Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-31
We HAVE THE VOTES
70 Cary Virginia II We Only Get
q Fair Show


New York. Oct 3O-Returning from Il
thorough Investigation Of the situation IN
Virginia. n. B, Scott OF the hep e.,1 AZ
headquarters. yesterday: III we can get
fair count we shalt carry Virginia by
T We ges ha r. scout count th we vent vent
on at length TO explain the precautions
taken by the national committee to insure
fairness in counting the ballots I'm the
Old Dominion. He said in outlining their
I'VE have the votes in Virginia to carry
the state beyond doubt. The only trouble
preventing the honest expression ut the
polls. Now to ILLUSTRATED:
They have what Is called the 'purging
registration lists the law requires that
before registration. This must be posted
and affidavit made to the fact that 1t has
been posted. Then after the registration
they must give notice that. on a certain
dav, at least 10 days before election. they
Will sit as Il court. and they must give
notice by posting the names which they
want to strike off their registration lists
so that these men may appear and give
evidence as, to why their names should
not be stricken off.
what is the effect of these methods? -
well, for example. take Jackson ward
in the city of Richmond. Our people had
three men on watch day and night to see
whether the list would be posted with the
names that it wis proposed to strike off
the registration lists. They left the place.
however for a few minutes. between II
and II O'Clock on the night of the last day
on which the list that they proposed to
strike off could be posted, and when they
returned they found that 1t had been
posted and immediately torn down, But
in tearing 1t down In such great hurry
they tore ii down diagonally, ana so our
people got hold of part of the list and
1t showed that there We're 1S5 names in
that precinct tnat the oniciais had
stricken OFF. Many of these were of men
xyhr had voted in the ward u wears.
Now, you see their object was simply TO
comply with the law and yet not to com
ply with it. They posted ii up They
could make affidavit that IT was posted,
but it was Immediately torn down We
brought mandamus proceedings against
them in court. yesterday, ana all the de-
ciSions of the Judge were in our favor.
They have demanded a jury trial. and /!
possible We will put them in sucn close
quarters on election day that they viii
not be able TO vote for Bryan and free
silver
rs this condition OF affairs limited TO
Richmond only or is it general in the
state?'
I'VE find it exists generally IN the dark
counties. and have begun mandainus pro-
ceedings in Il number of other places TO
bring them into court.
To return however. to this fraudulent
practice in Jackson ward. in the city. of
Richmond. The number of voters in that
ward is $500. and there are only four poll
rg places in the ward Ihs pnrpos ,o of
TINS 10 S'N 'SuS- ivy N'.''i. .t7 :
negro that comes up to vote. The law
provides that each voter shall have only
two minutes and "A half TO prepare his bal
lot. They consume the TWO minutes and
Il half in challenging the colorcd man.
and the result is he loses his vote. Hence
when the polls close there are hundreds
of voters who have not had chance 10
vote. So you can see what difficulties we
have to overcome in carrying an honest
election in Old Virginia. We have taken
every precaution in every county and in
every precinct in the state. and if We do
not get fair count there Will be some
rafting of dry bones after election.
In spite of the disadvantages and OBJ
stacles we shall carry Virginia. In my
| Judgment by a very gratifying major
| ity."