The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-02-16

facts as TO the defeat of Salem county.
He cited the constitutional provisions
and said that the couuty of Lee vas
in no sense the same as Salem 90
this legal question the members of the
committee. With the single exception
Of the gentleman from Sparsanburg.
agreed With the attorney general. The
minority reported 90 the ground Of the
ooun, in the Darlington boxes. Sum
,er's vote was uuquestioned. The same
thiog was true as to Kersbaw county.
The single issue was as to Darlington 9
two precipcts-Ashland and Cypress.
There was an admission before the
committee that there was no copseet
as to the Cypress box. Take Ashland
bog There were 1856 votes returned !;
the managers stated that eyes" re
ceived ia votes aud 100" S2-which
vas not quite two.thirds- Tie box at
Ashland was stolen The managers
met the next day without single
scrap Of paper before them aod ar
ranged paper that vas not return,
on which the figures we're given az
above. This paper was sigued by two
menbers-adyocstes of the old county
The new couusy manager had refused
to sion. The whole issue centered
about the missing box. Ooe of the op--
ponep,s Of the election had said the
old county had got "abous 90 votes. "
The number of votes they claim, ac
cordiog to the sfidavits. gave the old
county exactly 81 votes. what :he man
who had kept talley bad said: Ooe
hundred and thirty -four sworn afhdaviss
Of men who had voted for the new
connty we're presented to the commit
tee; there were three other votes Ooe
of these yoters had moved away from
the S ate An affidavit Of mau who
saw toe ballot certified it to be for the
new County. Two were dead; their
votes we're also certified to. If these
votes we're given the other side Lee
county is still carried by three votes
The affdavi.s that these men had DOT
voted fsr Lee did not say the af6davits
had been read to the sigoers-tbree OF
them could not read.
Ie the other afidavits it vas sworn
that the notary reed the afidavits be
fore the marks were affixed. As to the
registration it seemed the voting vas
regular. The fact the two old county
msuagers let these parties vote is the
bes. evidence of their right McKeD
zie aud an old couo.y manager went
home togetber-in different buggies-
Il vas generally admitted that Mo
Keuzie was generously druuk-
The matter should be settled now.
aud save great deal Of expense to all
parties.
Mr.. Winkler said seven members of
The judiciary committee bad not ap-
proved the majority report The cleo
tioo was held on the Goth of July.
The whole question was as TO Ashland's
vote. One manager. the doorksepe:
aud the clerk were new county men
aud the .wo other managers we're old
county men These were all in the
room aud they agreed on the vote.
The vote was not then challenged
Mr.. Stevenson said the counsel for
the new county vas challenged at once.
Mr.. WiDkler said that a new county
man said the bog would be in Lynch's
river before night Mr. McKeuzie
said he did not know the box
vas gone until be went to
get it to take it to the court house.
He put it 10 the piazza room His
family was at home No one slept 10
that room The return had been sign
ed three days after the election. The
box was the crucial point The return
bad not been challenged. Why, if the
box consaioed votes 10 favor Of the
new county. would a. oew county
man say it would be 10 the
bottom Of the river before nigbt7 He
vas willing to do what bad been done
in the case of Pss Dee courty yester
day.
Nj. Stevenson answered Mr.. Wink
ler's question Why would the ne"
county man sign the return against the
rew county if be had stolen it? Would
nos this be nullifyiDg the effect OF the
destruction Of the box :? There was 90
question as to the election at Cypress,
vet the commissioners had thrown out
the box. Was that the act of parti-
san board or nos The managers have
a mere general recollection Of the vote
Each man who voted recorded his per-
sooal exact knowledge 10 bis affidavit.
Mr.. Gadsden thought Mr.. Patton
had understated the position of the
minority of the Judiciary committee