Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-12-07
NOTICE OF CONTEST.
Republicans Will Contest the
Election i'm Worcester.

The recently elected members of
the House of Delegates and the var
ious officials of Worcester county were
served with notices last Saturday from
their republican opponents that the
election would be contested, and in
the case of the members of the House
of Delegates that memorial will be
presented to the Legislature, and in
other cases, except clerk of the Circuit
Court, who has not yet received notice,
petition will be presented to the
court and leave asked to take testimony
to substantiate allegations which will
be made in the petition.
The notices allege that there was
fraud generally that the judges of
election refused to allow men to vote
who were legally qualified and in
every way entitled 10 the privilege !;
that undue influence over the super
visors Of elections was used by the
democratic party managers in the ap-
pointment of the election officials, and
from this resulted the conduct of
affairs which they claim made the
election returns fraudulent and illegal.
The allegations, rs before stated, are
general in their tone, leaving the
specific charges which cannot be rs.
certained to be brought out in the tes-
timony.
These notices are the result of num-
ernus consultations which have been
held in Snow Hill since the election,
and were prepared by Adial p. Barnes,
who is recognized as leading in the
movement among the republicans.
The independent element in the last
election also seem to be taking quite
an interest in the matter. 1t is
understood that the action is not ell
tirely unanimous on the part of the
republicans. One of the defeated
candidates is reported to have express
ed his opposition to any contest. An.
other prominent republican used
efforts to have the matter dropped
Before the election some dissatisfac-
ton was expressed with the appoint
ment of the ballot clerks in East and
West Berlin districts. The action of
the supervisors having been unani-
nous, however, no complaint was filed
with them. But day or two before
the election complaint was made to
Governor Brown, who referred it to
the supervisors, whom he requested TO
give the matter consideration. This
had already been done and no change
was made. One Of the officials OBJ
jected to was Ernest W. Collins. ballot
clerk, of East Berlin. He was secre-
tary OF the Berlin Lowndes Club and
and also secretary of the republican
mass meeting at Berlin addressed by
Mr. Lowndes short time before the
election. The other was Charles
West, also well-known republican.
The day following the election a war
rant was sworn out for the arrest Of
Mr.. Collins, charged with having
marked ballot contrary to instruc-
tions given him by voter. He was
brought TO trial and exoneratel, the
prosecution abandoning the case.
The democrats express themselves
as having every feeling of confidence
that the petitions will be set aside by
the court when all the evidence is in,
because, they say, there will he no
case for the petitioners, and the court
must throw them out. In the case of
the clerk of the Circuit Court, which
will come before the House OF Dele
gates, the constitution provides that il
the Legislature shall decide against
the candidate returned elected or
commissioned by the Governor it shall
order new election within thirty
days. This does not seem to strike
the people very favorably. because
the question of taxes was pretty well
ventilated in the last campaign, and
they are not particularly anxious to
have the expense of another election.