The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1903-08-14
Attorney Lovett Gives Some
Facts in Recent Investigation
Declares That All Ballot Boxes in
Marshall We're Opened-Makes
Proposition.
STATE COMMITTEE MAY SETTLE

DeInOCIttlC HOulutt tut common
wealths attorney in this district, who
is having little controversy with At.
torney l.. X. Taylor, his defeated op.
| ponent, has forwarded to Attorney
Taylor the following letter, express.
ing a willingness to have the contro.
versy settled by the state central com.
mjttee if satisfactory.
Attorney Lovett claims that his OPP
ponent has had the press misstste the
case, and led many people to think
that only one ballot box in Marshall
was opened, and there may be bogus
ballots in all Of them. while in fact
they were all opened and no ballots
that We're even questioned were found
in any box except in Heights precinct,
and he declares he does not know how
they got there. He claims that IL
every ballot questioned by his oppo.
nents, after an inspection of them all,
were given to Alto rney Taylor. he
would still not have enough to win.
Owing to the talk of Attorney Tay.
lor's running on the independent tick
ct for the position, however, Mr.. Low
EFT says he is willing to waive legal
objections and allow the state central
committee to hear and settle the case
If MIR. Taylor will abide by the decis-
ion.
His letter is as follows:
Paducah, Ky, Aug. 10, 1908.
Hon. l.. K. Taylor, Paducah, Ky.
Dear Sir
From certain publications in the
Register the inference is left that only
one of the ballot boxes in Marshall
county was examined. This you know
is untrue. You will remember that
when we met on Tuesday, August 4,
to try the contest and examine the bal
lots in Marshall county, that every
ballot box was opened, in the presence
of the committee, yourself, my attor-
neys, and many others, and that the
ballots in each of the boxes were per-
sonslly inspected by you, and counted
in your presence. in which counting
you assisted. You also know that the
ballots, in all of the boxes except at
Heights, was passed on by the com
mittee as genuine, and that you did
not question the genuineness Of any
Of the ballots at the time except those
in Heights precinct. You also know
that the ballots for the state and rail
road commissioner primary were in
the same boxes with the judicial bal
lots, and it was agreed by you aud the
committee and my attorneys, at the
time, that the law required the cleo
tion officers TO hold the keys to the
ballot boxes for six months, awaiting
a possible contest. AS there was no
contest as to the state or railroad COM
missioner's ticket those ballots had TO
be preserved. under the law, and that
the election officers, for that reason,
should receive the keys from the COM
mittee and retain them after the judi
cial ballots weres examined and count
ed. You questioned the genuineness
of the ballots on the 4th at Heights
precinct only, and asked that the keys
to that particular box be retained, so
that the Heights ballots could be in
spected by Mr.. LeaKe. This was done,
and Mr.. Leake went to Benton on the
following Thursday and examined the
Heights ballots. and the ballots in the
other boxes were not examined by Mr.
Leake for the sole reason that you did
not request the committee, or either
Of them, to retain the keys to any 9th
er ballot box. and the keys had been
given back to the election officers BY
the cOmmittoo, unuct tho uuoNo VIZ
derstanding; and none of the election
officers were requested to be present
on Thursday, when Mr.. Leske went
ont.
Your attorneys drew mp a stipula-
ton In this contest, which l agreed
to, providing that all your evidence
should be by deposition, and oomplet-
cd and fled with the committee by
July 90, and all Of mine by deposit
ton, and fled with the committee by
August 8; but am willing to waive
all Of this, and an willing that Mr..
Leake inspect every ballot in Marshall
county again, all of which you have
yourself examined personally, provid-
ed you extend to me the same courte-
sy in opening all the ballot boxes in
l II.