The Pensacola journal., 1908-08-20
Chairman D'Alemberte Pre-
pares a Statement of the
Kehoe-Mays Controversy
as It Was Conducted Be
fore the Congressional
Committee.

The following is a detailed account
Of the Kehoe-Mays contest as con.
Quoted before the congressional com
mittee, prepared by A. H D'Alem-
berte, chairman of the democratic
congressional committee of the Third
district:
me Congressional Executive Com
n'iitee met first in Tallahassee on
June 25th, 1893 pursuant to call for
the purpose of canvassiLg the vote
cast in the primary of June 18th. Pc
foTc the complexion of the rell call
Hon. w. n Ellis, attorney for MI
Msys protested against Hon s. w
Clark acting as committeeman upon
thI ground that Dit. Clark had been
candidate for delegate TO the Ma
ticral Convention aud that the mo-
n.eDt he became candidate that his
seat as commkteen1an became vacant
uEdeF the law; In support Of this con-
tcni1on Mr.. Elks cited Section 2T2 of
: the Revised Statutes of Florida,
which read as follows: No county;
state or congressional committeeman
whc Is a candidate before any pri-
rpary election shall act or serve as
such committeeman, and any vacancy
cf;reed BY such disqualification, may
he filled by the county, state or con-
, 81 essional committee, as the case
may be-" Mr.. Ellis objection seemed
! to be well taken, and Il then aevei-
oped that every committeeman pres
cnt, with the exception of Senator
John W. Henderson of Leon County
ard Hon ]. P Lovett of Franklin
county were disqualified for the same
rsascn. each of them having been
candidate for something; this Ieft
cnIy two members of the Committee
authorized to act, six less then a
/ quorum: when this state of facts de-
veloped the committee did The sonly
thing that they could do. adjourned
until future date CJuIy 15th) in or
der that each county might be repre-
sented
Declared for clark.
On July Is. 1898, the committee, met
again in Tallahassee. every COUNT
being represented. and thoss present
ing credentials were seated wfeAout
objection. until Calhoun Ceuntv was
reached; when Calhoun county was
called three persons viz: Hon. G. D
Clark, Hon. J. w. Leath and Hon.
r. Fields, each presented credentialS
ard claimed to be the congresSio-
al committeeman from That COUNTY
7 Tic committee, after examination IT.
J t. their credentials, and AFTER hea-
.fng sworn statement ,. from NJ
I.esth declared that Hon c. D. Cl2TE
vas the legal committeeman frer-
that county
After these nreliminaTies, the coz
nittee being duly organized, proceof
e5 to elect a chairman and secretaT
auI entered upon their duties OF ca
vr>sing the vote. A protest had bee
fled by Mr.. Kehoe against the vc;
o, certain counties; 1t was contend
by some members of the commit
tJiat the Congressional Committee h.
no authority to entertain or consids-
Mr. Kehoe's protest or contest. ara
that the committee had no autherit,
tc investigate the charges of fraut
erF irregularity of voting in the coun
ties and precincts in question, and Mt
Bailey of Jefferson County moved
that NE Kehoe's protest be net con
sidered, then the committee listened
70 arguments and the citation of an
thcTities by the attorneys for Mr. Ke
hce and MI Mays. for sometime:
h5hos's attorneys contending that il
vas the duty of the committee TO con
si6eT the protest and to throw out
tie vote of the precinct in case il
ltea' OF fraudulent voting was shown.
while the attorneys for Mr. MAYS
cnItended that the committee could
do nothing except canvass the vote
as il appeared on its face and could
net inquire into fraud or irreguIarity:
uron this point. after exhaustive ar
Iment and citation of authorities
the committee by a vote of To
Seeiared that IL was their duty to cor
cider the protest, hear the eviderca.
arc take such action thereon as The
Jaw and the facts warranted.
kehoe's Contention.
NT. Kehoe, thro-sgn his attorneys
insisted that in Madison county. IL
Illegal votes had been received and
ia support of that proposition, thev
submitted for the consideration of tns
CCs gressional Committee. the certi-
II q .returns of Madison county: these
returns over the signature of the
Chairman ard Secretary certified that
.ir 4 certain precincts in said COUNT,
l2 persons whose names did not sp-
TeaI upon the registration books and
Nfo did not in any manner appear to
en qualified electors. were sworn
T." at the polls and permitted TO vote.
Mr.. Kehoe, nv his attorneys. con-
t'7Ged that in 5 precincts in Lem