no report,
while tho other reports the result OF his count.
VIII any one at all familiar with parliamentary
usage claim that the chairman could receive
and act upon the report OF ono teller or VIII no
not agree that the refusal OF tho other side 10
submit to n recount az the direction Oi tho chair
was the equivalent Of a withdrawal from the
! meeting, or at least OF failure 10 participate
| IN itg
| meat that In point Of fact there were l47 votes
| in the opposing line, still it must also Do adj
mitted that the chairman had no other means oi
| knowing this except on Information uerNen
IRON the tellers and not IRON one teiler. H. as
LaF Loot n.
will, dishonesty, the remedy was 10 ask hls re-
mOyal and the substitution OF some one else IN
| his stead The time. however, TO make the
| charge against DR.. kerfoot was at the meeting
| and not In the newspapers, and the remedy
! could then have been applied.
| g. They had in line nine negroes, whose names
| have in my possession. IL IS confessed oy Mr.
! Kownslar that i've were counted. WIZ any in
telligent man believe If nine wore In limo all Of
| them we're not counted, when Il Is openly adj
mitted that I've were countedY Wny count nvo
| and not the nine Never In the history OF this
! county has negro been before brought into
/ and permitted TO participate In Democratic
| nominating convention, except possibly one by
! the name OF Robert Hall, who has always voted
| the Democratic ticket.
| year bolted the Democratic nomination for
! President and cast their lot with MI weaver.
/ AMI some il not all OF them, are believed 10
/ have attended and 10 nave participated IN q
! Populist meeting TO send delegates to the Lynch
| y A youth OF about II years Of age resident
! from West Virginia, and four persons living on'-
side OF this district. stood up III the line ana are
| believed TO have been counted.
| g. Let Mr. kownslar say for himself whether
| he did not last fail decline TO vote Tor COlonei
| O'Ferrall the regular Democratic nominee, for
| Congress from the seventh Congressional Dis
J trict aud II he did not vote Tor Colonel j. X G.
/ Lewis, a Third-p8rty candidlto for that place
|. WON'T do for him to say that he voted for Colo
! mel Lewis because he was his personal ftlol1.
| Personal friendship for particular candidate
| can never furnish an excuse Tor dislOyalty TO
| oDo's party
10. Let the pubic answer II It in Its Judgment
on the facts heron stated IL looks Ike the oppo-
/ neuts OF Colonel O'Ferral had q majority OF the
democratic voters OF this district az their back,
| or does their refusal 20 submit TO a recount
/ when all OF their voters were accessible or n
/ new vote when that was offered to them lock
/ ike tho confession of the we~kness OF their
| cause.
! III. 1t claimed by MIR. .KowDslar In on or mors
! Of his communications, that negroes and other
! ipcomp potent voters were counted ON thu Ofer-
| rail- side. / invite him 20 give ne their names,
! promising In return 10 furnish hlm with tho h5t
OF the tncom petent voters his side, or AZ least
| euch rs 1 claim 10 have been incompetent.
] THIS il fair and will enable each side % make
! preparation to try the issue before the conYen-
! ton. hAkshALL mcNVhhi"h'
r. II. ELLIOTT ATTEMPTS SUICIDE.