Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-27
GOING OVER RETURNS
cear,rIcAres AWARDED TO THE
TEN coNcREsSMsN-ELEcT.
Ccr,.s,. In the Firsi, Second, Third
Fourth, and Tenth Districts-A Di'cre-
pancy In tho Law.

Fourth, and Tenth Dlstricts-A Discre-
pancy In tho Law.
The State Board of Canvassers Oh VIZ
s,,,a hold n session In the Office OF the
Secretary of the Commonwealth yesterday
afternoon ard awarded certificates OF
election to the ten congressmen-eiect IRON
the Old Dominion.
A fight. az brief as IL was futiie,
10 have the returns from nve OF
the districts sent back to the county
boards for amendment was made by the
Republicans, but the powers OF the boaru
are purely ministerial and not judiciary
and that body has only 10 do with the
acceptance OF the returns and the coHhpiih-
ton OF figures contained in them that tie
certificates may be properly awarded.
The Board of Canvassers Is composed
of the Governor, Attorney-Generai' sec
rotary of the Commonwealth, Treasurer
and Auditor. and all OF these save 'he
Attorney General were in attendance
Governor O'Ferrall presided. ana there
were also I'm attendance State-LiDrarian
men u. Gardiner tyler and S. <. Turner
Colonel X. G. Marshall. OF Portsmouth:
Judge Edmund Waddiil. Colonel William
Lamb. Of Norfolk; Congressman-elect W.
r. Mckinney. Of Petersburg; Mr.. j. W.
Southwark. and Colonel W. +. workman.
RETURNS IN BAD FORM.
The returns were taken up by districts
and carefully gone over. every foOtnOte
being read and duly considered. There
were some slight irregularities in almost
every paper sent in. and the board was
put In sort OF dilemma az 20 what
course should be pursued. Many OF the
returns were not dated so as to show
that the local canvassing boards had
held meetings two days after the election,
as required by the law. while others con-
tanned omissions OF the numbers OF the
districts and other clerical errors.
When the counties composing the First
District had been gone through with
ex-Judge Edmund Waddiil. OF this city.
as counsel for Mr. Mcdonald. the defeated
Republican nominee for Congress in that
district, urged that the returns were not
in proper form lie claimed that in that
district 1882 ballots were thrown out.
and that these were not accounted for In
the returns. He essayed to demonstrate
by reading the law and giving his in
!
the local boards 10 certify the number
of votes thrown out and for whom those
votes were cast. The Governor suggested
that II Mr.. Waddill had anything To SUBJ
NIT in this connection he had better do
so In writing. The Judge then prepared
n resolution to require the county boards
TO certify who the rejected ballots were
cast for, but this was unanimously de-
feated.
FLAGRANT FRAUD CHARGED.
number Of technical omissions were
discovered In the returns from the Second
District, and the board determined to
settle later the matter of whether the
faulty returns should be sent back for
correction. After these returns had been
canvassed Colonel William Lamb. who
was present as the representative of Mr..
Borland, The defeated Republican candl-
date In that district arose and addressed
the body concerning the election I'm the
Second. lie said that In that district
fraud of the most fragrant character had
been perpetrated. He said persons had
been stationed as watches in every pro-
cinct In the district, and that these had
reported an outrageous state Of affairs
Colonel Lamb was here interrupted by
the Governor. who stated that the board
could not 90 into those matters. az its
powers were not so broad. His Excel
lency added that the board could only
act upon what appeared upon the face
OF the returns. and at this point referred
to the law touching the subject.
Colonel Lamb then said that he had
prepared protest. which he would like
TO submit. Directing to the issuance of
a certificate Of election to ID. Gardiner
Tyler. from the Second District, on the
grounds OF these frauds. He ayerred that
he did not for one moment think that
Mr.. Tyler had any hand In the alleged
dishonest transactions. but felt confident
that by fair election Mr.. Borland would
have been entitled to the certificate.
Governor O'Ferrall stated that the
board could not consider Colonel Lambs
protest because its duties were plainly
restricted to the face Of the returns.
Colonel Marshall, Of Portsmouth, who
was in attendance as the representative
ana friend Of Congressman Tyler. had
nothing to say upon this issue. as the
action of the board disposed OF II. but
ne spoke at some length concerning the
forms or returns, and the apparent dis
crepancies as to the dates. He said that
while these returns were I'm some in
stances dated on the 10th, 18th. and 18th.
Instead Of the sth on which day the law
prescribed the local boards should meet
Tor the purpose Of going over the re-
turns In each Of the counties and cities
this did not signify that the law had
not been compiled with. He remarked
that the law authorized these boards
TO adjourn from day to day. If any ir-
regularities occurred. until their work
was completed, and that they should then
make up their returns and date them
This view was subsequently taken by
the members Of the board. though II
was agreed that there should be some
where a record Of the first meeting on the
second day after the election.
THE CERTIFICATES ISSUED
This question having been disposed NJ
the board hurried along. Mr. WaddIl
spoke briefly Of the votes thrown out In
the Third and Fourth districts. In the
latter he simply represented Mr. Thorn
oy request. The returns from the Fifth.
sixth, Seventh. Eighth, and Ninth dis
lriets were gone over rapidly. only cleri
cal errors causing interruption. In the
Ienth contest was made by Colonel WI
nam +. Wickham, who was on hand as
counsel for Mr.. Yost. the Republican
nominee. but as the board had already
declared Its position on these matters but
little time was consumed.
The board then. at the suggestion of the
Governor, went into secret session. and
alteF an hours elaboration upon the
question OF sending back the returns con-
tanning what were apparent clerical err
rors, but which did not affect the results
II decided not to do so. and awarded the
ten certificates to the congressmen-elect.
as stated above.
1t then adjourned for the day, but will
meet this morning at IL o'clock to 20
into the canvass of the returns upon the
question OF the constitutional amendment.
Convicts Received,
The following convicts were received at
the phnftaDtfarv yoctordav. I,ro,,, ri,,,,,t