The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-12
BLACK WAGED A FAIR BATTLE.
DOODLE AND BULLDOZING CUT NO
FIGURE IN HIS ELECTION.

The Elections Committee Unanimous
in Reporting i'm His FavOr-A Few
Negroes Given Their street Car
Fare at Augusta the Only FOunda-
ton watson Could Show For the
Charge of Bribery.
Washington, Feb. 1.-THE committee on
elections No. 1 this morning, filed a unan-
'imous report in the case Of Watson VS..
Black from the Tenth district of Geor-
gia, in favor of the contestee. 1t has been
an open secret that some days ago the
committee voted unanimously for the con-
testee, but the formal written report, pre-
pared by Representative Bartlett of
Georgia, was not presented to the COM
mittee until this morning, when it was
unanimously adopted.
On every material allegation in the no
tice of contest, the committee has found
against the contestant. The report states
that the charges of conspiracy to defeat
the contestant by the registration officials
in a number of counties outside of Rich
mond, by striking from the registration
lists voters, who favored the contestant,
thus reducing his majority in these coun-
ties, were wholly unfounded, and that the
registration officials in those places faith
fully performed their duties. In every
county except Wilkinson the populist reg
istrars agreed to the reports made and
approved the list, and this county Watson
carried. Convincing proof was furnished
to show that in Wilkinson county more
democrats than populists were stricken
from the lists.
The report also finds that the conduct
Of the election. officers all through the dis
trict was not only honest, but above sus-
picion, and that the charges of fraud were
not sustained. The only precinct outside
of Richmond county, which was attacked
for fraud on the day of election was
Sparta, where it was charged that 800
Watson votes were counted for Black. A
careful investigation of the facts shoWeu
that there was no evidence to sustain TINS
The report next shows that the contest
hinged wholly upon Richmond county,
where it was charged that the registration
list were padded with fictitious names ana
that the registrars refused to strike from
the list such illegal voters. 1t was also
alleged that voters had been brlped IN
Blacks interest, thus deprtVlnS watson
of LOCO votes and that 2,UJ0 votes cast iOr
him were counted for Black. The commit
tee find these charges untounded, or thdI
the registrars or officers oil eiectlon IN
Richmond county in any way violated lne
law. In other words there was no bnpery
or intimidation on the part OF the con-
testee's friends. 1t is possible that few
illegal votes may have been cast as the
result of repeating, but even this is doubt
ed The committee finds that about tWen-
ty-four negroes received ten cents piece
from one of the friends of the contestee
for car fare after they had voted, which
money was claimed to have been paid to
bribe these persons. The number of these
persons is so small, however, that in the
opinion of the committee, they could in no
way affect the result.
The report closes with the statement
that the election was as fair as elections
ordinarily are, and that there was moth
ing in the evidence to cause the committee
to throw out the vote of Richmond county.