Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-09
TAYLOR is ELECTED
Kentucky Election Board Signed His
Certificate This Morning.
FEW PRESENT At THE CEREMONY
His Plurality Over Goebel Now
Paced at 1883.
TWO OPINIONS FILED

FRANKFORT. KY. December AT 9:45
this morning the election certificate Of Wm.
5. Taylor WAS signed by the election oopl-
mSsioners. and he was declared TO be gov
ernor of Kentucky. The official figures of
the vote filed with Secretary OF State Fin
ley are:
Taylor 1aa.714; Goebel. 1881; Taylor's
plurality, 23SS.
The operation which ended for the time
| being, at least. the bitterly fought suberna-
torial contest. was conducted in the sim
plest manner. The majority opinion Of
Commissioners Pryor and Ellis and the M
| nority opinion Of Commissioner Poyntz
were not read. WAS the original inten-
tion. The three commissioners walked first
TO the office OF the clerk in the state su-
preme court. where they filed the Two opgn-
ions. They then passed into the office OF
the secretary Of state. Clerk Chenault OF
;he board of commissioners read the figures
showing that the republican candidates for
offices on the state ticket had received the
largest number of votes. and then certif-
Gates OF election were signed at once that
of Mr.. Taylor being first on the list.
Few Persons Present.
There was no crowd around the building
and no iuterest manifested in the work
save by those engaged in It. The three
commissioners were all apparently in good
humor, although Commissioners Ellis and
Pryor, who had done the most work in
preparing their long and elaborate opinion.
looked worn and tired. The certificates, az
soon as signed, were filed with the secrs-
tdry of state, and commissions will be is
sued to the successful candidates at once
by Gov. Bradley. Late last night. when the
decision had gone forth to the public, Com
missioner Ellis, upon whose shoulders the
greatest part of the work OF preparing the
opinion has fallen, discussed the matter
freely.
This has been a hard thing for me-" he
said. his eyes infiamed by loss of sleep and
the heavy lines in his face bearing eio-
quenI witness to the truth of his state
ment. 1t has been hard thing for all OF
/ wish however, that the people OF
the country should know how nobly Judge
Pryor has acted in this matter and how
conscientiousiy he has done what he con
Sidered his duty. He is a great man. one OF
the greatest. in my opinion, that Kentucky
has ever produced
Mr. Ellis View of the Matter.
Speaking for myself" Mr.. Ellis added,
Il say frankly l did not like 10 do this
thing. but under the law and the evidence
there is nothing else ] can do and be an
honest man"
THE proceedings before the board were
so overwhelmingly in favor of the republic
cans. and they had SO much the better OF
the arguments. that it is almost Idle TO
discuss The affair There was, to the minds
of Judge Pryor and myself only one thing
to do. and that We have done know
there are plenty of men who think that
strong democratic partisan as | have al
ways been. / should have remained demo-
cratic partisan and voted otherwise. But l
have done what my conscience and my
and l will do otherwise for man, or
upon no consideration.
Mr.. GoebeI Declines to Tall
Mr. Goebel was apparently in the hest OF
humor after being told that Mr.. Taylor's
certificate had been signed He laughed
and shook his head when asked If lie had
anything to say.
Not a thing; am not talking"
when will you make contest7'
Il have rot decided yet, and L. Of course,
cannot discuss when 1 do not know it my
self"
The defeated candidate was game to the
.ast. and if there was any ill-humor in him
nobody knew II but himself. Mr.. Taylor
was modest and reticent as usual.
"I expected it, of course, he said. Il
knew that If the commissioners went by
the law and the evidence, they could do
nothing else than decide the way they
have done"
Commissioner Poyntz declined 10 sign the
republican certificates of election, saying
that he stood by the opinion ne had rem
dered and could not consistently do 50. lie
consented to sign the certificates Of the
railroad commissioner, however.
Commissioners Ellis and Pryor. who
signed the majority report. took the ground
that the board was not sitting as board
of contest, but merely as board of cam
VasSers OF the returns. Under those cir
cumstances they held that they could not
go back OF the face of the returns.
Commissioner Poyntz. in his minority re-
port. charges Irregularities and intimlda-
ton in certain counties, which he claims
should inValidate the returns.