Evening star., 1896-12-01
FRAUDS IN TENNESSEE
Representative Mccall Says That Tillman
Was Undoubtedly Elected.
Political InEratitudc Shown In the
Fight Asninrt Represcntn-
tive Washington.

Representative Mccall of Tennessee
talking yesterday to Star reporter about
| the contest which the republicans of his
| state are making over the ele ction for gov
ernor, said:
There is not the least doubt that TILL
man was elected governor. The frauds
| committed in about five counties in the
state were glaring. These counties have
| always been the seat of this kind of ballot
| box manipulation. Outside of them, cleo
| ticns in Tennessee are comparatively fair.
THE contest now being made will prob
ably not result in seating Tilman, but 1t will
have the effect of manufacturing a healthy
| sentiment in the state against this kind of
! work. All the leading papers of the state
are condemning the frauds. Up to 1894
there was no contest law in Tennessee
The law provided that the secretary Of
state should count the votes and announce
the result. When ii. Clay Evans beat Tur-
ney two years ago the secretary of state
refused to tabulate and announce the re-
turns and awaited the action of the legisia-
ture. which passed a contest law to put
Turley in. This was the first law of the
kind the state ever had. The republicans
are now profting by 1t and will make a
strong showing.
In PRttersOn's District.
"Tbe counties where the frauds were
| committed are in tfe district now repre-
| sented by Colonel Patterson. sound money
democrat. He was undoubtedly elected. but
| his opponent Editor Carmack. will he Civ
| en- the certificate by a few hundred ma
| jority. Colonel Patterson has announced
| that he Will contest the election in he
| House, and am satisfied that ne will make
| a showing which will seat him. He is 4
u6 mocrat, and j am republican. but
Would vote to seat him few days after
| the election Colonel Patterson heard that
| the sheriff of one OF the counties in his dis
! tr-ct had not sent the returns TO the socre-
| tary OF state. as required. but was holding
tfen. He secured a lawyer and started to
| The home of the sheriff TO get a mandamus
| to compel him to send the returns.
The sheriff heard of his coming and went
| 10 nearby station and mailed a package
TO the secretary OF state. Colonel Patter-
| son thought this packas,. which he learn
ed about, contained lie returns and did
| not proceed asa.ns: the sheriff. When the
package was open-'i it WAS found to con-
tain lot Of Old paper. The sheriff did not
send the returns until he felt disposed
InErntftude in Politics.
| Colonel Patterson does not deserve this
| treatment. III 1889, just after Harrison was
elected. number OF democrats in these
same counties were indicted for election
! FRAUDS. l was assistant United States dis
| trict attorney and helped prosecute them
| Colonel Patterson defended these meH
without charging cent. He worked day
ahd night for them, and saved many of
| them from the penitentiary. He made "A
| tiiter night for them, applying extreme
| language to the men prosecuting the case
| Now the same men he defended have
| turned on him and defrauded him of seat
| IN Congress. This is an example of the in
| gratitude in politics.
Speaking OF the growth of his party in
einessee Mr.. Mccall said: "Our party is
| increasing in strength, year by year. and
Is adding good men to its ranks. There
| ted ftr
| free silver in the last election. When 1
| was stumpins my district | heard of re-
| publcans who were going TO vote for
| Bryan. When l would get to the place
| II was said they were some where else.
! The republicans of Tennessee are for sound
| money!