Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-04-27
Watts the Nominee, and Brown Rejected.

Watts the Nominee, and Brown Rejected
The Democratic Executive Commit
tee of Augusta county held a meeting
at the courthouse Thursday to hea
; and consider the contest of the nomi
nation of N. G. Watts as sheriff, {
! notice of which was filed with The
Chairman by L. A. Brown, on the 11tt
inst.
In considering the contest the pro.
ceedings of the meeting we're con
Quoted as far as practicable in accor.
dance with the law governing contest
ed elections. After hearing arguments
by Capt. John N. Opie, representing
contestant, and VIM. Patrick, repre-
senting contestee, the following reso-
luton was unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That the notice of L. A.
Brown. contesting the nomination of
IN. e. Watts as sheriff of Augusta
county, be dismissed on the ground
that it does not sufficiently set forth
the allegations charged. and that N.
C. Watts is hereby declared the nomi-
nee of the Democratic party of Angus
ia county and the city of Staunton for
the Office of Sheriff.
The committee is of the opinion that
while some irregularities may have
occurred at various precincts in the
county and city. it does not appear
who benefited by such Irregularities,
if any, and it is more than probable
that each candidate was equally bene-
flied.
The committee believes that the
judges acted consistently and in good
faith in carrying out the instructions
OF the committee, as embodied in its
plan, and the committee is further of
the opinion that the recent democratic |
primary election was conducted as
fairly as it was possible to conduct a
primary election under any plan not
governed by law.
W. 7. MCCUE, Chairman.
JOHN T. HARMAN, Secretary.
Below are given the notice to Watts
and his appeal to the committee:
STAUNToN, Va, April II, 1899.
To N. G. Watts:
hereby notify you that l contest
your nomination for sheriff in the
Democratic primary election held !
April, 1899, in the county of Augusta
Ind city of Staunton, and that l de
nand a verification of the vote by F
ecOunt of all the ballots cast In said G
lection. Ii
1 contest the vote of Roman, Pond IL
tap, Craigsville, Greenville and Basic 2
ity, and demand that the returns
aerefrom he rejected and thrown out 81
q the ground that the judges OF cleo es
on at these precincts disregarded and
iolated the rules, laws and regula-
ions prescribed and ordered by the W
ounty Committee, by which, and un- al
er which the said election was to be al
onducted, and for the further reason oil
lat these precincts were carried and it
ontrolled by Republicans who were et
llowed to vote contrary to the rules 10
nd regulations prescribed by the I'll
ommittee, and whose votes were in re
gal and fraudulent and therefore &C
old; and which said votes were count fe
illegally, fraudulently and wrong bl
ally for N. G. Watts. it
For these reasons 1 have notified n,
lillian L. McCue, Chairman of the ii
'emocratic County Committee, of my in
to make said contest, and have el
,quested him to call a meeting OF the ss
ounty Committee at an early day, fl
lat the ballots and poll books of the
,veral precincts may be laid before
lem, aud evidence heard as to the
legal, fraudulent and wrongful con-
uct of the election at Roman, Pond
ap, Craigsville, Greenville and Basic A
ity, -,
Respectfully submitted, 10
T. A. BROWN. r.