The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-10-06

llPIDU[I FILES
CONTEST PETITION
(Continued From First Page.)
Sarty within the said district a letter
u the following words:
Fourth Congressional District
Committee.
september -, 1872.
Dear Sir.-Fearing that there may
- some Misunderstanding Of the law.
beg to call your attention to the
Following provisions respecting re-
1urns. etc:
.The judges of election shall within
two days after the election certify the
jseturns 20 the county or city chairman.
who. in turn, with the .ity or county
lcommittee. shall. within Ave days after
their receipt. canvass the returns, tab
tVlAte and seal them and certify the
6esuIt to the chairman of the dis
kyict committee.
~ The district committee has been
sealied to meet in this city on Mon
Day next. the 3oth instant. for the pur-
nose Of canyassing these returns. The
Eve days. according to my idea, will
expire Friday next. l nope you will
be able to get your coIn.nittee to-
tGether by that time aud canvass he
lyeturns and certify them 10 me. in
border that the committee may have
hA hat her fn
0eciare the result
Very truly yours.
ROBERT GILLIAN.
Z Chairman"
That afterwards, to-wit: on Sep
fHember c5, 1912, the said chairman
lSent a telegram 10 the said chairman
i0f the county and city committees
LOT the Democratic party in said dis
itr!ct. IN the following wards:
after consulting counsel, con-
Iclude that section 20 OF the new pri-
binary law abrogates Democratic party
kplan requiring meeting OF your county
tcommittee to canvass returns Judges
kof election certify returns direct to me.
unnecessary. therefore. for committee
No canvass returns.
ROBERT GILLIAN
! District Chairman"
That on the soth day Of September.
1912, your committee met in the city
tef Petersburg. and, against the pro-
nest and objection Of your petitioner
iproceeded to determine the votes cast
tand the result Of the said election
krom certain documents, called Ger
itifcates," forwarded by the judges of
seIection at said primary election to
the chairman Of this committee. which
documents were addressed to no one;
tand which the said chairman had, be-
More the said S0th Of September. 1912,
declared to have been furnished to
ihim for his personal information only,
tand which had been opened by him.
Tor some other person, before the com
,mittee was convened for tho purpose
OF ascertaining the result OF said pri-
lmary election.
Poll Books Not Inspected.
That your petitioner at said meeting
Of your committee contended. and here
again contends. that no result of said
primary election could be asccrtained
or determined according to law unless
and until the poll books used at said
primary election had been opened and
inspected by the prover party author
lties, and that the poll books used in
Haid election were not opened and iIns
Dpected by your committee, and your
;petitioner Is advised. and here alleges.
that the said poll books have not been
opened or inspected by the proper au-
thoritis OF said party in any of the
counties or cities Of the said district.
except that he is inf ormed that the
poll books In Meckle nburg County weS
opened and inspected by H. F. Hutch
eson. chairman Of the county commit