The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-01-25
Col. D. :. Griffith chos:n.
Columbia State, 18th inst.

Yesterday morning before the elec-
ton for Superintendent Of tie State
Pe~uitentiary was held the friends Of
Senator D J. Griffith claimed that
that gentleman had sixty-six votes
pledged to him, but there were few
who expected to see him elected on
the first ballot.
The result Of the election was that
upon the first ballot Colonel Griffith
received seventy-one votes, and be-
fore the vote was declared over a
score of votes were changed from the
other candidates to him and he was
declared elected.
The galleries and the floor of the
hall we're crowded with visitors, who
were present to watch the contest
for the position of superintendent CT
the ~penitentiary.
Col. Neal was there, looking quite
unwell, and surrounded by a number
of friends. Col. Griffith looked con-
Gdent, and his friends were bouyant
with hope.
The prominence of Col. Neal in
affairs political lent peculiar interest
to this race. Although the a c vas
won partially by Col. Grifith's popu-
larity, there is no doubt that the
feeling of politicians toward Col.
Neal had a great deal to do with the
result Of the election.
Mr. Stevenson of Chesterfield nomi-
| mated Senator Griffith. This was
seconded by Senator Talbird of
Beaufort.
Mr.. Zimmerman nominated Repre-
sentative Bell of Aiken. This was
seconded by Senator Sheppard OF
Edge6eld.
Senator Mayfeld nominated Mr..
H. H. Crum of Bamberg, chairman
of the ways and means committee.
This was seconded by Mr.. Moss Of
Orangeburg.
Col. W. A. Neal was nominated by
MI. Prince of Anderson. This was
seconded by Senator Manning OF
Sumter.
Mr.. John ". Cullough of Green
Vile was nominated by Mr.. W. L
'Mauldin Of Greenville. This was
seconded by Senator'S. W. Brown.
The nominations were then closed
upon motion of Mr.. Wyche.
When the roll Of the joint assem-.
bly, had been called, and each men,
Der had voted for the candidate of
his choice, it was seen that Senator
Griffith was far in the lead. The
vote was not announced, but the first
roll call resulted as follows: Griffith,
II; Neal, 81; Mccullough, %; Crum,
21; Bell, 4. Total, l53; necessary to
elect, II. !
Some Of the members had kept &C
count of the vote, and as soon as it
was seen that Senator Griffith need
ed but 6 votes, Mr.. Ilderton started
the break by changing his vote from
Crum to Griffith. Senator Stanland
changed from Neal to Griffith, MIR,
G. P. Smith from Mccullough to
Griffith, Mr.. Sheppard from Bell to
Griffith, and in a few moments a
score of others followed their exam
pie. No one candidate was injured
by this slump, as each lost a number
of supporters, and when the vote on
the first ballot was declared, Senator
Griffith was announced as elected.
Following was the final result: Grit
fifth, Sc; Neal, %; Mccullough, l6;
Crum, IL; Bell, 2. Mr.. Crum lost
more than any other candidate when
the break to Griffith began.
Following was the vote as first re-
corded:
Grifith-Senators Alexander, Ar
cher, Barnwell, Blakeney, Brown,
Douglass, Glenn, Graydon, Gruber,
Hay, Henderson, Marshall, Mauldin,
Mower, Ragsdale, Sarratt, Scarbor-
ough, Suddatb, Tolbird, Wallace,
Waller, Williams. Representatives:
Speaker Gary, Black, W. D, Caugh-
man, Davis, Dean, E6rd, Estridse,
Evans, N. G., Fairey, Gamble, Cause,
Graham, Hopkins, johnson, ". j.,
Lockwood, Lotion; Lyles, Manp,
Manning, McDill McLaurin, Mehr-
tens, Mobley, Nettles, Patterson,