New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-13
ALABAMA FRAUDS EXPOSED.
HOW A DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY" WAS
MANUFACTURED.
FACTS DISCLOSED By AN ELECTION CONTEST
THE CASE OF GOODWIN AGAINST CoBB-Ir
IS TO BE DECIDED on TuEspAY-JuD0E
fay rrr.roRApn TO THE rRIsuNE.l

CoBBs PECULIAR CONDUCT
10y rELEoRAPn TO THE rRIBuNE.l
Washington. April IL (spec.a). -Chairman Dan
ies, OF Elections Committee No ]. OF the House OF
Representative will call UP for consideration on
Tuesday the report Of that committee in the con-
tested election case Of Albert T. GOODWIN Populi.D
agalns, James r. Cobb (DemocraD. OF the With Dis
,r.ct OF Alabama. The report Ii In favor OF the
contestant The parties to the contest are cousins
and their feelings toward each other have been
exceedingly bitter-so bitter. In fact. that a per-
sonal encounter which would have probably
su ted the serious injury or death OF one or
both OF them. was prevented only by the prompt
action OF Clerk Kerr. OF the House Of Representa-
tlyes when the testimony In the was opened
IN his office last summer.
The Vth District comprises nine counties. six o.,
which are known white counties. because the
number OF white voters largely exceeds the number
OF coiored voters while the other three. In which
there Is large preponderance of colored voters.
known as back counties. According to the OFF,
cial returns the contestant carried each OF the
white counties, and his total majority In the six
counties was 1912 votes IL would naturally be sup
posed that nasmuch there was no regular Re
publican candidate In the field. and Goodwyn's
candidacy had been indorsed by the Republicans as
well as by the Jenersonian Democrats. he would
have received the support OF all Of them who voted
at ALL and that supposltion Is borne out by the test
mony in the case.
But the omcia returns tell a different story.
The majority returned for Judge Cobb In the three
''black counties WAS sufficient overcome Good
wJns majority In the white counties, with JOS
votes TO spare In other words the Democratic eIec.
ton officers TALL the election officers In the
precincts we're Democrats In Violation Of the state
ia") rolled up u majority" OF AlD for Cobb In
three counties. which. with fair election and an
honest count. would have given GOODWIN a majority
or al least 1000 votes. In the six "wnite" counties
the total number Of men OF voting age in 1870 was
id.-s4 and the total number OF votes returned for
Cobb In those counties was 5.727, or about 81 per
cent Of the total number Of men OF voting age In
1880 In the three black counties the total number
OF persons OF voting age In 1881 was siOe and the
total number OF VOTES returned for Cobb I'm those
counties in 1884 was +s or nearly 90 per cent more
than the total number OF white persons Of voting
age In 1880 There 10 no testimony to show that
more than one coored voted for Cobb nor Ia
there any testimony to show that the sentiments OF
the white voters In the black" counties differed
materially from that OF the white voters In the
white counties. every one OF which gave q ma
jority for GOODWIN.
But that was not all. 1t was belleved-and tho
belief was based on experience In many previous
conteststhat the votes OF the coored voters would
not be counted they cast In the three
black counties. and the colored voters were
therefore advised by their leaders register or
vote at the election In November 1884, and the
testimony clearly shows that they very generally
conformed to that advice. In Lowndes County,
with total colored voting population OF about five
thousand and q white voting population OF about
one thousand the total vote returned for GOODWIN
49, and for Cobb 1915. that unless the re-
turns were fraudulent. he must have received more
than twice many colored votes as he did white
votes, even concedng that he received every white
vote cast, and that all the white men OF voting
age voted. That the official returns from seven pre-
cinctr In Lowndes County. two in Antauga County
and three In Macon County uhese being the three
''black" counties) false and fraudulent In an
almost inconceivabe degree the testimony shows
beyond the possibility Of doubt.
A brief synopsis OF the testimony relating to
Lowndesboro precinct In Lowndes County, will
give a fair and correct idea OF the manner In which
Cobb's majoritles'' were manufactured In that and
other black" precincts The total number Of votes
returned from Lowndesboro precinct was 526 all
for Cobb The Registrar "a DEMOCRACY testified that
he thought there about Isl voters registered
in May, and he did not recollect registering any
votes after that month and prior to the November
election. His recollection was supported by a GER
titled copy Of the registration list. To this list
sxty-three names were subsequently added by
some person-not by the Registrar Then there was
also added supplemental list containing s72
names, making 500 In all BY the law OF Alabama
such supplemental list could Tor shoud) consist
only OF the names Of persons residing In the pre-
cinct who attained the age of twenty one years be-
tween the close Of the registration day In May ana
thu day az 0lnotlod. a1aA h - ~nx.en