The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-08
BOTH FACTIONS BUY VOTES.
NEGROES LINED UP AT THE POLLS
IN AUGUSTA AT 50 A HEAD.

It's Two Men over the walsh Sah-
didates in the Fourth and Fifth
Wards-MOney Pinned on Coat
LappeIs and FIOurished Publicly
by Bidders on the Franchisc-Au-
gusta People Disguised With the
Conduct of the Politicians.
Augusta, Ga. Dec. 7.-Augusta had an
other disgusting election to-day, in which
negro voters were bought like sheep, and
marched to the polls In solid columns to
be voted by their white purchasers at so
much per head.
In the Second ward, Mr.. Richard f. Al
len never had any opposition from the
first.
In the First ward, Mr.. Alfred Martins
election was determined by a white pri-
mary held Nov. 10, and in the Third ward
Mr. a. j. Gouley had been nominated by
a white mass meeting, to which he and
his opponent, Mr.. Patrick Armstrong, had
voluntarily submitted their candidacy. In
these wards there was no contest and no
interest, but in the Fourth and Fifth
wards there had been a failure to agree
on a white primary, and there was con-
test at the polls decided by the ability 10
purchase negro votes.
Mr. NJ J. McAuliffe had been brought
out as the Walsh administration candl-
date in the Fourth, and W. a. Matteson
was backed by the Walsh people in the
Fifth
The Dunbar and Kerr factions. that were
beaten by Mr.. Walsh a year ago in the
mayoralty election, united all their
strength 10 defeat these Walsh candidates,
and j. A. y. ". Clark was brought out
ia the Fourth ward, and r. E. Elliot in
the Fifth. In the Fourth ward they sue
eeeded overwhelmingly, and in the Fifth
thoy landed their man Elliot by four votes.
In the Fourth ward the purchase of
votes was without concealment. One fac
ton paid off in cash ana the other in
checks. Entrance being from the east side,
the negro would leave by the west side,
and being vouched for would be given s..
One of the paymasters began pinning the
S. on the lape4 of the coats of the pur-
chased voters, and the bought voter went
among the crowd with his pay money so
displayed
The polls opened with $50 negro voters
in line for McAuliffe. They had camped
around the polls ali night, under guard of
white lieutenants to be first on the ground
They were juDilant at the prospect of vic
tory, but at $3.50 o'clock the Clark lieu
tenants marched 400 negro voters in line
to the polls from a neighboring wagon
yard, where they had been penned up all
night and kept under guard. This col
umn, which looked more numerous than
il really was, broke the confidence of the
McAuliffe side and stampeded a number
of their voters.
There were several fights between prom
inent workers in the opposing factions, but
nobody was seriously hurt The buyers
were still giving s. for votes, had tho.
money ready TO pay when the ballot was
cast" wouldn't pay but $3.50 a little
later"
One negro with So bills in his hand went
among the negroes, showing the stuff we
| give for votes"
How long the people of Augusta will sub
nit to this sort of thing no one seems 10
know 1t was thought that the hast may
orally e.ection would prove the last exhi-
| oition of the kind, but to-day's council
manic contest in the Fourth and Fifth
wards was just as bad on a somewhat
| smaller scale.
In the Fifth ward the Walsh candidate
| was carrying everything his way for the
first few hours, and his election was re-
| ported all over town to be almost walk
| over; but after stampeding the McAuliffe
| forces in the Fourth ward and carving
things by storm IN that ward, the anti
| Walsh workers from all parts of town
went up to the Fifth ward and concen-
| trated their efforts to carry the day for
! Elliott There was already such a big lead
| for Mattison that it was an uphill fight
| but they swarmed around the polls and
| carried the day by storm, stampedina the
Mattison forces and winning for Elliott by
| the narrow margin Of three votes.
Neither side is condemned more than II q
| other. 1t IS not the individual but the
system that needs reforming. The vic
tory of one side simply means that it had
more money to pay with, and more skill
| and strength in manipulating votes The
! other side would have won by the same
| means if it could have done So The
whole thing is reproach TO the commun.
ity and a disgrace. Many men are De.
clafing This shall he the last time. but
| this mas been heard before, and there is
| no telling. The trouble is that The ner
who are accustomed to manipulating the
negro vote, are better willing 10 risk theli
| chances in the issue of such an election
chan 10 leave thcir fate in the hands oil
the white voters alone.
II is also contended that a primary cleo
ton is just as corrupt a final election
and that white votes can be and are Dur
chased. Again il is claimed that the large
number OF Popuiists and A. =. A. vote!
among clan of our white voters. max,
q Democratic primary necessary instead
of a white primary. The result of tn,
varying opinions is that Augusta CONTINUES
to be disgraced by corrupt elections an(
public purchase Of negro votes.
n ~