Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-10-25
RHEA'S CHARGES.
What He Said About TazeweII County.

What He Said About Tazewell County.
In the contested election case of Walker
VS.. Rhea, the latter served upon General
Walker charges and specifications as to
how the election was conducted in Taze-
well county. On March 3Oth, 1899, we
published a part of those charges, and for
the information of the voters of Tazewell
county we reproduce them. They are as
follows;
81 charge that at every precinct i'll said
county q number of ballots, from l to 20,
were rejected which should have been
counted for me, and which l shall insist
be counted for me.
81 charge that your partisan friends in
this county secured and were furnished
more than 81, 900 in this one county with
which TO corrupt the election and to brlbe
voters for you, and that money and
whiskey were freely and lavishly used at
every precinct in the county.
81 charge that the poll books and bal
lots from at least one-half the precincts in
said county were not certified, sealed, and
returned to the clerks Office as the Law
requires, and that the ballots since the
election have been left in this condition in
the charge of the clerk, who is partisan
of yours.
81 further charge that large majority
Of the postmasters in this county were ap-
pointed upon your recommendation, were
bitter partisans of yours, and that just be-
fore the election they held meeting at
Tazewel Court House, at which meeting
the pos, masters of said county were as
sessed and required TO contribute to your
corruption fund.
"BLUEsToNE PRECINCT: l charge that
the Republican judge conducted himself
in the most partisan and outrageous man.
nsr: that he intimidated Democratic
judges, and he conspired with other par
tisans of yours to intimidate voters.
NoRTH TAzEwELL PRECINCT: The Re-
publican Judge was the marker of ballots
during most Of the day, and l charge that
while thus acting he openly left the booth
on numerous occasions and consulted with
vonr paylsans on the outside, electiOneer-
ing with voters to vote for you and intimi'
dating employees of his and persons In
debted to him to vote for you.
Z 4 charge that the fraud, intiml'
dation and bribery practiced by your sup
porters at this precinct was such that
large number of voters who desired tC
vote for me did not do so, and that you
received sixty or more illegal votes at thi'
precinct.
TAzEwELL PRECINCT: The frauds, cor
ruption and intimidation and violence
upon the part of yous supporters and par
tisans at this precinct we're so bold, glarlni
and outrageous that the House of Repre-
sentatives will be asked to reject and throw
out the entire poll charge that you
supporters and partisans at this preclnc
openly boosted after the election that the,
spent 81 900 in cash, and | charge tina
this money and merchandise were corrupt
" used by your partisans in bribing voter
"a yote for Won. X further charg
that about noon on election day your pal
tisans provoked and brought about dis
graceful row within the 40.foot limit pre-
scribed by law, and that they attacked al
officer of the law whose duty it was to PIE
serve the peace, and struck said Office
with an open knife, and that your part
sans openly declared that the Democrat
should not be allowed to vote, and by TIN
outrageous and dsgraceful conduct man
voters who intended to vote for me wer
, frightened, intimidated and kept from Vo
5 ing. charge that by reason of all th
fraud, corruption, intimidation and viz
lence and other illegal conduct you n
ceiyed at this precinct not less than II
votes which shall insist shall be deducte
from the vote returned for you, in tt
event the vote of said precinct is not el
tirely thrown out.
81 charge that at Poor Valley Prcinc
!. Midway Precinct, Richlauds Preclnc
4 Cedar Bluff Precinct, Tip Top Precinc
!. Graham Precinct, Burk's Garden Precinc
n and in fact at every precinct in the coun
s the same frauds, corruption, intimidatlC
q and violence as was carried on and pra
70 ticed by your partisans at Tazewell al
/. North Tazewell was carried on and pra
tlced at each and all of said precincts,
7 all Of which means you received at each
N said precincts, from 10 to so votes whi'
~ were Illegal, and which | shall insist shI
h be taken from the vote returned for "
n in lhe event said precincts are not entire
# rejected and thrown out"
Mr. Rhea also charges that Genel
q Walkers friends bribed one of the juda
Z Of election at one of the precincts in I
f. county, without naming the precinct. l
D. people Of Tazewell county can judge OF
as truthfulness of the above charges.