The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-08-04
RETURNS CONE N SLOWLY
But No Doubt Is Felt About the
Result
THE ALABAMA ELECTIONS
Results in Decisive Defeat for the
Fusion Element
The Republcan-Populist Combine Yields to
the Forces of Democrats-W;id
Claims of Fraud
The ALABAMA ELECTIONS
Associated Press Special Wire.

size of the Democratic ma iority seems
to be all that remains in doubt with re-
gard to the result of today's election,
Because of theslow process of counting
the votes under the new ballot law, re-
turns are necessarily slow in coming in.
but there is no doubt of a complete Dem
ocratic victory. In complete returns
from nearly half the counties SO far re-
all but Mobile and Macon. In the former
the Democrats appear to have'lost soma
500 votes by stay-at- homes, but the
county is still in the Democratic column
by 500 majority. InMaconcounty, which
gave Oates a majority of 800 in '94, the
result is close and doubtful. The Popu-
lists, on the other hand, have carried
Tuscaloosa county by 1OO0m aiority. It
gave Kolb 200 majority two years ago,
Marshal county, which went for Kolb
by 500 majority, is close and probably
Democratic. Lee county, which had q
Populist majority of 500, is like Mar
shall. Chambers county, with 400 ma
jority for kolb in '94, is in the Demo-
cratic column. Talapoosa county, with
600 majority for Kolb at the last election.
is close, and may be Democratic Fay
cite, another Populist county, is in the
doubtful column, as are Coosa and
Dekalb.
In the counties which Governor Oates
carried two years ago there have been
increased majorities in all SO far as
heard from except two. In the black
belt every county will roll up its usual
large Democratic majority ranging
from 9000 tO e000 paoh
gave Oates less than 100 majority, will
give Johnston probably 500 majority.
Green county increases it's Democratic
majority. The same is true in nearly
every North Alabama county. In this
section, where the Populists are strong
er than elsewhere in the state, the party
lost heavily. The negroes in North
Alabama generally voted for Goodwin
but the number of Populists who voted
for Johnston was larger than the negro
vote cast for Goodwin.
State Democratic Chairman J, B.
Knox tonight said:
'Johnston's majority Is probably
larger than that of Governor Oates two
years ago, which was $1,000. 1 think
we have the legislature on an incree sed
ma jority."
AT Populist state headquarters the
chairman was not on hand, being absent
from the city. Secretary ValtazeA said:
1--WE have received no returns wha tHver
from the state. We feel that if we have
"a fair count Goodwin has won. The size
of his majority would be governed by
the number of votes the Democrats
steal in the black belt. We expect the
horseback mails to show Goodwin's
election"
DEFEAT ACKNOWLEDGED.
BIRMINGHAM, Aug. S.-Latest-At
II o'clock tonight William Vaughn,
chairman of the Republican state CEN
tral committee, made the following
statement:
The news of the election in this state
is meager and nothing like an accurate
estimate can be made. But it is evi-
dent that the returns will give Joseph
r. Johnston, Democratic candidate for
governor, a majority of some 10000. The
usual count-out has eveidently been re-
sorted to in order to defeat Congress-
man A. L. Goodwin, the candidate of the
Pppulists and Republicans for COVER
nor. BY this means the Democrats will
probably secure the state legislature.
The Goodwin state ticket has doubt
less carried aconsiderable majority of
the counties where the whites are in
the majority and the Democrts ma
jority of the black counties.
In complete returns from about half
the counties, received up to midnight,
show that Johnston certainly carried
five counties that were Populist two
years ago, while six others of the same
class are so close as to require the official
count to decide. The Democrats have
not lost a county SO far as heard from,
but the fight in this county is close. The
count is incomplete at midnight and will
not be finished until tomorrow. Twenty
seven boxes in this county, outside OF
Birmingham, give Goodwin a majority
of 2SS. This it is said, will be overcome
by the vote of Birmingham. Two years
ago the Democratic majority in this
county was sixty. Captain Reuben j.
I<olb claims Goodwins election by 49,
600 majority, which is regarded as a weak
claim. He chargec fraud in the black
belt