The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-11-11

ttQn.
Perhaps the stormiest scenes OF
the election we're enacted In Wards
3, 8. and IL. In all those wards the
polling places were the centres of
great crowds and there was often a
tendency TO serious disorder. Beyond
the fact, however, that fist fights took
place here and there and much pro-
family some Of II Of peculiarly dis
Eusting sort. was indulged In. the day
passed OF without formidable row.
Everywhere one saw Hyde and
Grace badgea Even many Of the
women were wearing them yester-
day. The crowds were often vocifer-
Gus. This was especially the case at
night when men paraded the streets
In carriages and automobiles shouting
for their candidates. All this enthn-
siasm was displayed In spite Of the
fact that the votes were still being
counted and no one knew how the
race had turned out. Some pistol
shooting was INDUCED In at night by
celebrants who felt that they had
to make a noise somehow or other.
but In spite Of the fact that the law
considers this q misdemeanor nobody
was hurt up to an early hour this
morning.
AZ for the election itself II was
hard fight all day long. The polls
opened at In the morning and at
many Of the polling places the voters
were out In strength even at that
oariy hour. This was especially the
cafe In the upper wards. and Lere
many q man had to stand In line for
more than an hour before ne was able
to cast his ballot. The crowds did
not thin out a. the day wore on. Hun
drsds Of people went without dinner
yesterday. judging from the appear
anee Of the streets at the dinner hour.
and hundreds went without supper.
Tho streets were crowded until late
~ night. In 'front.' Of the Hibernlaa
Hail. whore The. executive committee
had tn headquarters and received the
rstiirns. q large crowd gs.thered In
the street. Chairman n. Rutledse
Rivers lad given orders that no ono
except members Of the committee. the
candidates or their representa- tives.
tie managers and the representative
Of tho press should be allowed within
the committee room. and thus the
count,ng proceeded more expeditions.
ly than would otherwise have been
the case. Even %. however. 1t wis
q very slow process.
On the whole the crowd on the
street was surprisingly od-nature,i.
They did not conceal their sympathies.
but they joihed one another for the
most part instead Of using harsher
mathods.
Chairman Rivers paid several
visits during the day 20 various vot-
Ing precincts. his presence there be-
ing desired. Several calls were made
upon him during the day at the HI
bernian Hall by persons who claimed
that they had been wrongfully denied
the right to vote or by leaders in the
interests Of some Of their partisans.
These protests will be considered by
tho committee at an early meeting.
The scenes just before the poll
closing hour in Ward at times were
OF kind to cause many to congratu-
late themselves because they had cast
their ballots earlier In the day.
Screaming men. women and chill
dren made the night hideous very
frequently. Fights broke out every
Few minutes. and when quelled by
the police under Sergt. Bendt, broke
out again in another part Of the ward.
Several hacks filled with men and wo-
men paraded up and down South and
America streets. and through other
streets Of the ward yelling at the too
OK their voices. some for Hyde" and
the rest for Grace" The police
sought to put a stop TO this rowav.
ism. but could not be at the polls and
at other places in the ward at tie
same time.
Late In the afternoon the repor,
was spread that the ward had gone
Tor Hyde" Col. Grace appeared at
ponce headquarters. accompanied by
Alderman Pinckney. and requested
that more men be sent to the precincts
In Ward 8. stating that ne fear "a a.
general disturbance there later in the
evening. Several detectives and ex-
ira patrolmen were immedia,ely DIS