The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-21
DEMOCRATS PROTEST
AGAINST THE COUNTING OF THE VOTE
OF LOUISVILLE.
MILITARY INTIMIDATION
At the Polls on Election Day Ground of
the PrOtest-Rejection of This Tot
Would Elect Goebel - Bradley to
Stand by NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. for State
Board Refusing to Go Behind the Re-
turns-DemOcratic Election Officers
Indicted.

Louisville, KY, November 17.-At-
torneys for William Goebel today filed
notice with the local election board
asking that the vote of the city of
Louisville be thrown out They claim
hat the election officers and voters
were inundated by the militia, order
ed out by Governor Bradley on No
vember eth. If the election board
throws out the vote of Louisville Goe-
bel will have a safe plurality.
The notice served on the commission
ers follows:
For the democratic candidates We
now give notice that, at the close OF
the count and before any certificates
are issued, we will move the board and
all other authorities that may consider
this election, TO declare null and void,
the election held in the city of Louis
Vile on the Seventh day of November
1899.
list, Because Of the usurpation of
William Bradley in calling out and lille
gally using the militia and overawing
and intimidating the voters and officers
of and at said election, and interfering
with the ogres Of said election and
with the duties of the officers of said
election.
"2nd, Because S. B. Toney unlawful
ly usurped power in requesting said
William o. Bradley to call out the mil
tia for said purpose, when said call
was entirely unnecessary and tn civil
authorities were able ard willing to ex-
ecute any order made by said court.
"3rd, Because said militia was used
for the unlawful purposes aforesaid.
18th, Because said election was not
a civil election, but a military election.
. 18th, Because the said use of the said
militia was unlawful in ey cry respect
and a criminal ~usUrpation of power
by said named persons and thereby the
. civil power was Subordinated to the
military power, n an overt act of a
reasonable nature against the consti-
tuition of the state of Kentucky was
committed"
This action had been expected ever
since the official count began. 1t was
freely reported on election day that if
the militia was called out it would re-
suit in some such step.
This dispute will prolong and aggra-
waite the fight, for the republicans will
make every effort in their pOWer to re-
tain Taylor's plurality.
Buford S. Williams, Coleman Carr
and Wingate Thompson, democratic
election officers of Franklin county,
were today indicted by the Federal
grand jury on charges of conspiracy
and intimidation against colored voters.
Frankfort, KY, November 1.-THE
proposition today from Goebe's law
I yers to throw out the entire vote of
Jefferson county, which includes Louis
willie, was not wholly unlocked for by
the republican leaders. 1t is now aid
Senator Deboe's visit here last nigh
was for the purpose of ascertaining
definitely to what extent Governor
Bradley will support Taylor in the
event that Goebel is given the certifi-
cate of election, based OF this proceed
ing. Senator Deboe Ms Governor
Bradley are not on speaking terms and
a third party acted as a "go between
Deboe says he is satisfied Bradley
will stand by Taylor and will vigorous
ly resist GOebeQ. Senator Lindsay will
be k to act as one of the attorneys
for the anti-G0ebel side before the
state election commission.
The republicans have found a prece-
dent established by the state election
commission last year, in which the
board by a unanimous vote, decided
it was merely a canvassing board n
had no power to pass on contests. This
was the case of MCldecal Williams,
democrat, who filed a contest for the
certificate of election as congressman
in the Ninth district on the ground
l1ldl IL NoICS q O1Oh OooS
for Congressman Pugh, in several
counties. The board declined to hear
the contest, ON the ground of lack of
jurisdiction and awarded the certif-
cate OF election to Pugh on the face of
the returns.
Taylor's lawyers now claim that I'M
der this decision the vote of Johnson
and Knox counties, at least must be
counted as certified. They have not
given an opinion as to the bearing Of
this ruling on the Jefferson county case.
If Jefferson county is Thrown out the
political complexion of the legislature
will be affected, as n senator and
seven Representatives will have to be
elected Under a special election called
by the governor.
Louisville, KY, November THE
! official count was received today from
Floyd and Knott counties. Floyd gives
Goebel 156 and Knott gives him 459
plurality.
In the last tabulated returns, printed
Wednesday morning, from democratic
sources, Goeber plurality in the state
was figured at one vote. In this table
Floyd (unoficiaD gave Goebel 400 plu-
rality and Knott 439 plurality. The
official returns from these two counties
show a net loss OF 224 from the unof1-
cial count.