The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-01-03
PROHIBI?IONISTS PROTEST.
Representatives Of Ciizens' Club
of Union Allege Many Irregular
tiles count Of Vote Defer
red.

Union, Dec. 31.-On account Of al
legged numerous irregularities at the
majority Of precincts in this county
in the election held last week as to
whether prohibition should continue
or county dispensary should be es-
tablisned, the prohibit;onists today
filed a protest against the declaring
Of the election by the board. of can
vassers. which had met forSthe pelr-
pose of tabuiating the official vote.
According to the returns as gatner-
ed by local newspapers, the dispea-
sary had a mapority of II votes out
of 1,217 cast. It is currently report
ed that in a large number: Of pre-
cincts registration certificates and
lax receipts were not required to be
produced as the statute lays down,
that voters cast their ballots in other
precincts than that named on their
REGISTRATION certificate that one or
more of the precincts did not open
promptly at the hour specified ana
therefore several voters were deprlv-
ed Of the privilege Of voting.
The protest. which was made IN the
na1ne Of % or more members OF the
Citizens club, was filed by Attor-
1eys J. A. Sawyer and Jno. K. Ham
bin for the prohibitionists after: the
board Of eanvassers had organized,
but before they had begun the OH.
cial tabulation of the vote. After,
presenting their arguments Messrs.
B F. Townsend and J. Gordon Hugh
es, representing interested parties
whose names have not yet been made
public, contended that the vote should
be counted and the election declared
However, the board Of canvassers al
ter. hearing both sides agreed to dater
the count until next Monday at lO
a. m.. when the board will meet and
receive statements from botn sides
as to any irregularities that might
have prevailed.
Il IS understood that there IS a
strong probability that IN the e7ent
the pronibitionists succeed IN throw
;no ont the vote at the precincts
which are named in their protest and
which went strongly for the dlspen-
sary, the advocates Of the establish
ment Of the dispensary here will con-
test the legality Of the vote as cast
at Jonesville AID Gross Keys Dotn
Of which went by a large majority
for prohibition. In such event. IL IL
is narrowed down strictly, 1t seems
that Union precinct is really the only
one where the law was fully compIleo
with. and under the vote as nrSE
counted this would give prohibition
a majority Of eight votes' but tne
likelihood is that the whole electlon
will be declared void, and il this IS
done. a number Of persons who nave
looked into the law are Of the opln-
ion that as the special provision to2 ..
holding an election specified that 1t
saould be held in 1907, and as anoth-
o. election can not be ordered AMI
held in 1907. this precluaes al elec-
ton being held prior to August. l9o9'
which would be the end OF 1our
wears from the date when pronlo1-
fion was voted in and which was
ORIGINALLY provided for in the Brlce
act. the law under which the elec-
tioa was first held.
The protest filed is as follows;
t:The State Of South Carolina
County of Union.
s:To Messrs. John ". Gregory, Lew
". Smith and J. Ben Tlnsley, COM
missioners of election for state OF
feers. etc., and by virtue thereof
constituting the board Of county
canvassers for Union county, IN
said state.
"On behalf Of S. NJ. Rice, Jr., q.
T.. George H. Oetzel, H..B. O'Shields,
". F. Walker, George S. Kirby, l.. l..
Wagnon, and 27 other residents citi-
zens and taxpayers Of Union, in the
county and state aforesaid, most OF
whom are real estate owners and are
the heads of families of small chill
iren residing in said town, county
and state, the undersigned hereby en-
ter protest for the purpose Of con-
testing the legality Of the election
held in the county and state afore-
said. on the 27th day Of December
1907, upon the question whether IL
ouors and beverages may be SOLD II
said county or not. The grounds OF