The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-01-11

election was held, by order of the
governor, to decide whether or not
the people Of the area designated
wanted new county The precincts
in Sumter county gave Lee county
an overwhelming majority, and there
was two-thirds majority in Kershaw
county. However, at Ashland and
Cypress precincts, in Darlington
county, there was considerable con-
fusioa It is claimed that at Cypress
l26 votes were poIied and Lee
county received seven over the
required mojority. In some mysteri-
GUS way the Ashland box disappear
ed. II was presented before the
Legislature afterwards that two of
the managers at the latter precinct
were hostile to the new county, and
that they were probably responsible
for the loss of the box.
At the proper time the county
board of sanvassels met and tabulated
the vote al Cypress, according seven
votes over majority in favor of Lee
county. The Ashland box was not
produced and the board of canvassers
adjourned fer eight days. At the
end of that time the board reconven.
ed, reopened the Cypress box and
again tabulated the vote which it haG
previously passed upon, with the re-
snlt ths. at this second count the boz
was thrown out Cd the affidavit of two
parties that their votes were illegal,
because they had presented their reg.
istration certificates bat not their tax
receipts when they wen. to vote.
The Ashland box was still missing.
The board refused to make tsbr
lated statement of the entire vote to
the secretary of state, as required by
law, but did send him paper, signed
by them as election commissioners of
Darlington county, returning the vote
at Ashland as returned from memory
and upon affidavit OF the managers,
and declaring that in their opinion
the new county had been lost, and
that, further, the election should not
have been ordered, as, in their opin-
ion, the same territory was embraced
in the formerly proposed county os
Salem.
The Lee county people came to the
Legislature last February and asked
the general assembly to set off Lee
county, stating that each and every
requirement of the constitution had
been met.
The matter was investigated by
special committee and both sides
given frequent hearings. The new
county people produced aAidavits
from over two. thirds of the voters
at Ashland, showing that these had
voted for the new county AS the
opposition could not produce ahida-
Wits to rebut this evidence, the gem
eral assembly passed an act creating
Lee county, and appointing j L.
Parrot. Jno. c. Shaw. j P. Kilgo.
3. 3 Tiller. A. E. Spinner, A NJ.
Lee, R E. Carnes, W. W. Heron, j.
W. Gardener, j E McCutcheon, S.
F. Moore and VIM Kelley commits
sioners to have the boundaries estab-
lished, to erect public buildings aud
to accept money, bonds, lauds or
other gifts donated to the county.
The opposition, through representa-.
tives from each of the three counties,
applied to the State supreme court to,
issue an injunction restraining these
commissioners from carrying out the
provisions of an act which, it was
contended, was unconstitutional
The matter was finally decided by
the supreme court last waek, after
the general election had been held,
the vote declared by the State board
of canvassers and the commissions
issued the officers elect.
The above facts are recited as the
context of the interesting develop.
ments which will succeed the demand
of Messrs. Carnes and Keels for ad.
mission to seats in the general as