The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-29
NO DECISION RENDERED
4 STRONG DEFENSE MADE BY
ELECTION BOARD,
THEY HAVE ONLY GONE THEIR FULL Duly
Refused TO Appoint White Men Of Bad Charac-
ter and Ignorant Negroes Argument
by Mr., Flat D, Walker and
Mai Iohn w, Graham,
Mai, John W. Graham.

In pursuance to an order issued on Sep
TENDER Goth, Clerk of Court j. NJ. Nor
row, Register of Deeds ]. w. Cobb and
County Commissioner ]. NJ. Brown,
omposing the election board of Meek
lcnburg county, appeared yesterday be-
fore Judge Fufches to show cause why
certain persons appointed by them as
registrars for the coming election in
Mecklenburg county should not be re-
moved and certain other persons APP
pointed in their stead.
This board, it will be remembered,
appointed only such of the names rec
commended by the chairman of the three
parties as it saw fit. Such as were not
deemed qualified were dropped and 9th
ers substituted in their places.
Of this the Republican chairman, j. W.
Mullen and the Populist chairman, L. ).
Cooper, complained. and on their com
plant Judge Furches last Tuesday is
sued an order commanding them to APP
pear before him to answer for their res
fusal to appoint all the Populists ana
Republicans recommended by them.
The case was set for 3 o'clock in the
Supreme court room. The petitioners
were represented by Maj. John w. Ora
ham, of Hillsboro, attorney for the State
Republica committee, adm D. X. Pope.
of Charlotte. The board was represented
by Platt ID. Walker and Il. NJ. Shan
nonhouse, of Charlotte
The hearing began with the reading
of the petition by Maj. Graham. The
petition, after mentioning the parties
Al 4 ~ a. tf
plaint. states that under the election
laws of the State of North Carolina the
election board is required. on or before
the first Monday in September, 1898, to
appoint one citizen and qualified voter
from each of the three political parties.
for each election precinct, who shall be
able to read and write in the English
language. to be known as registrars OF
election in their respective precincts.
This the petition goes on to declare, was
not done; that the election board APP
pointed certain persons as registrars for
elections, claiming that they were Re-
publicans and Populists and representa-
tives of the respective organizations,
when in truth and in fact those appoint
ed as Republicans were not Republicans
but were Democrats and those appoint
ed as Populists were not Populists, but
were Democrats, and otherwise disquali-
fed.
In support of this contention the fol-
lowing list of persons, purporting to
have been appointed as Republicans, is
given:
r. w. Smith, known as a national Re
publican, but votes with the Democrats
on State and county matters.
w. s. Liddell votes with Democrats
in State and county elections, and votes
the national Republican ticker.
J. =. Wilson votes with Democrats
in State and county elections, and votes
national Republican ticket.
T. B. Gautier, known as a national
Republican and in accord with Demo
cratic party on State and county matters.
Walter Donaldson, an inebrIate, con-
tnually under the influence of whiskey,
thereby totally incapacitated to transact
business.
r. J. Ferguson, a Democrat and does
not vote the Republican ticket.
S. w. Stewart, cannot read or write.
J. O. Turbyfill, Democrat and votes
the Democratic ticket
l.. A. Morrow, Democrat and votes
the Democratic ticket.
And the following is a list of those
appointed as Populists with their re-
spective precincts and the grounds of
objection thereto:
J. Il. Woodsides, Democrat. and
manager of the recent Democratic pri-
maries.
w. J. Hutchinson, Democrat, worked
in the recent Democratic primaries.
J. r. Porter, has always been a Dem
ocrat, and has never affiliated with Pop
ulsts.
Banks Potts, does not affiliate with the
Populists.
j. A. Blakney, Democrat and has
never voted with the Populists.
j. C.. Dennis, a Democrat and has
never affiliated with the Populists.
II. III. Hoover says he is Democrat
and cannot stomach a Populist.
The answer to this petition, read by
Mr.. Walker, denied, as alleged in the
petition, that the appointments were de-
signedly made for the purpose of pre-
venting the Republican and Populist or
CARNATIONS being properly represented
by men of Republican and Populist per-
suasi0n.
In answer to the petition more specifi-
cally the defendants set forth that r.
w. Smith is and always has been a Re-
publican and in support of this state
ment they presented affidavits by Smith
himself, by ID. l.. Kistler, Thos. T. Ross
and j, A. Dunn.
W. s. Liddell has always been regard
ed as Republican and has always voted
the national Republican ticket Anoth-
er registrar in this precinct, Il. G. Me
CIeIlan was Amounted as q PoDuIist but
it was afterwards discovered that he
was Republican, so the Republicans
have two registrars in this district
There is no Populist in the precinct. A
number of aifidayits as to both these