The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-07
OBJECTIVE BALLOTS
CAST BY THOUSANDS
The Law Violated by heBurn-
ing of Ballots.
Chairman Frank Campbell Of the New YoIk
State Democratic Executive Committee
Makes a Siatement--Mason Men
,ions Steps 10 be Taken.
tions Steps 10 be Taken.
Especial to News and Observer

New York, Nov. 6.-John A. Mason,
secretary of the Democratic State Com
mittee, said today
There is nothing new to add to our
posftion. We neither concede nor claim
anything. We are receiving the official
returns gradually Until we know
something of the official figures we can
NOT saw a word. There are circumstances
with the election that we are looking
into. and we may not be through with
it when we have the full returns in
"Wbat are the circumstances? MI
Mason was asked.
..IVeu. the matter of defective ballots
and protests, and some others I'm not
ready to mention"
eff the official returns justlhed our
suspicions." said Mr.. Mason, f'we would
go before the county canvassers in coun-
ties up the State when they meet on
Tuesday next, the next step would be 10
appeal to the State Board of CanVassers,
if we considered that justice was not
being done us, and after that we would
have to go to the courts. OF course, I'm
not saying that we will have to do this.
That is only the modus operandi, II we
are justified in making contest.
Chairman Dunn, of the Republican
State Committee, said today that he was
paving no attention to the charges OF
the Democrats He said that there was
no doubt of Odell's victory by plurality
of 12,5OS.
Chairman Frank Campbell of the
Democratic State Committee. Secretary
John A. Mason, and Elliott Danforth
were in conference this evening Mr.
Campbell afterward issued the state
ment of the position of the State Com
mittee upon the results of the election.
after having carefully examined the
returns gathered by John A. Mason
secretary of the Democratic State Com
mittee, as filed in the several county
clerks offices in the different counties
| of the State, it appears on the face of the
returns that Mr.. Odell has a plurality OF
| 9.122. These figures do not include in
some of the counties the vote cast by the
! Greater New York Democracy ticket
which has on it the name of Bird 5
! Coler for Governor. This will materially
reduce this apparent plurality
1--WE claim the election by a safe ma
| iority of John Cunneen, as Attorney Gen
eral and the recollection of John Clinton
| Gray of the Court of Appeals.
| I'VE have reliable information o.
| thousands of defective ballots being cast
and in certain districts where the re-
turns were strongly Republican, the bal
! lots were burned by the inspectors i'm
mediately after they were counted, which
is a direct violation of law, as they
should be kept six months by the proper
officials before they should be destroyed
! These facts and all others will be thor
oughly investigated by representatives o
the party who will appear before th'
! canvassing boards in ell the counties o
the State next Tuesday, to see that al
| honest count is had, and until that tim'
the exact result cannot be stated.
Mr. Campbell would add nothing to tht
above statement. The dismantling OF
the State headquarters followed sool
after the issuance of the statement.