The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-25
Committee Is Investi-
eating Recent Primary
in South Carolina.
HEARS EVIDENCE
ON MANY CHARGES
Nonresidents, Negroes and
Minors Allowed to Vote,
While No Limit Seems to
Have Been Placed on
Number of Times One
Might Cast Ballot.

soartanburz, S. c.. September "a
Meeting here to-day 70 ih'ee
charges OF fraud in the primary eiee-
ton of August 81, in which S'veFho'
C.oIa 1. Blease was nominated Tor re-
election on the face of the returns "
a majority OF 3. 900 out OF 10000 votes
cast. subcommittee OF the seale
Democratic Executive Committee re-
ceiyed numerous afEdavits ana repof -
from county committees, In winch :.
was represented that hundfeos y.
fraudulent, ballots were cast IN ,ne
Piedmont counties and irresui4I
were frequent all over the state. NAM
specific instances were cited In winch
nonrasidents men not enrolled, ne
sroes and minors were allowed TO VOTE
while repeating was said to be corr
mon Several cases were found. 1t was
deciared in which one man voted As
many az Ave times.
The meeting u the subcommittee was
interrupted several times by a NOISY
thronR Of supporters OF Governor
Blease, who at one time threatened 10
create a riot when J. NJ Greer. pro-
Blease member Of the subcommittee
denounced the anti-Blease majority for
having held q meeting at Chariotte'
n. c.. at which they outlined the COM
rnittee's plan u procedure. Unnamed
by Mr. Greers angry words, hundreds
or more men left their chairs with yeiis
and advanced menacingly towards w.
F. Stevenson, chairman, when he called
Mr. Greer to order.
Samuel ]. Nichols, an attorney Tor
Governor Blease, begged the men tor
the Governors sake to preserve order.
and was Joined by. Fred H. Dominick.
-. - oaY MANAGER.
They finally induced the crowd to per-
nit the investigation to continue.
SHARP Division In Consmitfee.
In opening the session Chairman Ste
venson expressed the hope that there
would be no cleavage IN the committee
along the lines Of BleAse and Jones.
the rival candidates for Govern ,r.
Other members Of the committee spoke
similarly Nevertheless there was
sharp division between the Blease and
Jones members on almost every ques-
ton which arose, and almost constant
wrangling-
Governor Bfease's attorneys took the
position that the Committee ought to
admit only such evidence OF fraud as
was presented By Judge Jones, but
Chairman Stevenson ruled that the
committee would admit evidence from
any source pIONiSeU- 40"
that every opportunity would be given
for the refutation of the charges.
It was late in the afternoon when the
roll call Of counties was begun and the
inquiry made as to whether fraud had
been discovered in them. Spartanburg,
Greenville. Aiken and Anderson Coun-
ties presented the most serious allega-
lions Of fraud. The investigators in
the first two counties asked an extern
sion OF time to permit them to inquire
into the identity Of many voters of the
same name who are suspected If hav-
ing been repeaters.
In Abbeville County, II was reported,
the required oath was not administered
to the voters in Cool Spring and Antre-
Vile. and the boxes were accordingly
thrown out.
The investigation will be renewed
tomorrow. Most Of the counties yet
remain t. be heard from.
Former Governor John Gary Evans.
chairman Of thu State Democratic
Executive Committee announced to-
night that he had issued q call for a
meeting Of the full State committee
to be held In Columbia nsxt Tuesday
to receive . report from the subcoH-
nnittee engaged in the investigation o!
the alleg I'd fraud in the primary cleo
ton.