The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-10-24
ELLDTT The LEGAL NOMINEE,
But for a Mistake in nonrOe Ward Hd
Would Have Been Nominated.
The RESULT HINGED ON ONE VOTE.
The Error Was Discovered by Ie" OF mo
City Committee, But No Omc'ai Ac-
tion Has Yet Beep 1aken--Cnrt'
Lamb May Withdraw.

in party affairs will be placed in
curious predicament in the coming eiec-
ton. and unless some steps are takesi
TO correct an error IN tho count o.
votes cast at certain precinc, during
the primary. the silverites viii have 10
vote for a man who. unconsciousiy. holds
the place that rishtfully belongs to an
other.
I'm fact. strange aud probably un-
precedentcd state OF things exists IN
this congressional district, ana but ior
the curiosity OF ccrtain members OF tho
city SILVER Committee. no one would
ever have known anything about IL. The
facts in the case are these:
THE VOTES RECOUNTED.
on the night OF October ith last ten
members OF the city Committee were as
sembled together. ana they decided. pro- 4,
badly TO pass away the time to make -
recount OF the votes cast in the pri-
mary when the contest between Colonel
Tazewel Elicit and Captain John Lamb
was SO hot. The members present ON
this occasion were Messrs Marion l..
Dawson, James w. Gordon. jefferson
Wallace, Tyler. Folkes. Redwood, Saun-
ders. McKenney, Allen and Pollock.
Mr.. Mckenncy did the counting. and
several precincts were overhaulcd. only
to find that the number OF ballots Tailed
precisely with the official returns made.
When the Fourth precinct. Monroe ward.
was reached, however. "a clerical error
was discovered The official returns SET
forth that Lamb had received IS votes
in this prcinct and Elicit a. When the
ballots were carefully counted. IL was
found that a mistake had been made In
the tally, and one ballot, which had
been cast for Colonel Elicit. credited
to Captain Lamb. The committee was
not satisfied with one count. however.
but again went over the ballots with
additional care. The result was not AL
sered 1t stood: Lamb, IS; Elicit, IS.
This precinct is entitled TO four dele
gates. and the above result would have
added two to Colonel clletts contingent
and taken Il like number from Captain
Lamb. At first blush, no one would think
that such small difference could have
changed the final result, but IL Is a
fact that but for this oversight I'm the
count at this precinct. Colonel Elicit
would have been nominated on the nrsr
ballot.
KING WILLIAM DELEGATION.
II will bc remembered that when dele
gates were elected I'm King william
county. there was 4 serious dispute In
that county. Two sets OF dele.y..- =
consisting OF seven members each. were
elected, one set for Lamb and the other
for Elicit. Each claimed TO be the
only regularly elected delegation, and
there seemed to be no doubt which
was legally entitled 10 be seated.
Now 1t will be seen that II Colonel
Elicit had secured two additional dele
gates from the Fourth precinct in Monroe
ward. his friends would have had pos
session of the temporary organization
OF the convention. and the appointment
~ the committees. including the COM
rnittee on Credentials. This latter COM
.nittee would undoubtedly have seated
the Elicit delegation from MING WI"
liam. and Colonel Elicit would nave
bsen nominated on the first ballot.
The official record OF the coh'en'oa
show that captain Lanis received ~ az
| votes when he was nominated ana COL
| nj ElIctt -. II the error in the count
IA Nonroe ward had not occurred. ana
! Colonel Elot. had received the two votes
Ia which ne was entitled from that ward
| ana seven from King William, the vote
would have stood: Elicit, IS ~; Lamb
! el l-2. thus securing the nomination 10
| Colonel Elicit beyond doubt
i liz is hard to tell just what VIII De
| tho effect OF ths state OK affairs. Inat
Az H. a serious matter is recoSniZed ny
| those committeeman who disco'cre" tno
| error. and they have been ~ silent as
| the grave on the subject. Colonel Taz-
well Elicit. when approached by Times
| representative and asked whether he had
| heard ANYTHING OF a recount. was much
| SURPRISED. and said II was news 10 hifn;
| that he had heard nothing whatever about
IT,
NO OFFICIAL ACTION.
! Those members OF the City Committee
| who made a recount OF the ballots I'm the
! precinct mentioned did not do so ofiiciaTy.
| and so far as has been asccrtained the
committee as a whole has not yet con-
sidered the matter. IL was said yesterday
| by a member OF the committee. who was
not present when the recount was made.
| that he under stood the committee would
meet after election and take some official
| action. This member. who was unwil-
! ling for his name 10 be used. was cogni-
/ zant OF the fact that the recount hal
been made. but said that the matter had
! been kent a profound secret and he was
under the impression that the wish OF
those members who had made the dis
covcry was not TO move peg until after
| election.
| After tho ten members had concluded
the colint OF Second Monroe and proven
| beyond a doubt that an error had oc-
| CURED. Mr.. Redwood insisted that the
count should proceed further and A
number OF other precincts In which tho
vote was close was taken up. but no fur
Their clerical errors were discovered
capt. John Lamb is known among his
! friends aad all through the community
IN which he has - long resided az a
man OF he highest character-a man
Who would rather be right than to 20 IA
| Congress-ani II would not be SURPRISING
II he should voluntarily surrender n no,ni'
nation 10 which he Is not entitled. when
ne becomes aware of the circrrnst,nces