The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-01-30
Wednesday, Jan. 80, 1895.
MOORMAN VS.. LATIMER.

Mr.. MOOrman Thinks that Voters
Made a Mistake in Voting for Lat
inner, and that IL he Received the
Votes that He Wanted that He. anu
not Lntimer, Would Have Been
Elected to Congress.
limited states of America, 3rd Congressional
District of South Carolina.-Robert MOOR
man. ontestant, against A. C.Latimer, con-
testee-Contested election, 54th Congress.
To the Hon. A. C. Latimer, returned as as
member of the 54th Congress from tne ora
Congressional district of South Carollna
Please take notice that I will contest your
pretended election as Representative TO tne
5ith Congress OF the United States OF Amerl-
ca upon the following grounds: bald =,
the eth day of Nov, A. D. 1894, for Represen-
tative to the 54th Congress from the sra Con,
gressional district Of South Caroilna toere
were no ballots cast for the contestee, as can
dfdate for the said Congress. but that the pre-
tended ballots which were cast for the contes
tee contained on them the words, "Represen'
tative in Congress. Srd district, a: " rsa rati.
nowhere contained any Information that tney
referred to the 54th Congress OF the united
States OF America, or that contestee was a
candidate for membership or RepresentativWe W
from the 3rd district OF South Carolina tc
said Congress. .,
each county in said 3rd Congressional dlstrlcl
of South Carolina had due and iegst notice ot. ~
the said illegality of the pretended oallotS
cast for contestee at the said election, put dls
resardeded the same, and counted them III
ballots as legal ballots for contestee, over Ine
protest Of con testant when tne sala poetehde dts
cartled and not counted for the contestee.
: Third. That at the said election the man
ayers thereof, at the different precincts IN tns
oil tNyU
thousand Republican voters TO cast tneir oal
lots, assigning as ground that they dlo no,
have registration tickets as was requlIeu "
the Revised Statutes of 1893 OF the State o.
.rld registration of electors and general eIec
TONS" which said statutes are IN Vlolatlon o.
the fundamental law and Constitution OF Ine
State and the United states, anu Ieh Spepeso soid
refusal contestant was deprived OF Ins pasEIs
of six or seven thousand voters, and winch
ballots. If they had been cast, Woala nave ~
Fourth. That at the different Preclncts y
the said district large number OF Hepuollcan
voters presented themselves as iegal vGLe,s re
and exhibited registration tickets. giving
them the right to cast their ballots, In accord.
ance with the provisions OF the Statues oi
South Carolina, but the managers 0! saio
election refused to allow them TO cast tnelr
ballots assigning amongst many otner rea'
sons that the voters so rendering their 6allots,
removed from the township or from the resi-.
dence In which they lived when they were
registered. and the SAID managers, cra,ie ~ tue
voters to cast their ballots and against whorn
the same objection might be taken.
Filth. That q large number OF Repuolcan y.
voters rendered themselves as voters al the
said election, and when they eXhioited theiT
registration tickets they were denied thelr
right to vote, because, as the managers al.
legged, the numbers on the certincate ola no'
correspond TO those on the books Of the super
visor Of registration, and thus under thls pre-
text and many other pretexts the said voters
were deprived OF their ballots, ana tnis con
testant declares that the action Oh saIu ura, roe
thousand voters. ,,,
sixth. That a large number OF Republican
voters, holding registration tickets. tendeIeo
box on the day Of the said election and were
refused their right to vote, and on the same
day were allowed to vote at the state oallot
box for State officers OF the state "l Soutn
Carolina. ,.
Seventh That from six to seven thousand
Republican voters in the said district maze
application, on the days fixed by the Revised
Statutes OF 1893 OF South Carolina ior tue reg
sors of the several counties whlch compose
the district, for certificates OF registration
which would entltle them to vote, but they
were denied by the said supervisors ~lIh9u,
any valid or legal reason, by means OF Wnlcn
said action OF the State supervisors this con
testant was deprived OF the ballots OF tne
said Republican voters. who, nolwltnstano
!. ing the said refusal Of the right TO register
afterwards rendered themselves az voters al
the said election and were denied the right 10
vote without a registration ticket
Eighth. That at numerous Young preeincts
in said district the State and Federal elec
tions were held in the same house nearer to
each other than the law in said cases pro-
vides. =,
Ninth. That at many Of the. precints In
said district at said election the managers
allowed two or more voters TO be sworn III
at one and the same time and allowed them
to vote together, when the Revised statutes
of the State Of South Carolina regulating
elections PROHIBITS the same, and provide,
that only one voter can be sworn and vote a,
one time. ,
Tenth. That at Pomaria precint, in the
county Of Newberry, in said district, on the
F., day OF said election, q military company O
the State militia paraded and manoeuvereo
around, about and near the ballot-box, there
by Terrifying and intimidating those who
desired to vote the Republican ticket and fol
the contestant.
Eleventh. That at Longshore's precinct, in
the county of Newberry, in said district, one
of the managers OF election was trial JUS
tice in the county Of Newberry and disquali
fled and incompetent to act as such manager
and In consequence thereof the election
held at said precinct was illegal and void an
the votes for the contestee amounting to s.
votes should have been cast out and moi
Twelfth. That at Jalapa precinct, in the
county of Newberry, In said district, on the
day OF saidl election, great number OF bal
lots were found in the box, purporting tc
have been given for the contestee. than there
were voters at the precinct who were Demo
Gratis or persons who voted for contestee.
Thirteenth. That A. +. P. Bedenbaugh
one OF the members OF the board Of county
canvassers for Newberry county, was, at thu
time Of the tabuating OF the ballots cast fo
Representative TO the 54th Congress from
Newberry county in said district, the super
visor of registration for the county OF New
berry, and, therefore, on that account the tab
ulation of said ballots by the said board wal
invalid and void and the ballots cast for th'
contesteeito the amount OF 1853 should not b.
counted.
Fourteenth. That at said election contestan
complains that there were perpetrated fraud
and Irregularities and unlawful means wer,
used by which many thousands OF Republi
can voters were prevented from exercising
their rights OF suffrage, and who. If the.
had been allowed to cast their ballots for con
testaut would have increased the vote of con
testant so greatly that there would have beel
u large majarity in his behalf
Wherefore contend and aver that upon ar
honest count of the votes cast, and whicl
were sought to be cast, and which OF righ
ought TO have been cast, upon and the Law
and facts OF this case, as will be established
and produced, you were not elected, ant
that was elected Representative To the 54tl
Congress Of the United States from the 3r'
district OF South Carolina.
Robert A. Moorman.
Contestant.