Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1909-10-14
CROOkEDNESS
IN ELECTION
10 II Charged That Dry Republic
cans Voted ~Net- In Recent
Roanoke Election

ROANOKE. VA. ~ Special - That
there was some shrewd election
schemlng contaminated in the recent
local option election there Is not the
slightest doubt That there was a
trade between the machine element of
the Republican party and the leaders
OF the wet forces is openly charged.
and not denied by Republican leaders
OF the advocates OF the saloon.
/ In the local option election held last
\ December IL happened that the regu-
lar judges of election, appointed some
months before. and who conducted the
election. were mostly ury in scnu-
ment- They were not regarded az
politicians. IL was generally agreed
/ by both sides that that election was
an honest one in every particular
The election was contested and sag
aside on technicality. pure and
simple.
There were at least 500 men who
could not vote on account OF not 9e-
ing registered, or having their taxes
paid. The tax list was in such "a con-
ditiOn that Judge Staples held that
the city had no legal tax list. and FOR
that reason declared the election Go
be null and void. Both sides began
activities IN the paying OF taxes and
the registration OF voters.
When the new tax list was prepared
hy the City Treasurer. the workers
Iof the Anti-Saloou League We're cali
ed together. and a careful check OF the
new list made and all new voters were
Icanvassed. IL was decided that 81
IAN election should DE held and ~ an
honest count could hc secured. the
lrAs would have about 300 majority.
For This reason the second election was
called.
Iu the December election the Re-
|nuhliCauS. With the exception 90 the
negro vote. lined up almost solidlN
with the AnU-Saloon forces.
The machine element of thr Ecpuh-
iNcan party were dry almost to CD man.
, / but in the recent election HII fhIs was
I changed and the Republican port1
p leaders were practically lined up with
1.-The saloon vote. Men who We're most
|activc Boa The dry campaign in Icccm-
. ber We're either silent Boo This election
D OF active in support of the saloon ele-
|meut.
b The electoral board. composed ct
Morton w. Turner and Colonel w. s..
r Battle. Democrats, and Robert TT. AM
+ gell Republican. had the naming OF
the judges of election. This was done
p two nights before the election. owing
I Co a division OF two of the wards into
Z two precincts each. there were six sets
n TO be named. instead OF four as here
q ItOfore. MIR Turner who was chair
T. man OF the electoral board. named
one man for each precinct. Colonel
. W. $. Battle, who had been recently
= appointed and who was a pronounced
e wet man, had the naming OF "a judge
for each precinct. Every man named
by him was lined up with the saloon
: forces
He stated I'm the meeting or the
electoral board that his APP
pOintees were unknown In several
instances 10y him personally. but
that they had been recommended
by A. Bruce Hunt and others.
Mr.. Hunt was the attorney for
the liquor interests.
Strong objections were interposeC
by Chairman Turner to MT. Battle Boz
the naming of r. A. Wintermeyer. "a
Judge in Second Precinct Of jefferson
Ward. and 90 J. e. Graves in Klmbal
Ward.
Mr.. Angel. as the representative %,
the Republican party. failed 90 reap.
point former election Judges boa any ol
the precincts but instead named new
men, all or whom were known 60 ht
Iln favor OF the saloon element. with
the possible exception OF two wards
where machine politicians who wer,
lavowcd dry men in the December elec
L Iuon. bat who We're neutral lu IA,
/ campaign OF last month. were named
Men against whom the breath e.
| suspicion was never raised We're do
| posed and their places were nlled D.,
| politicians. When the announcement
/ was made on the day before the cleo
L uon OF the personnel of the judges an,
| clerks or election. there was genera
| outcry of dissatisfaction or the par
| of the drys and OF general approva
| ON the part OF the vets.
IL can be established as q fact tina
| dry Republicans were approached b.
| wet voters and told that 81 they woul,
| vote the wet ticket that as many a
| four votes for one would be given q
| che Republicans in the November elec
| uon FOR Captain Kent for Governor
| In opposition TO Judge Mann. IL
/ openly alleged that IL was "a trade O
| Republican votes Ia the local optic
| election for the whiskey vote for Ken
4 and the Republican ticket ia the No
1 Vcmber election.
/ Wet Democrats are now openly sup
! porting Kent for Governor and dOin
| an in their power against the Demo
| | cratic state ticket. This fact CannC
| | be denied.
| As 20 the Kimbau Ward vote.
/ The December election there were 80
| votes cast. giving the vets q majOrit
/ OF So. In the recent election ther
! We're AS votes cast and the vets We
! 10y 161. The judges OF election WEI
J. G.. Graves. W. j. Camper and Il.
scott The clerks were NJ. l. Blac
. and Thomas O'COnnor. Scott ar
g Black We're dry men. Camper was an
OF pointed in the place of h. r.. Chudres
OF and ne was put In charge of the ball
III box The box was removed thirty-h'
iaI or forty feet 20 the rear of the 1udep
nj OF election. Early in the mornl
g. Camper was charged by "a dry cha
A0 Ilenger with placing ballots i'm his pocl
ny instead OF In the box. The Judges
nd election elected the challenger and r.
he fused 10 arrest Camper.
ar a warrant was sworn out ne A..
o'clock against Camper and placed
tn the hands az the Police Depart
ment. Mayor Cutchin lntcrf~red
. aud ordered the police not to Serse
the warrant. 4 second warrant yyns
issued by judge staples, and mt 4