Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-12

side to be present, upon which Mr..
Irlnkle then suggested that Mr; IT.. lamp mp
Mr., Blair the Republican, but Mr.. Blair
suggested that SINCE he was the chair
man ma Of the Republican party ana ndrs s #;
party. it would probably be better tor
them to remain in the meeting. ana TINS
both parties were present at all;
Then the meeting was properly opened
and the commissioners sworn to nls s..
in canvassing the po!l-books and ballots;
Prior to this, however. Mr.. Blair said
to NJ Trjnkle What do y{r you thn n
ties?' and Mr.. Trinkle replied, Il guess
it would throw the precincts out and
NJ Blair said in reply Il think s r. too 90
the poll, books from Austinsyille lying on
Just having returned them to the Clerk IS $
Clerk had not placed them under LOCK
and key as he had done with the other
poll-books and ballots. Mr.. Blair point
lying on the table, and said to Mr. Camp,
bell: We'll, Austinsvile PRECINCT viii
have to be thrown out. because the. poll ,s
first announcement Of any discovery OF
=, Those TNsEALED RETURNS.
titled to remain to retire. So soon as
ths was done, the bal1ot-h 2,ar in Which ,1,,a
absent from town. had kept. locked ali
the returns, save the Austinsville re-
turns, which had just come in. as before IS r.
who was standing close by said: Put
the ballots and poll-books which are
sealed on one side, and d.. those that arr
nG ierk on did, dne Win 3the' Mr. Blair me watching
closely as to which BALLOTS and poll
books were unsealed. When the IN
rated. Mr.. Blair then told the IDENTITY
Clerk TO read over the names OF the pre-
cincts whose returns were not sealed,
which reading. it was evident that II
those books which We're not sealed :.were
thrown out, the counting would give
that Mr.. Blair said that he did not think
that because these books were unsealed
they should be thrown out; and l. asked i, :[l
though it would give a Democratic ma
iority. since he had just read the law
he did not think it would be right and
legal 20 throw such precincts ont just
because they. were unsealed since. they
b b ens fus eorrs a" -. The commission
ers, al agreed that they would a. alley 10y
lots and poll-boohs had not been sealed.
THE PATTIsoN PoLL-BooKs,
cordance with Mr.. Blair.,s wishes. it vas
then learned upon further investigation
from the Deputy Clerk that the ballots
been returned a day. too late. although
by the judge OF the election, and that the
Pattison poll-books and H., ballots is p, hn a.
and through the mail, and l, We're, were not &c,
brought by judge. OF the election, al
Of which was irregular and directly con
commissioners decided that a decision be
reached as to what they should do with
he votes from these precincts. and after
slar and Trinkle. they told them to re
ire and they would consider the mat
er in private session. And it was IN
7ioners discussed the matter in deta'!
md came to the conclusion that since
he ballots were required to be prlnted
y hpe ln nrese mno ' of az sworn Electoral
board, Who are allowed to turn, them
,ver only, to sworn Judge ana VINO hI,t
hat these ballots connot be, opened ex-
:ept in the presence OF three sworn
Judges of election on election day; the
81 or DESTROYED. whilst chose that are
lsed on the election day are to be sealed.
10th the poll-boolss and ballots: IN me
Jerk, and that if not SO returned, the
clerk must dispatch a sworn, speclal
Messenger twho is liable to all ct the
o secure the said poll-books and bal
cts. and return the same at once ia the
Jerks office. And then. afteF the re, re.
IAN only be opened and examined IN the
presence Of 1T least three, Of the five
worn commissioners of election. thus
,learly intended The ballots never TO be
7ut III the hands of the sworn officers
he gross violation of the law as they
Interpreted it to be. in their Judgment it
vas beyond their province to DO other
I'D as they understood it, for they. be-
'iaved the failures were Of such char,
acter that they could not be corrected
n amended even We're the judges of
he said two precincts present. and they
therefore, announced to Messrs. Trinl,le
and Blair. VINO WE'RE here recalled to the
urns from Austinsville and Pattison
Precincts as legal returns, neither IL
heir judgment could they be made lssal
~ Section 1874 of the Code and that all
hey could do, as they believed their
ats required. was not to count the re-
hey would give a full and corset, ex-
,lailation of why the returns from these
'wo precincts We're not counted End at.
we're wrong in their action. the facts
-ould be easily gotten at SO that the
roper tribunal could correct the. error.
r one was made. and the votes given to
,honlsoaver was entitled to have them
,nder the law
Tn conformity with the above facts. the
commissioners then canvassed the returns
md ascerta ined that the Austinsville Pre-
cinct. as shown by the poll book before
hem. irdicated q majority OF IS votes
COR w. f. Rhea, and that Pattisnn pol!
hooks Indicated q majority OF 100 for
Campbell Slemp, And after careful and
full canvass OF the rest of the poll hooks
mot counting tho Austinsvlle and Patti
sen Precincts) that W. r. Rhea had re-
ceived majority in the county Of NVythe
Of ss votes and so they reperted Along
rect report OF the conditions Of the re-
turns st The $Austinsvilla and Pattisen pre-
einets. and attached the same to their
nther report and directed the Deputy
Clerk to return the two papers to the
Secretary of the Commonwealth: so all