The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-12-21

to him as easy as ''fnding" it, was IN
playing ''craps."
One hundred yards from every poll
ing place there was a ''crap" game In
full blast, in view Of public and police.
Groups of from ten to twenty negroes
were playing it fast and furiously all
over the city, and it was, to say the
least, an modifying spectacle to stand
in the court house yard and watch
the negroes on Euis street. just behind
the temple of justice, gambling away
the money which had been paid them
for their votes.
But it was in the first ward that the
negroes had complete evidence Of the
return of prosperity" with a ven
geance. In this ward was the only
contest over councilmen. The two
candidates, Col. w. A.. Garrett and
Mr.. Alfred Martin, are we'll known,
highly respected and in every a
prominent men. Garrett is one Of the
city's leading cotton factors, and Mar
tin the representative of an old Caro-
lima family who married a charming
Augusta girl, and who has an enviable
reputation among all classes.
Garrett made the race on the Walsh
ticket, while Martin was on the ticket
of both KerRaand Dunbar. The result
showed that Garrett had Won by the
narrow margin of ten votes. AS the
election progressed and the friends of
both realized how close the result be-
tween these two would be their friends
commenced bulling the negro vote mar
ket at an alarming rate. Eight and
ten dollars was the ruling price, until
Martin almost started a stampede by
handing out $50 to a group Of four ne
groes.
Finally it came to the point where
the voters were really auctioned eff to
the highest bidder. The lucky coon
who had saved his vote lined against
the fence, and the Garrett and Martin
men, starting at IS raised" each other
on and on, until in one or two instances
&25 was paid.
LUX OG9A4O ~ SOS00 RAOO OAGoB WI
Garrett, sitting In his buggy in front
Of the polls, made q brief but pointed
speech to the crowd, in which he said:
Boys, I hear they r paying ten
and fifteen dollars for votes. Don't let
that worry you. I don't care how
much they pay. I will give five dollars
more than il offered by the other side
for every vote"
Then he gave complete evidence that
he had the ''WhereWith" to absolutely
back up his assertion.
Yet neither Mr.. Garrett nor Mr..
Martin cared one snap about the puny,
petty little place. They were running
to help their friends. All day long
Garrett stood at the polls and told
white and black that he did not want
and would not have a vote for himself
unless it was voted along with the
straight Walsh ticket. This was also
the position of Martin, who was drawn
into the struggle through his friendship
for Judge Dunbar.
1t simply goes to show to what
lengths men will go when their friends
are involved and their feelings and
tempeTs are thoroughly aroused.
Mr.. CARROTS son ia authority for the
statement that his father spent "a. 400
in the contest. OF course all OF this
was not spent for votes, but if it had
been it would show that every vote
cast for him had cost wen So One of
the reliable rumors of the election yes
terday vas that MI. CARROTS partner,
Mr.. Latimer, had handed him yester
day morning a present of 81, 900 to be
spent at the polls.
1t is not ascertained what amount
was invested for Mr.. Martin, but it
would seem from the manner in which
his supporters handed it out that his
figures will quite equal Mr.. Garrett's.
People living away from Augusta
cannot conceive of the immense, over
towering interest that the citizens here
took in the election. Personalities were
INDUCED in on both sides and there
was bitterness and bad temper every
where observable. Even the ladies
were worked up to fever heat, and as
I met many of my old friends yester
day it was not uncommon to have
them end the conversation by saying:
We'll, anyway, I am going to take my
visiting card and send it to this or that
editor telling him on it that I do not
want his paper to come to my house
again. 1 wouldn't do him the honor to
write even q note"