People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-24
NUMBER %
WATSON rs. BLACK.
HOW RICHMOND COUNTY DEMO.
GRATIS CONDUCT ELECTIONS.
A Synopsis Of TestimOny---HOw 1900
Democrats Cast 1O,S0O Ballots.
Illegal Voters in Troops.


This week closes the taking of di-
rect testimony in favor of contestant
in the Watson VS.. Black contest case.
AS limited in last weeks report, the
time closed with more than one hun
dred of Mr.. Watson's witnesses yet
unexamined. The total number of
witnesses available, without counting
the Democrats examined and sum-
moned, was very little short of two
hundred. Of these possibly forty
have been examined. Mr.. Watson
loses the testimony Of the remainder.
Why was this so? 1t IS easily an
swered. In the cross Mr.. Blacks
attorneys killed as much time as pos
sible. They never confined them
selves to the testimony given in by
any witness they saw fit to cross ex-
amino. Usually they displayed de-
sire to know the witness past his
tory, wished a description of some
past action, and in some instances
crossed him on his war record. So
persistently has this method been
followed that every one saw and re-
cognized that it was a time-killing
trick.
In spite of the witnesses being con-
stantly examined day by day, Mr..
Watson's attorneys could not lessen
the number to be examined. Two
more witnesses would develop where
one was examined. Each day men
would send in their names or come
to the attorneys and signify their
wish to go on the stand. Witnesses
could have been examined until next
Christmas at the same rate as has
been maintained during the investi-
cation.
The Chronicze-and by her sug-
gestion few Of the rank Democrats
were very much exercised ove4 the
fact that we placed a few Of their
leaders on. the stand-those we
THOUGHT would talk under oath. We
knew that it placed the boys in an
awkward position, one not to be en-
We'd, and we thoroughly enjoyed
their endeavors to successfully evade
some Of the direct questions pro-
pounded. When asked about frauds
Or repeating at the polls, they saw
none, being only few moments at
the polls, or else they saw no one re-
peat whom they could lay hands on
and swear to. See?
The Democratic press having per-
sistently called the evidence given
from day to day as nothing, and have
systematically belittIed and ridiculed
it during the progress Of its gather
ing, the reader will agree with me,
now that it is finished, that they will
not take any testimony in rebuttal if
they were sincere in calling it nothing.
1t would be waste of time to rebuff
nothing, wouldn't it? They can gain
little and and may lose much by re-
butting nothing, can't they? But
will they? Guess When they do
begin the taking of testimony in re-
buttal, it will belle the cry of "noth-
ing and a farce" won't it, brother?
You can safely bet that they are 60
ing TO take evidence, pard. Catch onG
In his cross, Mr.. Hamp Rowland
acknowledged that he did not know
the name of the candidate who got
his ballot for the governorship, but
thought he voted for Cleveland. The
Chronicle and l-EUe1ajaag Neaos ridi-
culed and derided his ignorance, or
forgetfulness. Why? Because he
was witness in behalf of Mr.. Wat
son. Did these papers tell the public
that he was a Democrat, and voted
the Democratic ticket and for J. Q.
@. Black? Never said word about
it. Left the public to think him a
Peoples party man. Don't we catch
them?
Now, we think that each daily pa
per in this city should be as eager to
break up the farcical, rotten methods
of holding elections in Richmond
county as we are. They, know them.
They have seen these methods. Some
of these.papers have cried out in the
past against them. This State has
heard the cry. They could help
in the good work. By joining hands
with us they could'forever stamp out
this crime against morality, humanity