The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-06
BOARDS WORK
IS FINISHED
The Face Of the Returns Give
Taylor a Plurality
BRADLEY WRITES A LETTER
Brands Some Correspondents as
Malicious Liars.
NO INTIMIDATION Is FEARED
Argument on the Question of the Board
Go;no Pabipd tho Faoe of the Re-
turns Will be Made in
the Senate Today.
Brands Some Correspondents as
Malicious Liars.
NO INTIMIDATION is FEARED

Frankfort, Ky, December 5.-The state
board of election commissioners, sitting as
a canvassing board, finished its work at
o'clock this evening, and tomorrow morning
at 10 o'clock the members of the board will
sit in the state senate chamber as a con-
testing 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 of this point will rest the name
of the next governor of Kentucky.
On the face of the returns now on file
with the secretary of state, Mr.. Taylor has
a plurality of 2,3S5, his total vote being 193,-
ia against 191 1891 for Goebel. If there is to
be no "going behind the returns the board
will have no option but to issue the certif-
cate of election to Taylor. If the board de-
cides that 1t has the power to go behind the
returns, there is no telling who will receive
the certificate. 1t will depend entirely upon
the results of the contest to be decided be-
fore the board and the matter will without
doubt be carried for final settlement to the
state legislature which meets next month
No Indication of Trouble
So far there has not been the slightest in
dication of trouble in Frankfort The
street.: have not been crowded. There have
been no more arrests than usual. The can
vassing of fhe votes has been carried
through in the most harmonious manner
and there has been no lack of courtesy by
the representatives of either party toward
the other.
The morning proceedings were enlivened
by Governor Bradley who made an address
to the board regarding tlne statement that
he had brought soldiers into Frankfort. Be-
fore the meeting began, the election COM
missioners sent the following letter to Gov
ernor Bradley:
His Excelency VIM. o. Bradley, Cover
nor of kentucky
"Sir:-Since the state board of election
commissioners convened in this city on
yesterday it has been persistently asserted
in the public buildings and on the streets
of this city, as well published in the
newspapers that a body of armed men in
citizens garb have been brought here with
your knowledge, by your consent or with
your approval to stand by with a view of
oyerawing this board while it discharges
the duties imposed upon 1t by law. These re-
ports, though emanating from reputable
sources have not, so far as we know, been
denied either by you or any one Tor you.
You see we hold it to be our duty to in
uuire directly of you whether or not there
is any truth or semblance of truth in the
reports to which we herein call your at
tention.
(Signed) Will 8. PR foh'
'W. T. ELLIS,
"CHAS. B. PYNTZ,
estate Board of Election Commissioners
The Governors Reply
He wrote out the following reply, which
he carried personally into the board soon
afterwards and handed 1t to Judge Pryor,
chairman of the board. 1t was as follows:
Gentlemen:-I regret very much that you
should for one moment have believed the
malicious lie that has been circulated and
of which you speak. l have absolutely be-
come wearied by contradicting the lies of
a partisan press. You should know me
well enough to know that l don't resort
to amy such clandestine methods. And
especially you should know that the re-
mort is false In view of the fact that
waited upon the chairman OF your board
on Yesterday morning and offered, If he
desired, to exclude all persons except those
who had business in the departments from
the building. Any statement that any man
or set of men have been brought here with
my knowledge, consent or approval, to
stand by with a view OF overawing the
board is a malicious lie. I have brought
no man here for any purpose and no man
is here by my order. 1 see 1t stated in the
papers that certain members of the state
guard are here in citizens clothes l have
seen several officers here, but they are
here individually and not as members of
tht organization and without any conniv-
ance on my part. Instead of intimidating,
I am ready at all times to protect every
officer of the law in the discharge of his
sworn duty. a
(SigueD W. O. BRADLEY.
As he entered Governor Bradley incurred:
"Can l interrupt your board a moment I
want to make a public statement. 1 re-
ceived your communication a lew moments
ago. I was a little busy at the time and
my attention was not called to 1t until a
moment ago. / answered it at once. l NOT
only want to answer it in writing, but I
want to make a statement for the benefit
of lying correspondents who are purely and
purposely misrepresenting me.
Sharp Colloquy
Here the governor was interrupted by
Judge Hargis, the senior democratic coun-
sci; who for some time had been trying to
break in, but could not until Governor
Bradley paused to breathe.
81 object to this statement said Judge
Hargis "I don't know what 1t is about"
''It is about the presence Of the soldiers
said Judge Pryor.
'sThen / have no objection returned
Judge Hargis.
''I don't care If you do object" relied the
governor, with a strong emphasis on the