Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1912-10-29

total of S27 votes, of which 237 were
cast by colored men, despite the fact
that the testimony taken on the pari
of the contestant disclosed that there
were but 10 co.ored voters in the pre-
lcinct. Conditions had in recent
Years become SO outrageous at this
precinct that number of women be
longing TO the Women's Christian
Temperance Union determined to put
a stop to fraudulent elections there
and with the finest spirit of Ameri
can womanhood repaired TO the poll
ling Place at daybreakk and begged
the election officials TO see to it that
a fair election was held that day.
Fed From Tubs, Like Hogs.
The evidence further disclosed
lthat coiored men were modified in
fseveral vacant buildings in the pre-
cinct of Matewan for two or three
days before the election and that
food was carried to them in tubs
| Despite the protest of the women,
| these negroes We're shamelessly voted
under the direction of Greenway Hat
field, above referred to. Hatfield
/ was not a voter in the precinct, and
lit is not apparent. except for the
position which he holds, why he was
directing the election at that place.
| The negroes were given names at the
gate. They then repaired to the
polling place, and in many instances
/ forgot their names, and to remedy
/ this defect in the system they were
given slips OF paper with their names
appearing upon them. 1t appears
(, that Mr.. G. r, Buskirk, a Democratic
election commissioner, made an effort
| to prevent some of these negroes
from voting. Thereupon the plan
was changed, and Postmaster Hat
| field would stand at the gate and he
was occasionally relieved by man
by the name of Harmon. AS the
negroes would approach the door of
the polling place they would shout
out the voters name to the Repub-
lican commissioner or clerk, and de-
SPITE further protest of Mr.. G. R.
Buskirk in each instance, they were
permitted TO vote. DR.. Turner, a
reputable citizen, who testified that
he was Republican, remarked in
the presence OF Greenway Hatfield
that it was shame to permit these
/ 'darkies' TO vote. Thereupon he
Was struck in the face and driven
from the polls by the overzealous
postmaster. 1t appears that many
OF these negroes voted more than
once, and G. r. BusArk, Democratic
commissioner or clerk, adopted an in
gerious plan OF determining this
question. As the negro voter would
cast his vote, usually over the pro.
test Of Mr.. Buskirk, he would nut
chalk mark upon his back, and one
industrious repeater had twelve of
these marks.
just As Bad Elsewhere.
In the other contested precincts
OF Mingo the conduct of the election
was Just as bad, fraud was perpe-
trated IN the interest of the contestee,
and 1t seems that the county officials,
al OF the party of the contestee,
were directing the election IN much
the same manner as Postmaster Hat
reid at MateWan precinct. The
plurality of 1850 received by the con-
testee in Mingo county is changed to
a plurality of 157 for the contestant
by the proper exclusion of the IRE.
cinots.
In the ten counties outside Of
Mingo and Mcdowell, the vote for
WHEY, the contestant, was 19,742.
ana the vote for Hughes, the contes.
tee, was 1854. Adding the plural
lty OF the contestant in Mineo bv
the proper purging of the poll in that
county the vote in the Congressional
District, exclusive of Mcdowell coun.
~, gives the contestant a plurality
OF 2,345 votes. The vote of Nc
lloWell county, as shown by the Off
llal returns, gave the contestee 1850
and If the returns from that |
county are not rejected he will have |
a plurality OF 1,605 votes over the con |
-estant. The question of the validity |
d the returns in Mcdowell county il. |
therefore, vital one in connsiderine |
this case.
fruitful Place for Wholesale Frauds.
Mcdowell county is located i'm.
nediately east of Mingo county. Its |
population is largely made up Of for
1ishers ana negroes who are EN- |
Dioyed IN the various coal develop
hehts Oh the county. All of the
county officers are Republicans.
me county court, the body which
appoints the election commissioners
composed of Republicans, and the
esumony in the case shows conclu-
lively that the method of conduct.
ng elections in the county make il
most fruitful place to perpetrata
Wholesale election frauds. The tesfi.
nony shows that the president of the
ounfy court, one DR.. II. D. Hatfield.
Who is also president of the Senate
! west Virginia, refused 70 APPOINT
hai'ensers for the Democratic party
I the various voting precincts Of
icDoweli county, although the law of
vest Virginia seems clear that the
ounty ehairmen of the two Ieadino
official parties shall norinate and
ne county court shall appoint chaI.
'ngers OF election. This testimony
hows that this same Or. Hatfield
as very active in the actual con.
uct OF the election in Mcdowell
ounty, and the refusal to appoint
emocratic chalIengers raises
:rong presumption that the conduct
the election was to be neither fair
Dr. honest"
Personal Violence Threatened.
However, the absence of ohalleng4
from the voting precincts is not
itself actual proof Of fraud The
'ntestant relies upon the failure of
e county court to appoint chalIeng-
q 0f hic rartw