Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1896-12-02

friends Of Col. Patterson shows but too
truly how outrageously the Sheriff's
officers abused the future of the County
Court to appoint the judges and clerks
of the election. 1t appears from all
that can be gathered that these officers
arrogated to themselves the right to
appoint as judges OF the election in
their districts any persons who, to
them, seemed willing to do their bid.
ding To this fragrant act OF illegality
the justices OF the peace for the dis.
iricts entered strong protest.
The law made It the duty OF the off.
Ger to consult with the magistrates.
This they declined to do; then the
magistrates, acting within the law,
called together the freeholders and
from their number appointed the prop
er judges and clerks. The officers,
seeing that the justices were not to be
bullied by them into intimidation, pro.
ceeded, contrary to all right and all
law, to select thei. partisan judges and
open, their election boxes. It does not
appear that many citizens voted at
these self styled polls, but the officers
returned from them just that number
of votes that, IL counted, would insure
the election of their candidate. The
polls opened by the magistrates and
declared by competent legal opinion
to be the legal polls showed vote
which gave Josiah Patterson the ma
jority. These votes, II is claimed, are
the ones the Sheriff should have
counted instead Of the illegal returns
from the boxes opened by his deputies.
All this is now historv, for the JUS
tices were prompt to give Information
OF the audacious and daring conduct
of the Sheriffs' officers, but in spite Of
the report Of these guardians of the
peace and dignity Of Fayette, the
Sheriff, at that time, saw At to sustain
the action OF his three deputies, 10 the
face Of complaint that thundered
from over three fourths of the electors
of the districts involved.
In No. 8 Deputy Sheriff Dunn return.
ed N votes for Carmack. 1t is said
thata count was kept on those who
voted in this box and that only forty
men deposited ballots therein. The
true returns as counted BY the Justices
would be 220 for Patterson.
From Galloway Deputy Sheriff Bra
den returned first, 1t is said, 224 for
Carmack and 8 for Patterson. This
was changed to SO for Carmack. The
box prepared by the Justices shows
247 for Patterson. No. 8was equally
as outrageous. Deputy Griffin would
return no votes for Patterson, when
the justices declare thatl-> received
140 votes. And thus III more than half
the districts in the county frauds,
tricks and outrageous conduct held
high sway; that Patterson, the man
who is fayorite with the people be.
cause he defended the people, might
be defeated to elect man who has
managed to curry the favor of the few
hot headed politicians, who tempo.
rarily have control OF the county's
election machinery.
1t would not be the truth to say that
all of the Carmack supporters were
party to the steals in Fayette County.
Many of them regret it and the more
conservative who supported Carmack
because he said he was in favor Of sill
yer have made an effort since the elec.
tion to right the wrong done. They
wanted their candidate to win, but
they did not want victory procured
by fraud. However, these men have
not been successful and the matter is
now up.to the courts Of flaw.-Memphis
Commercial Appeal.