The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-09-23
His Plurality Was 255 and Total Vote
1914, to 1919 Cast for Breckin-
ridge and 3,4O6 for Settle.
END OF A BITTER CONTEST
Final Letter of Protest Filed by
the Defeated Congressman.
The Committee Forced to Revise One of
Its Resolutions and Eliminate Mat.
ter Obnoxious to Mr.. Owens.

FRANKFORT, Ky, Sept y. Tn DEM
ocratic congressional committee of the Ash
land district to-day declared Owens the
nominee Of the party by a plurality of 30
votes. The figures as announced by the
committee are as follows: Owens, 8.074;
breckenridge. 1873; Settle, 3.4Os.
The committee was called to order by
Chairman Field Mcleod at 1890 o'clock D.
m. with all members present. A pro-
test against Chairman Mcleod voting and
a decision of Chairman Carroll, Of the State
committee. deciding that Mcleod could
vote only in case of a tie. was filed in
behalf Of Breckenridge. The protest stated
that he did not intend to file any formal
contest of the committees decision, and the
committees decision puts an end to the
whole thing. Judge Cantrill was scored on
account OF his judicial action in regard to
the Injunction granted in Bourbon county
restraining the officers from swearing
voters TO support the nominee. In his pro-
test Colonel Breckenridge referred to Judge
Cantr.ll as his bitter personal enemy. The
protest is addressed to the Democratic
committee Of the Seventh congressional dis
trict." 1t reads:
Under the statutes of Kentucky and the
order on this committee you are duly au-
thorized and constituted the governing au-
thority empowered to count the votes re-
eeived by the candidates in the primary
election Of Sept. Is and to declare the
candidate receiving the highest number of
votes the nominee Of the Democratic party
In this district, and you alone have the
power to determine upon the form and
manner OF the. proceedings you will take
70 discharge, this duty. In case of a con-
hear and determine such contest and de-
eide who shall be entitled to the nomina-
ton, and You owe to the Democratic party
OF the district and TO your sense of right
that the duties imposed upon you shall not
De performed by any one else. nor shall
alone, have the power to prescribe what
political qualifications shall be possessed by
such legal voters as reside within the dis
trict and desire to participate in that
primary, and you. and you alone, have the
right TO determine whether the rules laid
~ Incorporated the provisions of the
statutes have been complied with.
Il deem 1t a duty l owe to the Demo-
cratic party of the district, to my friends
and to myself, to state this principle and
protest against any action of any Judge.
county committee of any county, or pri-
vate individual which, encroaches, or at
tempts to encroach, upon your exclusive
jurisdiction; so that whatever has been
Lone IN TINS primary may not be held to
the want of an open and formal protest
against it. I formally protest against the
action of the judge of the Fourteenth judi
cial district in the usual Of the extraordi-
nary order in the case of W.. E.. Sims and
others This committee met on Sept. 8
oN1 CtA IAN 0ACo Al DldlllLlalS
waited until the afternoon of Friday, the
18th, having had ample time to take such
steps as they deemed necessary and give
proper notice to me or to the nominal de-
been mad. This delay was known to that
judge. and was Of Itself a cause for refusal
to issue any restraining order.
When 1t is remembered that this Judge has
been Tor many years my bitter personal
enemy, permitting and participating in ma
lignant attacks upon me in many parts of
the country, and was also a heated political
enemy, his action becomes the more eX.
would justify me in making a contest and
justify this committee in refusing to de-
clare the beneficiary of such conduct the
nominee of the party.
At also deem it my duty to solemnly avow
that 1 have not the shadow of a doubt that
i have received, as against William c.
Owens. of Scott county, a majority of the
legal Democratic votes of this district, and
that l am legally entitled to be declared
this district. The inexplicable increase in
s the votes cast at this primary over the vote
cast In 1892 would be sufficient reason to
require of this an investigation.
i append TO this "a comparative table of the
votes cast for Mr.. Cleveland and myself
In 1892 and for Governor in 1891 in the eight
counties constituting this district. and the
vote cast at the recent primary, showing an
apparent increase of over $500 voters. And
this increase Is mainly in the counties of
Fayette, Franklin and Scott. The increase
in the county OF Franklin, which is nearly
30 per cent, accounts for the plurality re-
CeiVeQ Dy my competitor In that county, as
does the increase in the county of Scott.
which Is about 30 per cent, account for the
majority received in the county of Scott,
and the almost. but not quite, so marvellous
increase in the county of Woodford. ex-
plains the majority received there. This in
crease can be accounted for only by the
fact of the illegal votes received by the
judges at the various precincts; and the APP
parent plurality received by w. c.. Owens
IS the result of this fraudulent additional
vote, and Will be so understood by the
party in the district and by the State. and
the declaration OF his nomination will be
accepted as the triumph of this fraud.
But under all the circumstances / do
not feel called upon to make a formal con-
test or to oppose the declaration of his
nomination upon the face OF the returns,
for while l repudiate the claim that the re-
suit as shown upon the face OF the returns
ought always TO be accepted as one, the
admission of which necessarily results in
causing additional frauds by holding out
inducements to their preparation, L accent
the result in this election rather than en-
ter upon a contest which, in my Judgment.
would result in the election of a Republican
in this district m permanent estrangement
I'm many parts of the district and the per
petuation of a strife which threatens the
peace of many neighborhoods. / nave not
the slightest doubt that the contest would
result in a declaration of my nomination.
but this is not enough TO justify me in
entering upon such a contest when other
fore, take this means of notifying your
body that [ do not intend TO contest the
declaration. OF the nomination based upon
Nht Aa(t VI III ClQIiS. L NOulu IGel I0dI
/ had not performed the duty ! owe TO
my friends everywhere, but especially in
scott county, IL / did not enter my protest
against the action of the of
Scott county in this primary.
"F1rst-In the apportionment and an
pountment OF the judges of election. which
was only rectificd after had appealed TO
this committee.
'Second-Against it's refusal to forward
the proofs upon which it acted to this com
mittee.
able refusal to permit me to obtain "A coDv
of the names OF the voters in Georgetown
at the late primary. SO that / might make
such investigation as L desired and as was
my right.
II charge upon that committee the DELHI
crate purpose to defraud me out of the
nomination, and 1 now put upon record i'm
this way these proofs SO that the charge
and the proof may remain a part of the
permanent record of the political history
OF this district. and that the, party and the
country may know that the nomination
would not have been obtained II an honest
election. fairly conducted, had been held
In the county Of Scott.
NO man can estimate the importance OF
each Democratic vote in the next House OF
Representatives. L have given many years
or labor TO the cause of Democracy, and
especially to the revision of the tariff. L
am not willing TO endanger the supremacy
OF the Democratic party in the next House.
even though j am the victim OF fraud com
United in this district L believe also that
wrong can be better rlghted within the
party without the rupture OF the party than
by its rupture. 1. therefore. in anticipa-
ton or your action, announce my submits
sion 10 your declaration and my purpose to
support the nominee In whose favor Won
It'll raakA that 1n~T.-