The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-10-24
TRYING TO DlSFRANC FiISE VOTERS
Legal Tool of Watson-Chil
TONNAGE rkle Combine
Files Petitions.
NOT EVEN SWORN TO
BY Any One But Himself and
on Its Face 1t is Merely
Political Buncombe.

L
WILLIAMSON, W. va, oct. ss.-
w. E, r. Byrne, Democratic lawyer
of Charleston, has prepared and filed
with the county court of Mingo coun.
ty, a petition, which he has been
unable to have sworn to by any cit
izen of Mingo county, as yet attack
Ing the right of more than 400 Re.
publican voters to cast their ballots
in the coming election.
Even Chairman Cole of the Demo-
cratic county committee. who has
sworn to several other petitions filed
by the Democratic lawyer and who is
not acquainted with more than half
dozen men, whose right to vote he
questioned. was unwilling to swear
to the last petition fled by Mr.. Byrne
in which several hundred legal voters
of Mingo county were questioned on
their right to vote, but the counsel
representing the Republican county
committee, in the fairness which has
characterized its action, allowed the
petition to be filed with the county
court without It even having been
sworn to.
Hatched Up.Scheme.
That the entire proceeding tustl-
tuted before the county court of Min
go county was brought in the hope
of creating a feeling of prejudice
throughout the state that would in
ure to the benefit of the Democratic
party is SO apparent on It's face that
to everyone acquainted with the facts
in the case 1t has become ridiculous.
The scheme to lay foundation for
charges of fraud that can be used
elsewhere in the state was Matched
even. before the registration in the
county was begun, 1t being known that
Chairman Cole Instructed the regis
trars of the Democratic party not to
list any colored voters in the county
1t is remarkable fact THAT in more
than one-haR of the precincts where
the charges of registration frauds
have been made by the Democratic
lawyer OF Charleston the registration
books OF both the Democratic and Re-
publican registrars agreed. 1t is
evident that the Democratic regis
trars were too honest to obey the
order not to register any colored vot-
ers at all and the chairman of the
Democratic county committee falling
to control them, ruthless attack has
been started on, their honesty and
integrity. Instead of following the
law. which would have put them in
court with plenty of time to have
each and every charge Of Illegal reg
iistration heard on It's merits, the
Democrats adopted policy which
they knew would cause delay and
make it impossible to bring to light
all the facts in each case.
Evidence Asked For.
Tho charge has been made through
the Democratic press that many men.
long dead. had been registered and
that this was an example of the fraud
that was being practiced. The regis
tration law says that the registrar
shall copy the registration books of
the previous year as far as he is able
to learn Of its correctness and the
registrars were carrying out the law
when they did this and which accounts
for the fact that some men, killed in
mine explosions during the last two
years, are still on the registration
books. There was no attempt upon
the part of the registrars to do this
for any fraudulent purpose but the
county court has declared that where
this fact is shown the name will be
stricken from the registration list.
The county court of Mingo county,
through its president, Mr.. Woolworth
has made the open statement to the
attorneys representing the Demo-
cratic committee that 1t desires the
fullest investigation into the charges
made concerning the padding of reg
istration lists. Mr.. woolworth de-
clared that these charges had been
spread broadcast throughout the state
in the Democratic press and that is
was the purpose of the court to have
the fullest investigation into these
charges and see if there was any
foundation for them. Col. John S.
Marcum, representing the Republican
committee of Mingo county,has also
requested the Democrats to bring in
their evidence and said that II there Is
any dependable proof against any
man that he is not entitled to vote
that he viii make the motion himself
that the name be stricken from the
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