The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-19

NO election.
No returns.
AT the following boxes elections are sup
posed to have been held. but no returns
were made to the committee: Sells, Flat
Creek Irondale, Partridge, Meeks Ora
hams. Williams, Pump House. GUMS
Parkwood and Inns. They would proba-
bly, run Mr.. Hewitt's majority up.
Hewitt Chairman Elected
AT 1910 H. r. Dill called the committee
to order as chairman pro tenn. Mr.. Lowe
and Mr.. Hewitt were both present and cir
culated among their friends.
The first fight between the two factions
came up over the selection of a chairman
j. S. Kennedy put in nomination W. M.
Bethea for chairman. E. L. Mitchell put in
nomination Fl. R. Dill, who was acting as
temporary or chairman pro tenn.
Interest was at fever heat, for this was
really the test vote as to who controlled
the committee. Dill carried the city beats,
but Bethea ran ahead when the county
beats were reached. The final vote was IS
to Is in favor of Bethea.
When Mr.. Bethea took the chair Mr..
Kennedy moved that a committee of five
be appointed to ascertain the result of the
election and that the committee take the
prima facie returns.
Mr.. Mitchell moved as an amendment
that the committee recount the ballots.
Mr.. Kennedy quickly moved that Mr..
Mitchell's motion be tabled. He withdrew
MS 10 give an opportunity LOT argument
Colonel benson had communication he
desired to read. The committeeman from
the country objected to this, saying that
they wanted to get through and return
home.
motion was made to have the communi-
cation read. This was tabled by a vote of
II to II.
The krSument Began.
The argument then began, Edgar L.
Mitchell of Bessemer, opening for Mr.
Lowe. He recited the Irregularities in the
last primary and argued that the only fair
method to decide the question between Mr.
Lowe and Mr.. Hewitt was to recount the
vote He pointed out that at Bessemer
that the counting of AL ballots was COM
peted in 80 minutes, and that he then went
to Ishkooda and the count had not been
finished there.
Colonel benson appealed for purity in the
ballot box He said the face of the returns
showed fraud. 1t was not a question of
either candidates victory. but the purity
Of the party was at stake. Mr. Mitchell
ha,. said something about fraud in the
bethlehem beat.
Polls Late in Opening.
T. A Brown took this up. He said the
election at Bethlehem was fair. There was
simply a little delay because ballots
were in the box when it was opened. The
box he admitted, cast few votes in the
first primary, but frequently cast as many
as $50 votes. He admitted that there We're
n number of Methodist preachers near
Bethlehem the day of the last election, but
he denied that any of them voted. Metho-
dist preachers didn't stuff ballot boxes.
cloud cheerS)
loves Personal Statement.
Mr.. Lowe then made a personal state
nent, interrupting Mr. Kennedy.
The speaker referred to the previous cleo
ton and contended that he was the nomi-
nee of that election, but had declined to
claim it under the circumstances, not de-
string to be put in the position of con-
testant. Neither did he today care TO be
put in the position of claiming any irreg-
ularity He believed the boxes should be
taken by beats and the prima facie returns
accepted unless specific objection was mace
to specific boxes. If obj2ction is made let
the box objected to be investigated. He le-
lieved it was not partisan matter and
should not be made so. Then Mr.. Lowe
openly charged fraud in the Ishkooda box.
He said it stunl1 to heaven. 1t always had
been a rotten borough. 1t never had had
a fair election, and he believed the SYSTEM
attic fraud alleged there should be stopped.
He believed that IL boxes which went for
him were found irregular, they, too should
be thrown out. He was for fair play either
way it went 1t mattered much to the
party that 1t should today show that the
party can hold fair primary. tsii
Mr. Kennedy then continue d, stating that
he believed Hewitt was was elected at the
first election. pc
Mr. Hewitt asked Mr.. Kennedy not to
bring in the other election. ~
To Accept Prima FacIe Returns.
Mr. Kennedy made a few more remarks