The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-06
THIS is THE QUESTION
1T WILL DOUBTLESS DECIDE
THE BATTLE IN KENTUCKY.
BRADLEY APPEARS BEFORE THE BOAFD
OenOunces as Malicious Lie" Any Safe
ment That He Sent Troops TO Frank
fort. Seven More Counties to be
Contested Before Board.

! NOHleSlbu petOro pOdTQ'
! Frankfort. Ky, Dec. 5.-The State
| Board OF Election Commissioners, sit
| ting as canyassing board, finished its
| work at four O'Clock this afternoon and
! tomorrow at eleven O'Clock the members
| will sit in the State Senate Chamber
| as a contesting board to hear arguments
in the cases of eleven contested counties.
! The first great fight will come up on the
| question Of whether or not the board
has the right TO go behind the certified
returns. filed with the Secretary OF
State by the different counties Upon
the issue of the argument on this point
viii rest the name Of the next Governor
Of Kentucky On the face of the re-
turns, now on file with the Secretary of
State, Mr.. Taylor has a plurality or
2.3S3. his total vote being 193.714,
against 191.331 for Goebel. If there
is TO be no going behind" the returns,
the board viii have no option bur 10
issue the certificate Of e4ectOn to Tay-
lor. If the board decides that it has
the power to 20 behind the returns,
there is no telling who viii receive the
certificate. 1t viii depend entirely upon
the, results of the contest, TO be decided
before the board. and the matter viii
without doubt be carried for final SET
tlement to the State Legislature which
meets next month.
The morning proceedings were enliv-
ened by Governor Bradley. who made
an address TO the board regarding the
statement thar he had hroUght soldiers
into Frankfort. Before the meeting be-
gan, the election commissioners seDt a
letter 10 Governor BRADLEY inquiring as
-.
nor Bradley wrote a reply which he car
ried personally into the board room and
handed ii to Judge Pryor. chairman 81
the board
1t denounced as a malicious lie7 any
statement that any troops had been
brought to the city with his consent
or approval. He admitted thar several
officers were on hand. but said thev
We're here individually and not In ums-
form. He declared il to be his intcn-
ton to see that 10 officer was intiml-
dated in the discharge of his sworn
duty.
After leaving the commissioners
room Governor Bradley STOPPED in front
of large crowd of spectators who
filled the outer office Of the Secretary OF
State Now boys" he said, "you know
they are talking about intimidation, and
! don't really think il is wise for you
to remain here. Of course we all know
you would not intimidate anybody. but
it is just as well that there should be
no arrest"
In obedience to the suggestion the
crowd, which comprised as many Demo
crafts as Republicans, quietly left the
office.
In addition to the counties passed yes
terday for argument before the contest
ing board, the counties Of Hopkins, JEFF
ferSon, johnson. Knox, Lewis, Magoffn
and Martin We're passed today Harlan
county was among these passed yester~
day, the Democratic attorneys promising
to announce today the nature of their
evidence against the legality of the vote
in that county. Judge Hargis de-
clared however that the evidence had
not been received and that all objections
to the vote Of Harlan county were with
drawn. Hopkins county was passed be-
cause of irregularities in two precincts.
Jefferson county, in which Louisville is
was passed without much ar
gument.
Johnson and Knox counties were
passed because of the alleged use of bal
lots printed on tissue paper which al
lowed the votes to be discernible after
the ballot was folded. Lewis county
vas passed because of irregularities.
charged in the making out of returns in
wo precincts. Magoffin county was
passed on the charge that tissue ballots
we're supplied to voters Martin county
vas passed upon the request Of ex-Gov.
IcCreary, one Of the, Democratic coun-
el. He stated that he was unable to
rive the exact allegation, which would
'e made against the vote of this coun-
y. but promised to have it tomorrow.
so objection was offered by the Repub-
leans.