Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1900-11-30
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 80 1900.
That Bdifot-Who Stole 1t?

Republican appeared what the editor
says, "is represented to be fac
smile of one of the ballots used on
the 9th, inst, In one of the counties
in the Ninth Congressional District,
aud then asks, "will any honest
Democrat be proud Of a victory won
by such disreputable means?' If the
ballot in question is really a fac
smile, (Which is not proven. and so
far as VIC know may Oh NAV not be a
'fac smile, y we havn't ole word to
say in its Justification. The form of
the ticket is bad, and must have been
a Chinese puzzle TO both Democrats
and Republican voters-one as much
as the other.We have nothing to say
in approval of the form of the ballot.
The question is, how did the Repub-
lican come in possession Of this bal
LOTT
The law provides, that from the
time the form of the ballot is sent
out-in the hands of the printer
Electoral Board, Judges of Election,
voters and all, both before and after
the election, the strictest secrecy
shall be observed, and that no ballot
whatsoever, shall be carried away
from the voting place, under heavy
penalty. The law says:
PENALTY FOR VIOLATION.
'It shall be unlawful for any elector
to carry the official ballot furnished
him by the Judge of election further
than the voting booth or make any
copy thereof, an should he, after in
specting said ballot, conclude not to
vote, he must Immediately return
said ballot to the judges of election.
Any person violating the
provisions of this section shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and
upon conviction thereof shalt be fin
ed not less than FIVE hundred nor
more than one thousand dollars and |
confined in Jail six months. To car
~ any official ballot or copy thereof
beyond the voting booth CT away
from said booth, except to the Judges
of election, or to vote any ballot ex-
cept such as shall be received bv the
elector from the Judge of election,
shall be a misdemeanor punishable
by fine of one hundred dollars; and
1t shall be the duty of the judges of
election to cause, by verbal order |
or warrant, the instant arrest of any |
person making such attempt, and he
shall be required to vote or surren-
der said ballot, and he may be con-
fined in Jail by the order of said
judge OF election until he obeys said
requirments, not exceeding ten days
So, it is clear that some boly got
possession of said ballot, and, who ever
he is, should be prosecuted. Accord
ing to the law in Virginia, every
body handling election tickets, from
start to finish, is not only not allow
ed to have bat one ticket, and that
the one he votes, but he is forbidden
to reveal the contents of the ticket
to any one. The Judges OF Election
are sworn to destroy all defaced or
unused ballots, so the man wLo csr-
ried the infamous" ballot from the |
polls must have stole it or some one
stole it for him. There was no pos
sible way for him to have OBJ. aimed |
it lawfully. To steal ballot before |
it is cast is rs reprehensible, before |
the law, as TO steal it Afterwards, and |
it is no more ''infamous" to get up |
such form Of ballot than To steal it |
or carry it away from the voting
place contrary to the positive and |
distinct statements of the law. I'll
the Grand Jury of the county from
which this ticket was tsken dosn't |
have somebody before the Grand |
Jury then-well good opportunity
to prosecute. fine and imprison a
guilty man, will be Lost, that is, if we
read and understand the law correct.
ly. We judge from the tone of the
Tazewell Republicans utterance
that the ballot was the wo,k of the
Democrats, by the use of which they
stole the election of Judge Rhea.
Now, let some body find out whether
this ballot was purloined by Demo.
Gratis or not. If Republican stole
the ballot then it would seem to be
true that some body else can steal
besides the Democrats and it is a
case of the kettle calling the pot
black.
SO far as we are able to learn pub
lie sentiment in this section is divided