The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-07-24

Dallas. Tex. July 23-with the anti
prohibitiontsts leading by 4,23i votes.
returns counted up to IL o'clock in the
Statewide prohibition election Satur-
day, with the leaders of each side is
suing statements claiming victory in
the contest. and with the additional
feature of fraud charges to-day, made
by prohibitionist leaders. the outlook
shortly before midnight is that full
returns will be necessary to decide the
result. Both sides stand ready to con-
test the vote. For twenty-four hours
the returns have about divided them
selves for and against prohibition The
total cote cast Saturday possibly will
exceed 10000
The following statement was given
out this evening by T. H BAN, chair
man of the Statewide prohibition ex-
ecutive committee. at Houston, Tex
In spite Of wholesale frauds in
various sections OF the State in poll
tax payments by liquor interests and
practically solid Mexican vote and
So per cent. of the negro vote against
the prohibition amendment, prohibi-
ton. in my best Judgment, has been
carried by not less than 10. 900 ma
jority."
j. F. VOTERS. of Houston. chairman
of the anti-State- amendment com
mittee. issued this statement:
Almost complete returns indicate
beyond doubt that we have won nv
good majority. 1t is absolutely nee
essary, however. to guard closely the
boxes and returns. so that the actual
results will be protected everywhere"
Nearly All Heard From.
Ihe total vote cast Saturday prob
ably will reach $4,000. Probably 90
per cent. of this is reported. While the
returns received to-day kept Changing
the race OF the results. the totals
usually cast up majority against pro-
nipition' running from 1000 to 5000.
Only a few small counties, which lack
wire facilities. have not been heard
from, and there are scattered BOXES in
many other counties.
The territory from which the re-
turns are incomplete is about evenly
divided as between the wet and dry
districts. The indications are favor
able TO the anti-proh. pitionists. whose
leaders claim the victory by a ma
Jority of 5000 The prohibition leaders
however. insist upon fun returns. and
moreover are charging fraudulent yot
ing
The totals of the returns up to II 40
give 222,i7T for prohibition amendment
and 226.Ioi against the amendment.
At oci,ck this afternoon it was
indicated that the ti-prohibitionists
had lead OF 5000 votes. but returns
received since that hour cut this down.
Impossible to Forecast.
The contest is the closest in the his
tory OF the state. Tens of thousands
of people collected around bulletin
boards to-day, watching the returns
1t is practically impossible to forecast
what the final returns will show
The ants are claiming victory.
but the prohibition leaders are conf
dent, About SO per cent. of the total
vote is accounted for by the returns
The counties and boxes still missing
are widely distributed over the State
some of them are admittedly prohibit
ton. and others admittedly anti-pro-
hibit!on. None of them are very large.
The reports in hand include practically
complete returns from every LARGE city
and county in the State.
Leaders of both factions claim vic.
tory and Chairman Ball OF the pro-
h!hitionists. cries fraud"
Contest OF the election seems immi-
nent. whichever way the hnal returns
so. The amended election law en-
acted last winter provides for contests
at Austin the State capital.