The age-herald., 1901-11-14
impossible to Obtain Exact Figures Before CaDVaSSing
 Board Meets
GEN. SHELLEY CLAIMS FRAUD
In a Resume of the Situation He Says a Court Judge Boasts of HaV- ing Voted Five Times
 In Jefferson.

|. >s,-
 Later and more complete returns re- ceived from various counties throughout the State place the majority for ratifica- ton of the new constitution at about 27,- 900.
 There have been some slight changes l from the first reports, but the result has not been materially altered. It will be impossible to obtain exact figures until the canvassing board meets in Montgom- cry next Wednesday and announces the vote.
 The county scanvassing, boards com l posed of the sheriffs, probate judges and circuit clerks, will meet Friday at noon and canvass the returns, and when the result is officially ascertained certificates will be forwarded to the secretary of state. When the State canvassing board has finished the count the result will be returned to the Governor by the Sec retary of State and the Attorney General, The canvassing board is composed of the Governor, Commissioner of Agriculture and the State Auditor. Issue a Proclamation. 1 Within ten days from the time he re- ceives the announcement of the result of the election the Governor will issue a l proclamation declaring the constitution in effect. Before the expiration of sixty days after the new constitution goes into effect the registrars will be appointed and the new law will be in practical opera | tion.
 These registrars will visit every beat in every county in the State and will pass upon the qualifications of voters. The | Democratic party has pledged itself to see that no white man will be disfran- chised who has not been convicted of crime, and 1t is believed this promise will be sacredly kept.
 Hon. O. w. Underwood, chairman of the Democratic committee, is pleased with the result of the election, and says he believes the official count will show a majority of H,500, his first figures.
 The committee having finished its labors has deserted the headquarters in the Metropolitan Hotel Annex, and the furn- iture has been moved out
 Shelley Claims State.
 General Charles M Shelley still claims the state against ratification, and last night gave out the following signed state ment:
 My returns show that we have carried the following counties with the approxi- mate majorities shown:
 "Autauga, 800; Blount, 900; Butler 1500 Cherokee, 5O0 Chiffon, 150O; Choctaw, TOO I,N 1h. cuh, 300; Covington, 750; Crenshaw, 400 Cullman, 12OO; Dale, 300; DeKalb. 15OO; Et owah, 900; Fayette, 300; Franklin, GOO; Ge neva, 75O; Jackson, 220O; Henry, 50O La mar, 300; Lee, 1900; Lauderdale, 1000 Lowndes, 1000 Marion, 800; Marshall, 1900 Mobile 100; Morgan, 15OO; Shelby, 15OO St. Clair, 150O Tallapoosa, 120O; Tusca loosa, 100; Winston, 500 Walker, 300 Washington, 400; making 37 of 66 counte: and an aggregate majority of 29, 40O
 Tn addition, I think the returns vii show that we have probably carried tn, following counties:
 Bullock, Cleburne, Escambia; and 1T doubt Monroe, PickenS and Pike-40 ou of 66.
 Forty Out of sixty-slx.
 'It is pretty safe to say we have car ried 40 out of 66 counties by over 5000 majority and every one of these excep |
 "The other side claim the following counties in the black belt with majori ties named:
 , Barbour, 20O0; Chambers 20OO; Dallas 5000; Elmore, 1000; Greene 1000; Hale 2O0O; Macon, 1000; Marengo, 1900; Mont gomery, 5000; Perry, 2000; Randolph, 1000 Russell. 1000; Sumter. 2OoO; Talladega . 1000; Wilcox, 3000-making 2S.200 , ''They claim in addition: Bibb 300, Cla houn 12OO, Clarke 1000, Jefferson 2000, Madi son 20O0, Colbert 800, Lawrence 1000, Lime stone 1500.
 50 that if we concede them all the. claim they would have aggregate ma jorities of about $500, against an aggre , gate of 29 400.
 But I do not concede these claims, am feel sure that the official count will in crease our majorities and reduce theirs Carried Every Honest Election. We have carried enough counties t give us control of the next State conven tion and the Legislature.
 ''We have carried every Congressiona district in the State but two. "We have carried every county in tn State in which an honest election and fair count was had except possibly two.
 'The most fragrant frauds were perpe trated in this county. They say that tn negroes voted here freely. It is not true 5 We endeavored to prevent every man W 5 could from voting, as we knew it woul l increase the majority against us. The refused to give a single inspector or cler in the boxes here.
 Jefferson county really gave abou 5000 majority against and counted 2OOO fol s Every white county in the State eS , cept possibly as many as two vote n against ratification
 "All the State officials. both Senator . all the Congressmen, nearly all the law
 yers and all the newspapers in the Stat
 but six advocated ratification and y,
 the white people turned it down by ov, 20O0 majority.
 "It would be a shame to have this COT stitution imposed upon the white peep by 20, 900 negro majority in the black bel
 That 29.0O0 white majority should !, overwhelmed by the votes of negro, !, voting to disfranchise themselves Is . disgrace to civilization.
 "The moral sentiment behind those a,
 vocating ratification is shown by the ia,
 that a judge of one of our superit
 courts here boasted that he had vote ? five times.
 "The fact Is that upon a fair cour !. the white majority against ratification 7 about 5000. 70. M. SHELLEY :" PERRY.