West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-10-05
CORRECTING ELECTION RETURNS.
A Plain Statement In Regard to the
So-Called "McGraw Contest"
Now VIII The Journal Be Good |

fall and never paid them q cent for
their services. The latter part Of
the statement is probably true, as
he had nothing whatever to do
with it and no more right to pay
for 1T than the man i'm the moon.
But the first of the statement is
not true, as MoGraw had nothing
to do with summoning the election
officials here. That was done en-
tirely by the Republican officials Of
this county, for fear of losing some
votes for Dayton. The returns
were not signed up by over half OF
the election officers, as the law
plainly provides, as this is the only
written evidence on the outside Of
the returns to show that they are
genuine. And even on the inside
some of them were not signed. SO,
when the County Court took up
the canvassing of the returns, the
attorney for Mr.. McGraw objected
to the returns that were not signed,
as he had perfect right to do, for
as he said, how could they tell
whether those returns were genuine
or not when they were not signed
up, as the law plainly and posi-
lively declares mast be done This
ratified the Court and County At
torney and Dayton's lawyer very
badly for awhile, for if those re-
turns were thrown out, Dayton
would be defeated. SO after a
consultation among themselves, IN
which McGraw's attorney had no
say whatever, they decided that the
only thing to do to save the day,
was to summon all those negligent
officials to come before the Court
and identify the returns and sign
them up. This was done by the
Sheriff and his deputies, and Nc
Graw had nothing whatever to do
with it.
These election officers, Demo
Gratis as well rs Republicans, came
into Court and were questioned
about the returns from their poll.
and all identified them and signed
them up. AS matter of fact, a
great deal of red tape and formal
ity was gone through with, taking
up lots of the time of the Court, in
order to leave no loop hole or
chance Of any kind for McGraw to
get a hold and endanger Dayton's
chances. Then after this was all
done aud the returns opened and
the election officers gone home, it
was found that some had not been
signed on the inside, and some of
the election officers, Democrats as
well as Repu blicans, mad to be
summoned back again and make
another trip to get it all done up
according to law. Elk Senator Wor-
ley had charge for Dayton, and
every body knows how slow and
tedious he is.
The result was that they put in
the week perfecting the returns,
and have been laying it all on to
McGraw and The ARGUS ever
since, when we had nothing to do
with 1t, except to ask 70. fair play
and that the returns be properly
made and recorded, which any citI.
zen has a right 20 do. AS a matter
OF fact, it was good lesson all
around, and will make all election
officers in this county much more
careful hereafter to observe the law
and discharge their sworn duty
according to It's provisions. Most
Of them took it good humoredly
and laughed about 1t, admitting
that 1T was on oversight on their
part and a good lesson for them.
To tell the exact truth about It,
the clerk Of the Circuit Court was
partly TO blame for the trouble. By
virtue Of his Office he is President
Of the Board Of Ballot Commis-
sioners, and purchased most OF the
election supplies. Instead Of get
ting the printing all done at home,
where it would have been done
correctly and under his personal
supervision, he sent over in Ohio
to get the big -four sack envelopes
in which the returns are made from
each poll, and they neglected to
print across the place where they
are sealed up the lines for the
names Of the Commissioners with
the words to show where they are