The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-04-12
Old REGISTRATION LISTS.
RECORDS OF PROSPECTIVE VOT-
ERS BEING LOOKED UP.

Abe Ordinary Grants Permission for
Reasonable Inspection of the Old
Registration Books in His Omce'
To BE Used in Connection With
Illegal Registration Cause.-The
Registrafion VIII Go 10 About
6.OOO-Many Who Have Not Regis
tered Both in the City and COun-
1ry-TaIk of Legislative Candi-
dates.
The political interest locally seems TO
center largely around the registration
That is the present fighting ground Of the
two political factions. and it is there the
eagle eye is being kept and the hard
work being done.
A small sensation in that line developed
yesterday. or rather it was looked upon
as such by some around the court house.
though it amounted TO nothing more than
simply a request OF the ordinary on the
part Of members Of the Liberal Club to
be allowed to inspect old registration lists.
The object Of this inspection is under
stood to be to secure certain informa-
ton and records as testimony in pushing
cases against illegally registered voters.
Capt John r. Dillon and Mr.. Walter c.
Hartridge went to Judge Ferrill and asked
that an inspection Of these lists be al
lowed. Judge Ferris was in some doubt
8 bout the exact construction of the law,
and said that while he thought it allowed
q reasonable inspection Of the lists. he
did not think any copies or extracts from
fl should be made. Whatever position he
took he said he would take with regard
10 both factions.
Legal advice in the matter was sought
after which II was decided that Mr.. N. A
Buttimer would be allowed to inspect the
records and gather SUCH information as
was necessary with regard to the parties
whose names are listed to be presented
TO the grand jury as having registered
Illegally. 1t was provided that such in
formation should not be a detailed copy Of
any portion Of the old registration lists,
but simply such information as was re-
quired as evidence in the cases under m
Vestigation. Mr.. Buttimer spent some
time in the Office of the ordinary makns
notes with reference to the records OF
she parties whose names he has for the
purpose Of presenting them to the grand
jury.
The grand jury will hold another meet
ing tomorrow afternoon, as has been
stated in the Morning News, for the pur-
pose Of taking up for consideration these
cases of Illegal registration. So far
large number of witnesses has been heard,
but very little progress has been made
j is said there are still some $50 cases to
be investigated, and so far no present.
ments have been made
There is considerable interest in the
registration for this year so far as it has
gone. The total registration at the close
OF yesterdays business was 1927, of which
80 are colored voters and 1920 white.
There was total of fOrty-one names reg
1stered yesterday, and they are going on
the books at the rate of thirty TO forty
day.
In considering to what figure the regis
1ration may go, there are several i'm
portant facts to be taken into considera-
Iloh. IN the nrst place there are 1,106
voters who were registered in 1895, and
who are qualified, but who have not vet
registered for this year. These are all
among the districts as follows: First dis
1rlct, 2oS; Second district ITS; Third dis
triet, 81, and Fourth district, 359. Every
body VINO votes this year. of course has
10 register again, and this regeneration
which seems to have been delayed, will add
something like 100 names to the list.
.ha ~ .lte next pace, the registration of
the voters who live in the country dis
triets has not yet fairly begun. In fact.
very Few OF those voters who live out
side of the city have their names on the
INST There are between 600 and 700 voters
VINO live in these country districts who
register Tor every election, and as a rule
shtS 10 not DeBln to register at q very
lively rate until they come into the CITY
10 make their tax returns, and that they
are Just beginning to do. The tax receiV-
or VIII not open his books for receiving
tax returns for several days yet and I'M
u he does there will be no heavy influx
az country voters for registration. The
country vote will add considerably to the
negro list.
From these facts, considered together
with the fact that this is a big political
year, which will of itself make the reg
astration unusually large ii would ap-
pear that the registration will reach some
thing like 5000 votes The registration in
1875 when there was nothing but an cleo
ton for one representative in view was
somewhere between $500 and $500.
There has been as yet no extensive dis
cussion Of legislative candidates Both fac
lions are keeping quiet about that The
situation seems one that they will have to
give careful consideration to. Quite a
number have been spoken of in connec-
ton with the Offices, but that is as far as
IT has gone. From the Citizens Club comes
talk of Mr.. w. w. Gordon, Jr, Mr. r. NJ.
Hitch. Alderman d. B. Lester, Mr.. w
W. Chisholm, Mr.. Percy Lee, and from
the other side comes talk of Judge A. Fl.
MacDonell, Mr.. w. Z. Bailey and Mr. II.
S. Morgan, Jr But it is a long time be-
fore any announcements will be made,
and there is always a chance of every as
pect changing.