Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-04
RICHMOND DID WE'LL.
DEMOCRATS WORK HARD AND GET
A DIG MAJORITY.
LITTLE TROUBLE AT The POLLS
4 Difficulty In Jackson ward In
Which One Negro IL sbot-Negroes
who Are Shut out Vote Under
AGidnvits-DetniIs of Day I'm City.

The election In Richmond yesterday was
I'm many respects a surprise and IN as
many other respects not surprise. II
was a wonderful revelation Of what or
ganized and patriotic work on the part OF
Democrats can do with great obstacles
confronting them. and it was a sore and
bitter disappointment to the Republicans
and Boilers, who would have turned this
lovely capital OF the Ola Dominion over
to McKinleyism and continued hard times.
Whatever may have been the result else
where, the people Of Richmond put them
selves down as unquallfedly for the
Democratic platform and ticket.
The day passed Off quietly at most OF
the polling places. and there was but lit
tie excitement. At nearly all the pre-
cincts the vote represented almost the full
voting strength of such precinct, which
showed the great amount Of interest
taken I'm the fight. It was apparent that
people were anxious to vote early. At
sunrise. when the polls opened, there
were representatives. OF all the parties
AZ nearly all the polling places, and it
required only a few minutes TO assemble
large crowds Of voters. These latter
were not only workingmen. but. large
number OF them were business and pro-
fessional men who were anxious 10 dis
pose OF their own ballots and either be-
gin active service for their party or go
about their private business The ballot
ing was brisk until about o'clock, when
there was a slight lapse. Nearer the mid
4. ts..
polls livened up and the judges and clerks
were kept as busy as possible. In Jack
son and Clay wards the voters formed
lines on either eide Of the polls, the
whites being In one column and the
negroes IN another. Then the judges
would call one voter from the whites and
one from the cOlored line alternately.
HEAVY VOTING IN BIG PRECINCTS.
In the large precincts the vote was
steady and heavy all day. and the work
on the part OF the party men was kept
up necessarily. In a few cases workers
at the polls left the precinct 20 which
they had been assigned to 80 TO others
where their assistance was more needed.
II was n battle royal TO the finish, IN
which the Democrats We're arrayed on
the one side and the Boilers and Republic
cans and Mark Hanna's money on the
other. The old party founded by Jefferson
proved equal to the emergency, despite
the Influences which were combined
against il. Some trouble was. experienced
because Of the manner Of marking the
ballots and votes were lost by the Demo-
Gratis because Of this. The Dispatch had
used its efforts 10 prevent this sort Of thing
by printing over and over again a copy
of an unmarked ballot and copy Of one
properly scratched. but even then great
/ number OF improperly-prepared ballots
were placed in the ballOt-boXes and had
20 be- thrown out when the count was had.
by noon yesterday il was generally es-
timated by the Democrats that they would
carry the city for Bryan and Lamb by
about 1000 plurality. and but few dreamed
that the results would be as glorious as
they were. I'm Monroe and Clay wards,
where the go.d-bug and Republican ele-
ments expected 10 get in much effective
work. they We're sadly disappointed in
what they accomplished. A great many
men. formerly Democrats. who had in
tended to vote either for Mckinney or
Palmer. when they got TO the polls con-
cuded that inasmuch as they had never
voted any other than Democratic ballots
they could not then swallow either Of
those candidates. and their votes were for
Bryan SewaN. Lamb. and the regular
Democracy There were still others who
having voted I'm the primary and after
ward determined not to vote, became
overpowcred by the enthusiasm existing
here for Bryan and hustled out TO the
polls and put in their votes for the Ne
braskan.
THE DAY IN JACKSON WARD.
In Jackson Ward. where balloting was
slowest and there were many ignorant
negroes to De voted. much interest CEN
tered The best workers Of the Demo
cratic. Republican and Boltocratic par
ties were assigned 10 duty i'm the jack
son-Ward precincts, and here they Ia
bored from sunrise until the shades OF
evening began 10 fall and Old Sol had
dipped his head IN the western SKY ana
left election-day Of 1896 but Q memory
IL was a memory, however, which forms
an important page In our local history
When the polls closed there was much
dissatisfaction and growing among the
negro voters. who had not been able 10
cast their ballots for Mckinley. At
the First Second. and Third precincts
there were about GO colored men in line
awaiting their turn 10 be voted. The
Democratic challengers had stopped many
of them who We're not entitled TO SUI
frage from voting. and inquiry into the
/ qualifications Of others had taken up so
much time as 10 make IL impossible FOR
the election officers to vote all who were
! on hand.
The Bolter and Republican lawyers
were indignant because OF this. and
| warned their men to stand firm until the
| polls We're closed. then 10 march into Dick
| Aliens Hall. on ST. John street rear
the polling-place Of the Second Precinct
! Of jackson Ward. where they were adj
dressed by Messrs. Edgar Allan, \. b..
Guigon. and others, and their ballots
were prepared and placed in a box. 10 be
used in a contest should one be made
| By the supporters of judge Lewis. the
Republican candidate for Congress.
There were interesting scenes around
! the polling places IN Jackson Ward to-
ward the close Of the day. Many OF
Rlchmond's most prominent business and
professional men. the leading workers in
r. Democratic party and several hum
bred negroes were crowded around each
| polling-pace
SHOT IN THE ABDOMEN.
Trouble was anticipated in Jackson
Ward, and while less Of it was realized
| than was expected. there was one very
exciting incident near the polling-place
| Of the First Precinct about 3 o'clock in
/ the afternoon l.. II. Fitzgerald (white)
and Isham Matthews (coloreD became en-
gagged IN a political discussion, I'm which
some uncomplimentary language was
used. Fitzgerald drew a revolver and
fred at Matthews. while the latter grab
bed his adversary. and a struggle ensued
in which the men fell TO the ground. In
| the tussei which followed Matthews. al
though badly shot wrenched the revolver
from Fitzgerald. The latter freed himself
| from the negro and started to run, where
upon Matthews emptied the other cham
beers of the weapon at him. one OF the
balls passed through the coat-sleeve OF
| Peter McGoVern, a white man. who had
taken a hand in the disturbance.
Tho shnnilng OCCURRED at the corner OF