The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1906-01-24

regularities in other boxes not enum-
Grated in the petition of the contest
ants.
w. T. Crews, Chairman.
A. G. Owings,
j. E. Boyd,
County Board of Canvassers.
This disposition of the matter was
3 made by the board Saturday afternoon
after hearing the testimony offered in
the case by the contestants on Friday
at its adjourned meeting, followed by
arguments of counsel on both sides,
and an examination of the election
boxes by the board at it's final meeting
Saturday. The announcement of the
boards decision was made in the pres
ence of counsel representing both sides
to the contest and immediate notice of
appeal was given by Mr.. w. r. Richey,
one of the attorneys for the respond
ents and Mr.. John M. Cannon, counsel
for the petitioners. Thus it will be
seen that the matter has not been set
tied and the indications are that pro-
longed fight is ahead.
THE HEARING.
According to the agreement reached
last Tuesday before adjourning its
meeting the board met in the court
house Friday morning for the purpose
of hearing the testimony to be offered
by the contestants. The proceedings
were opened by MIR. C. C. Featherstone,
representing DIR. A. G. Fuller and Mr..
A. H. Martin as respondents, who read
and filed an answer to the petition of
contestants, denying each and every al
legation set out in said petition, with
the announcement that his side would
reserve the right to object to the board
declaring the result of the election.
Mr.. Cannon, for the petitioners, gave
notice Of the same right and filed an
amended petition, adding the following
paragraph:
That the ballots printed and fur
nished at the various precincts in the
County of Laurens by the Prohibition
lists or Anti-Dispensary Advocates for
said election were illegal, in that there
was only printed upon the ballot "No
Dispensary," whereas such ticket is
not proper, but should have been printed
pensary" on it, and that the use of
said ballots violates the general cleo
tion laws, and also violates the funda-
mental principles of ballot, which is
the secrecy thereof.
Mr.. w. Dess Franks was the first
witness examined. He was one of the
managers at the Laurens box. He testi-
fled that the managers did not require
white voters to produce registration GER
tificates and tax receipts. Said quite a
number residing in other townships
Hunter, Mr.. Eugene Wasson of 'Suli-
van, Mr.. Ben Simpson of Dials, Mr.. S.
e. Williams of Waterloo and Mr.. Rush
Wilson of Dials as among the number
who voted at this box. Understood
these and others were here at court and
it had been agreed to allow them to
vote.
Mr.. j. l.. Chapman, member county
board supervisors of registration, testi-
fled to the identity of the books of
registration which were put in evil
dence.
Mr.. w. p. Shealy, another manager
at the Laurens box, said he admins
tered the oaths to the electors but did
not require registration tickets of all,
lin fact only few. Did not know the
men personally who voted at this box
from outside the township.
Mr.. j. f. Owings, third member of
the board of managers at the Laurens
box, also stated that no registration
tickets were required of voters. Said
there were two tickets used, one con-
tanning "For Dispensary" and "No
Dispensary", the other simply "No
Dispensary". He testified to the vot-
ing Of persons residing in other town
ships, naming Mr.. Thos. w. Cannady
of Youngs in addition to those already
mentioned by Mr.. Franks. Said per-
mission to do this was given by Mr.. w.
T: Crews, member of the county board
of election commissioners. At this
point Mr.. Crews made statement to
the effect that a juror attending court
came to him, stating that he desired
to vote. Mr.. Crews told him that he
would speak to the managers about it,
which he did.
Mr.. Henry M. Wright, one of the
petitioners to the contest, said that he
voted at the Laurens box, although he
had no registration ticket.
Mr.. j. II. Hickman, manager of the
Clinton Cotton Mill box, testified that
all voters were required to show regis
tration certificates. No "single tick
cts" were used at this box, he said.
Mr.. r. p. Adair, manager of the
Clinton box, said that no registration
tickets were required but none were al
lowed to vote whose names were not OH
the registration book. No one outside
the township voted.
Capt. G.. w. Moore, another mana
ger of the Clinton box, stated that only
those who were registered were per
mitted to vote. Two tickets were used.
Did not require voters to show regis
tration tickets and tax receipts.
This closed the case of the side for
the petitioners and after brief con-
sultation counsel for the other side an
YlOunced that thew would NOT offer anu