The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-09-20
STILES TO CONTEST
HIGDON Is OFFICIALLY DECLARED
THE NOMINEE.
Ex-Probate Judge Alleges IrreEuiari-
ties I'm Several Boxes-NO Clue
Has Been Found of
Stuler Ballots.

=
Col e. l. Higdon was today declared
the nominee Of the Democratic party
for sheriff of Jefferson County. the
most lucrative political job in the state
of Alabama, paying between s23,o"o
and $50. 1000 per annum. J. T. Glover
L. J. Haley and Jerry, c. King were
declared nominees for the Legislature
ard Joe Hill for road supervisor.
Judge J. p. stiles, who opposed Colo
mel Higdon for the nomination for
sheriff, entered notice of contest, de-
claring Irregularities, etc.
The Jefferson County Democratic
Committee met in the court house at
ii o'clock in the presence of three or
four hundred men. Great interest was
manifested on all sides. When the
committee adjourned yesterday 1t was
for the purpose of allowing a commit
tee composed of four members to get
affidavits of managers and clerks who
were in charge of the primary election
held last Monday at Lewisburg, as 10
the result. the box being stolen from
the returning officer while he was on
his way to the court house to deliver
the same to the chairman of the county
committee. 80.
Figures received under oath as to the
| result at Lewisburg were read out ana
| showed that Colonel Higdon had re-
ceived SO and Judge Stiles rs. The full
vote then was announced, as follows
Colonel Higdon, 4,756; Judge stiles,
4,f53.
| letter was read from Judge stiles,
| in which a contest was announced. the
statement being that there werc ir-
regularities at some of the boxes.
| After the votes had been disposed of,
John R. Copeland offered the follow
irg resolution, which was unanimously
| adopted:
Whereas, 1t Is apparent from the
effidavits and other evidence On file
| with this committee that some mis-
| creant or miscreants have committed
an outrageous theft of the ballot box
and it's contents from Lewisburg beat
with its return sheet on the election
OF the 18th inst: and.
| Whereas, Such conduct Is prsjudi-
cial to society. good government and
common honesty. and IL permitted tt
go unpublished, will tend to sap th'
very foundations of civil government
therefore be it
i Resolved, That the matter be refer
red to the grand jury of this county
now in session, for investigation; aad
be 1t further
Resolved, That each member of Thu
committee pledge himself to lend hi
best efforts to the assistance of salt
grand jury to Punish the offenders"
The following resolution was ais
/ adopted:
resolved, That the names of all wh'
cast votes in the last primary unde
challenge be submitted to the CRANE
Jury and that said grand jury be re
, cuested to investigate such challenge
ard find true bills where the facts will
} justify
When the committee announced tn
nominee for sheriff, Col Higdon, wh
, was in the room was SURROUNDED oy
. large crowd of men and was given
e He walked from the court house I
his headquarters followed by one nun
: bred men cheering. 1t was intenoe
q to have a big rally tonight but 1t wa
Thought advisable to call off the sam
because of the fears that trouble mgr
: follow, the feeling throughout the GU
: being intense A.
= cri Hndge C eanrt sammoned the gran
t jury now in session. before MN IN,
}, morning and gave them further IN
. structions as to their duties, especiai
: ly as to the election laws. He calle
attention to the fact that one or IN
: boxes in the recent primary eIee. u U
: he admonished the inquisitogial bod
to make full investigation.
: He said that the returning once
: was not altogether witnont Iau 'rc an
a could be returned against the man WI
e had stolen the box. He also called a.
tention to the fact that a number
q wagers had been made on the result. {
e the election last Monday and On n
e primary held August q. He told Of tt
o elections how it Tended to influent
d the voting. all of which he said we
e strictly against the law.
$. He called on the jury to make
n full investigation into the stolen ele'
= ton box, the betting on the result
! the election and other violations
e Is believed that number OF witness
1T will be summoned before the grar
n. Jury in these Investigations.