The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-09-10
FRAUD WAS EVIDENT.

fhaUy Ta0 EslyEsai.
Gross irregularities Discovered
in Charleston.
Charges made by Mr. George F.
Won Kolnitz, Jr., that Irregularities
had occurred in the primary election
of Tuesday last, which deprived him
of all the votes to. (which he was, en-
titled, were proven beyond doubt at
the meeting Of the county Democratic
executive committee yesterday after
noon. Sensational in the extreme was
the evidence brought out in the report
of the special committee appointed
Monday night to make a recount of
all the ballots cast in the election for
the State Senate. While passing over
the trouble in Club l, Ward /, the
committee on tabulation jumped on to
Club 2, Ward 5, and in a speech which
came later Mr.. Wilson G.. Harvey
made the fur fly. It was shown by
the revised tabulation that the man
ayers of this club in their sworn re-
turn had given Grace 49 votes which
had not been cast for him and Won
Kolnitz was not given credit for A of
his votes found in the bog. In Club
| 2, Ward IL, the committee reported
that Grace had been given credit for
81 votes he did not receive, while Won
Kolnitz was not given l6 votes due
him. By the revised list Won Kolnitz
lacked only twenty-nine votes Of being
elected State Senator on the first prl-
mary.
After the report of the special COM
mittee had been read by tMr. Harvey
there came a food of motions. Mr..
Frank S. Terry wanted the vote from
Club l, Ward 1, thrown out. This was
tabled. When a similar motion was
made regarding the box in Ward 5
motions were made to table it, seeking
to choke off debate on the really i'm
portant issue before the body. At this
stage of the proceedings Nh. Harvey
made speech, in which he spoke of
the outrageous and rotten work In the
Ward club. It had its effect and the
opposition which developed to the dis
carding of the box was quiet, while
the members of the committee were al
lowed to discuss the questions involy-
ed.
There was great deal Of wrang-
ling. When the yea and nay vote
was called it was decided to declare
the result of the primary, so far as the
Senatorial race was concerned, on the
revised tabulation as made by the spe-
cial committee. The vote stood "a to
II. Mr.. Terry, who was one Of the
members to vote 'no," said that he
did not see how the executive commit
tee could count the box when 1T ad-
mitted that fraud had been practiced.
By the result of the committees ac-
tion a second primary will be neces-
sary between Mr.. Won Kolnitz and
Mr.. Grace. While not charging dl-
rectly that fraud had been committed,
Mr.. Won Kolnitz claimed that he had
sufficient evidence to show that gross
Irregularities had deprived him Of his
rights. The committee ordered Sec
ond count and the charge was proven.
Speaking generally, members OF the
committee said subsequently that they
wanted to do justice to all, but that
it was question in their mind about
admitting boxes where fraud had been
established.
It came out indirectly from member
of the committee, speaking at the
meeting, that the managers from Club
|2, Ward 5, were drunk and unfit to
tabulate the vote correctly. In view
of this the claim was put up that the
errors had been made without any
attempt to defraud Mr.. Won Kolnitz.
Just before adjournment motion
was made by Mr.. Walter Nelson to
have new managers appointed for
Club l, Ward 1; Club 9, Ward 5, and
Club 2, Ward II. Club 2, Ward 8,
which had been incldued in the Won
Kolnitz protest, was not named IN
the motion for new managers, it hay-
ing been proven that the recount Of
that club showed nothing wrong.
In tabulated list of the recount of
the Senatorial tickets the committee
reported that 1865 names had been
found on the voting poll lists, while
4,575 ballots were found in the boxes.
Fifty-two dead ballots were
counted. The official tabulation, as
given out by the executive committee
at It's meeting last week, was as fol-
lows:
Won Kolnitz 2,I4s, McMaster SO
Grace LIP.
According to the revised count, how
ever, the vote stands:
Won Kolnitz 2,233, McMaster GAG,
Grace /, 1,644.-News and Courier, Sept.
g.
Superintendent McMafan De-