The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-11
Replies to Charges
Brought by Opponent
in Primary Contest.
ANSWER Is FILED
AT PETERSBURG
Will Be Considered by Commit.
tee at Its Meeting Next Mon
day-Serious Countercharges
Of Illegal Voting Are Al
legged Against Turnbull's
Supporters.
Especial to The Tines Dispatch

ouPpOIteIS.
Especial to The Times Dispatch.1
Petersburg. Va. October 10.-Specinc
denials. supported by letters and am
davits. OF many Of the charges made
by Representative Robert Turnbull, In
contesting the Fourth District primary.
are made by Judge walter A. Watson
In his answer. which was died to-day
with the district committee at Peters,
burg. Judge Watson makes counter
charges Of illegal voting in Bruins
wick County. saying that many men
who voted for Mr.. Turn5un there had
not properly paid their poll taxes. He
says that citizens with certain quail
ications were permitted At some pre-
cincts to vote for his opponent while
others At the Same places. under SINH
lar circumstances. who intended to
the privilege
Belief in the honesty Of the primary
and in the good intent Of the election
officers il expressed by Judge Watson.
Admitting there may have been tech
meal Irregularities such a. occur In
every election. he thinks the Qfncials
acted In good faith.
Judge Watson's answer was hled
within the legal time limit. and II will
be considered by the district commit
tee At its Meeting next Monday night
when the contest matter Is again con-
sidered.
ProDoGa1isn Declined.
Judge watson quotes correspondents
he had with Mr.. Turnbull some time
prior to the primary relative to the
selection Of election omcers. He sug-
xested that the two candidate unite In
written request to the respective COM
mittees Of counties and cities that in
appointing election officers they divide
them equally between the two. each to
have q clerk Apiece ut each precinct
and two Of the three judges at one
peeeinct 20 be NJ. Turnbulrs. and two
Of the three at the next precinct to b
Judge watson's In reply Mr.. Turn.
bull said he believed the committees
would properly discharge Their duty
and he therefore declined the PROPOSE
ton
Judge Watson then declares he re-
Quested the committee OF his own
county. Nottoway. to see that his oD-
ponsnt had representation at every
poll. and that the request was granted.
In contrast to this. he asserts that the
COMMITTEES Of Brunswick. Mr.. Turn
bulls home county. rejected his appli-
cation to name . representative At the
polls. and refused to name q single
election omcer suggested by his
friends.
Vote Of ReDublicans.
Judge watson denies that he lnvit-
ed or advised = Republican to enter .
Democratic primary. and In his owu
community he believes a majority OF
the Republicans participating support
ed his opponent, whose leading worker
At Nottoway Courthouse was z H
Wilmer. an ex-Republican. and at
Crewe was william Krez, a Republican
His opponent was also supported in his
canvass by well-known Republicans in
Dinwiddie. Prince George. Greenes-
willie, Farmville. Brunswick. Petersburg
and Nottoway. He discusses the charges
OF Republican support In various pre-
cincts and denies their truthfulness.
He knows Of but one negro who sup
ported his candidacy, and denies tina,
four negroes at Burkeville voted for
him. He coupter-charges that eight
negroes in Brunswick voted for Mr.
Turnbull.
Deuses FrauA CAarwe.
Judge Watson denies the only charge
Of direct freud alleged-that of un-
lawful destruction Of three ballots at q
precinct in Dinwiddie. The allegation
is untrue. he alleges, and proof there
Of II demanded
Concerning the charge that seventy
enumerated persons voted for him At
crewe who were not aualified to vote.
he SAYS:
Almost II MT all Of these parties
are personally known to me. and I en-
terrain no doubt Of their right to have
participated in the primary II Will
serve TO point out the carelcssness as
well as recklessness Of such . charge
to state that one OF the parties named
az unqualified and voting urlawfully
for me Is William Kies. the most &C.
tive and ardent supporter the contest
ant had In that town In the list ID
another one Of his supporters. J. r.
Tucker. Among the names are those
Of twenty-five ex-Confederate and Fed
eral soldiers and some Of the best
known people Ia the community"
Judge Watson denies that there were
any persons excluded fr ym the ballot
who were entitled to- vote OF any sd-
m.tted who were not qualified N
Prince Edward.
SsDseseO SD Cos~0oApa.
He declares the charge that his bro
sher. Hunter n. Watson. had taken
possession 81 the returns Of the cleo
ton IN Hetsowsy for the removal: 81
the courthouse a. not only senseiess
bu, wholly anfounded. In q general
denial he says:
ANY allegations 81 the PETITION me-
sr~ciacsy noticed. which 70 may BE-
material 90 answer. are here and nov
denied and proof thereof demanded"
Judge watson then makes . aumber
og counter charges. one being mat %
ewo wards IN Peterseure TIRE elect ~
go r0sAncfeA IN aurh n manner a