The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-09-22
PATTERSON FILES PROTEST.
Alleges That Marked Ballots Were
Used and Other Irregularities.

Aiken, Sept. 15.-To-day at noon,
when the county executive commit
tee met to canvass the vote of the
county, a protest was filed by Claude
E. Sawyer, w. Q. Davis and T. e.
Croft, attorneys on behalf of J. y.
Patterson, candidate for congress,
alleging irregularities and charging
bribery and fraud at Langley box anu
other irregularities at Granltevllie
and Montmorenci. The protest asked
a recount at these boxes and protest
ed against the whole vote OF Aiken
county being counted.
It was alleged that the rules OF
the party and the criminal statues
had been violated. At Langley, the
protest alleged, marked ballots were
voted and of these it was alleged that
a number were cast for a valuable
consideration, all being taken into
account, so changing the result as to
iniure Patterson's candidacy. 1t was
also alleged that minors were allowed
to vote at Langley and many others
whose names had not been properly
enrolled. At Graniteville the same
ALLEGATIONS were made but it was
stated that time forbade making in
dividual allegations as to misconduct.
It was alleged that at Montmorencl
a number of ballots were thrown out
which should have been counted. A
recount of all ballots was asked and
especially for the boxes named. The
protestants also asked to be allowed
to protest specifically against other
boxes at a later period.
Col. Sawyer stated that the irregu-
larities might not change the result
at Langley but might put some one
in the penitentiary. The committee
first took up the Langley allegation.
On opening the State box Is tickets
pinned together were found. 1t was
said that these were not counted as
the names were not on the club roll.
Mr.. Henderson filed a protest on be-
half of Mr.. Byrnes against counting
the votes at every box which gave
Patterson a majority.
The committee decided to go into
the matter of the Langley box and
a recount was begun. 1t was found
that in the county box were Al pal
lots which had been previously
marked on the backs with pencil and
other marks, apparently for identifl-
cation.
Of these ballots it was found that
Byrnes had received "a and Patter-
son Z. The recount was declared as
follows, for the whole box, including
the marked ballots which were kept
apart from the others: Patterson
1865: Byrnes PSI. The managers had
reported Byrnes 269 and Patterson
165. At 2 o'clock the committee ad-
journed for dinner.
When the committee convened in
the afternoon Attorney Sawyer stat
ed to the committee that he will be
able to produce proof tomorrow that
some of the marked ballots were
bought; that he did not claim that
all of the purchased votes were
marked, however, that some were
marked that were voted for others
than congressman.
D. S. Henderson then stated that
he and Mr.. Byrnes would welcome
the investigation and wanted a time
specifically set for the hearing. On
motion it was agreed that the hearing
of the protest would be resumed at
10 o'clock Friday morning. The re-
suit of the vote at all boxes was then
canvassed and the congressional vote
will be investigated Friday. When
the Graniteville box was opened a
number of marked ballots were
found. In the Montmorenci box one
ballot was found containing note
on the back that the party who voted
II was not enrolled and that the bal
lot had been counted. The ballot
was cast for Byrnes.