The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-03-16
He Tells How the Alternating of Ballots
Was Under TODD.


Was Under TODD.
The depositions of William Blessard
and others, taken before ne, 6. G. Otey
a justice Of the Peace for Montgomery
county. Va, pursuant TO notice, Al the
store of 4. Black, i'm Blacksburg on the
18th day of February. 1895, between the
hours Of 8 A. NJ. and Z. NJ. 10 be
read as evidence in behalf of j. Hdmp-
ton Hogc, In a certain election contest
depending before the Fifty-foucth Con-
gress Of the United States wherein j.
Hampton Hoge is contestant and Peter
j. Otey conteetee.
Present j. Hampton Hoge in person
Writ Dunlap, attorney for contestee.
William Blessard, a witness of lawful
age. being sworn, deposes AMI says:
Writ Dunlap. a witness OF lawful age
being first duly sworn. depossth and
says:
First Question. state your age, resi-
denc ana occupation?
Answer. Age, thirty-siX. Occupation,
lawyer. Residence, Blacksbur2.
Second Question Were you county
chairman of the Democratic party in the
election campaign of 1894 for Congress:
Answer. ! was.
Third Question Did YOU have any con-
ference. or conversation, or correspond
ence with Major Otey n Taylor Ellyson,
or any one else. about the manner in
which the names of candidates should be
printed on the tickets 10 be used at the
last November election?
Answer | did; with Mr. Ellyson and the
executive committee of the Democratic
party of Montgomery county.
Fourth Question. What were the in
structions of Mr.. Ellyson as to how they
should be printed?
Answer. | do not know. as / had moth
ing 10 do with the printing of the tickets.
After | saw the tickets. they were print
ed ear the way suggested by Mr..
Elyson and others at a conference OF
county chairmen of the counties OF the
Sixth district. held in Lynchburg prior to
the last election.
Fifth Question. Please state II Major
Otey was present at this conference?
Answer. He was not.
Sixth Question. State what Mr.. Ely
son. or any one else in that conference.
said would be the benefit to be derived
by the Democratic party by this arrange
ment of tickets?
Answer. | don't know whether any
one said what the advantage would be,
but It was understood that If the TICK
cts we're so arranged that parties who
If. would vote an Illegal ticket, which
could not be counted. ! want to add
that this was known to some of Republic
cans some days before election.
Seventh Question. DO YOU mean by the
latter part of your last answer to say the
Republicans knew Of your LynchDurg
conference?
Answer. No. don't mean to say. |
don't know, II was not kept secret.
Il van mo a
that the Republicans had knowledge Of?
Answer. / mean form of tickets | was
asked the question If 1t would be so, and
answered by saying that the printing OF
the tickets was in the hands of the cleo
toral board. and / had not had any con-
ference with ii.
Ninth Question. Did you at the time.
or after the Lynchburg conference. see
Major Otey and have a conversation with
him about what had been discussed at
the Lynchburs conference?
Answer | did not | saw him. but the
Lvnchburg conference was not mention
ed.
Tenth Question. To which member. or
members of your committee did you
communicate the conclusions of the
Lynchburg conference about the tickets?
Answer. | suppose to all OF them, GER
tainly TO all | saw
Eleventh Question. Which of them did
YOU leave directions with TO having
tickets printed2
Answer. None of them.
Twelfth Question. Was ID understood
when you gave them the information
that IL was by some OF them or through
them to reach the electoral board or
some part thereof?
Answer. 1t was not.
Thirteenth Question. Then II 1t had
haa af
municated il to yoIr committee. what
was your object and how else were you
to carry out this part of the confer
ence?
Answer. 1t was not my object to carry
Il out. | did not tell the committeeman
that they should have anything TO do
with il. | did not know what form the
tickets would have until got ticket TO
vote do not know either member OF
the electoral board personally. How it
came they printed the ticket as they
did | don't know.
Fourteenth Question. The Mr.. Ellysoa
you speak of was at that time chairman
of the Democratic State Committee, was
he not?
Answer He WAS.
Fifteenth Question. Do you know Of
any money being sent 10 Blacksburg by
Major Otey. Mr. Ellyson or any other
Democrat. to be used at the last Novem-
Der election. and II SO, by whom?
Answer | do not.
Sixteenth Question. From whom did j.
r. Hardwick get the money he is said
10 have had on election-day?
Answer | don't know. and don't be-
lieve he had any. He has so told me.
Seventeenth Question. State whether
you heard of a subscription having been
gotten up at Christ!ansburg to be used
during the campaign by the Democrats.
Answer. ] heard OF no such thing.