Middletown transcript., 1896-11-07
Kent
County
DEMOCRATS TRYING TO COUNT
OUT REPUBLICANS.
A DAY OF GREAT EXCITEMENT

n Vhk VA VMHhk HAuA LIN HN 4
Two Sets of Certificates Given. The
Courts ,will Have to Decide the
Contest. Politicians Gone Mad.
The correspondent of the ''MorninG
News" makes the following report of count
ing the returns'at Dover on Thursday:
The returning board for Kent county
met here to-day and after being in session
from II a. m. to II p. m. adjourned, having
given out two sets of certificates. 1t now
appears that the court will have to be
appealed to to show which certificate i:
the legal one. The meeting was the mos
exciting one which was eyer held in Dover
and it was evident from the start that the
Democrats were determined to get con-
troll Of the county if it was possible fol
them to do so in any way.
The first district called was Duck Greek
and it was reported that in the district
which was called there had been no. elec
tion. The west district of Duck Greek
hundred, Kenton and Little Creek, were
then called, and no objection being offered
the returns were recorded. When East
Dover's first district was called Thomas P.
Davis made protest against the returns
being canvassed on the ground that the
election officers violated the law. At this
time the excitement ran very high.
General r. R. Kenney, on behalf of the
Democratic party, made protest on the
same return. and James Pennewill, who ap.
peared for the Republicans, made an argu.
ment showing that the Board of Canvass
was mere ministerial body and had nc
right to consider the protest. John D.
Hawkins, James H. Hughes, J. B. Pen
nington and James L. Wolcott also spoke
for the Democrats, and Edward Ridgely
Beniah Watson and George M. Jones re.
piled for the Republicans. The crowd in
the room at this time was wildly excited
and it looked as if there would be trouble,
Two hours were spent in heated discussions
over the matter,
The Board of Canvass, which was com
cans, decided not to accept the returns.
Sheriff Shaw, who is Republican, and
under the law is the presiding officer, or
dered the returns to be read and they were
read. The Republican clerk kept count of
them, but the Democratic clerk did not
The Democrats then filed a protest
against the returns in the second district oi
East Dover hundred on the same ground
but the returns were read as before. The
Democratic clerk acting under instructions
did not record them. No protest was of
fered against the third district of East
Dover hundred, and the returns were read.
The returns from West Dover hundred
were not read for the reason that they were
sealed in the ballot-box and the box could
not be opened without the consent of the
board and that consent was not given.
A protest was filed against the returns oi
North Murderkill hundred by the Demo.
Gratis. The returns were read, but according
to the plan of the Democrats no record was
made of them.
Both districts of Mispillion hundred were
read without protest. The Eastern and
Western districts of Milford hundred were
both protested. No records were made by
the Democrats on account of the protests.
The election of levy courtmen in the same
district was also protested on the ground
that the certificate did not set forth the res
idence ofthe candidates returned as elected
The same was done on the L evy Court re
turns of East South MurderkilI and both
districts Of Milford hundred.
Finally, the sheriff, refusing to entertain
the motions made by the Democrats in ref
erence to throwing.out returns, was deposed
by the Democratic majority of the board
and the coroner placed in as presiding Off
Ger. The Democrats then proceeded to
canvass the vote as they had recorded il
and made certificates in that way. These
certificates the sheriff and the Republican
members of the board refused to sign. The
Democratic certificates were signed by the
coroner and the en.Democratic members oi
the board and will be delivered to the Dem
ocratic candidates, who, by the Democratic
members of the board. are declared elected
by an average majority of 249.
The sheriff, who was the legal presidin g
officer of the board, and the Republican
members, canyassed the official vote as fol-
lows: