The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-08-31
GANYlSSING b0..RD
HAD LONG TIE-UP
RESULTS OF DISPENSARY ELEC
TIONS FINALLY DECLARED.
Associate Justice Mandamused Comp
troller General Jones to Attend
Session.
Dhe State.

tIle Ht1lt.
The deadlock Al the meeting Of the
State board Of canvassers. in session
on The di>pensary election, was broken
yesterday when an order signed by
Associate Justice Hydrick was served
on Comptroller General Jones order
ing him to either attend the meetings
Of the board or TO appear before the
associate justice tais morning at 10
. o>clock to show cause why he does
not attend.
This ended one Of the most exciting
sessions Of the board held in years
and while at times the actions Of the
Various members in refusing to give
on either side appeared to be amusing,
still there were moments when it
seemed that somebody might lose tenn
per and precipitate quarrel.
The real feature Of the meeting was
the constant attendance and constant
absence Of the comptroller general.
For several minutes between at
temptS made to take votes he would
pace the corridor outside Of the office of
secretary of state and then suddenly
reappear to state his position again
and offer once more to go with the
hearings provided the board did not
take up the question Of it's right to
pass upon the constitutionality Of the
&C: ordering the election. The situa-
tion as briefly summed up was about
as follows:
At the hearing Thursday the board,
while awaiting the arrival of Mr..
Walter Hazard, representing the pro-
h;bitioniStS Of Georgetown, who wish
to contest the election, took up the
Charleston case. which is contested
BY Mr.. J. P. Grace. who holds that the
act is unconstitutional The board is
executive session late Thursday after
noon decided TO 60 on with the Char
leston case. although this meant that
zhe other cases might wait until the
<ons1itutionality Of the act and the
right Of the board to pass upon this
act had been decided.
There are only four members of
the board present. Messrs. Lyon. and
MCGOWAN stood pat on the PROPOSE
sion that the board had the right to
consider the constitutionality of the
act. Messrs. Jennings and Jones were
equally positive that the board did
not have this right and dozen or so
ballots were cast strictly along these
lines. Mr. Jones stated most positive
ly that he would break the quorum
by leaving the room if the board took
no the case with a view to deciding
the constitutionality Of the act. And
he did. At intervals he left the room
and then came back with the same old
proposition. while the attorneys wran-
gled and the other members OF the
board talked pro and con. Mr. Grace
still thought that as the constitution
was involved the Charleston case
should be settled first. Mr.. Wilcox,
who represents the dispensary side IN
Georgetown, begged the board TO
take up his case It had been set for
l1:3O o'clock. Mr.. Hazard, who had
arrived, was inclined to side with Mr.:
Grace. The board kept on deadlock
ing, because Messrs. McCown and
Lyon agreed with Mr.. Grace. Mr..
Jennings, who acted as chairman, at
times seemed to want the matter set
tied. but on the proposition as to the
authority Of the board he sided with
the comptroller general.
Session Starts Late,