The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-09-07
PROBE ELECTION FRAUDS.
INQUIRY ORDERED BY STATE
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
Election Result Not Yet Declared
Means No Voting i'm Second Race
for Attorney General Tuesday as
Expected-Senatorial Contest Held
up for Present.

Columbia, Sept. 5.-The charges of
fraud in connection with the recent
primary election will be rigidly prob
ed by a special committee of seven
which was appOilted yesterday by
chairman Of the State executive COM
mlttee of the Democratic party and
which will meet next Wednesday.
The resolution was introduced by
Richard 1. Manning Of Sumter and
was generally discussed by the MEM
bers of the committee. The resolu-
ton was adopted late yesterday. The
committee held two sessions and ad-
Journed last night to meet again at
the call Of the chairman.
The following is the Manning reso-
luton which was adopted by the
| committee:
Whereas notices Of protest have
been filed with this committee charg-
ing among other things widespread
frauds and irregularities, and
Whereas, under a former resolu-
ton passed by this committee certain
Investigations are being made as to
the conduct Of the election held Au-
gust ~, 1912, and full reports have
not yet been made as to the conduct
of the election held August 27, 1912,
and in some counties the investiga-
tions have not been completed;
| Therefore, be it resolved, That a
subcommittee of seven members Of
this committee be appointed by the
chairman to hear and pass upon all
contests and all matters Of every kind
and description properly the subject
Of action by this committee as a
whole, pertaining to or incident to
the election held August 81, 1912
with full power and authority to take
testimony and make full investigation
of the conduct Of said election and
report the same together with all tes-
timony and all records back to this
committee for action at a meeting to
be called by the chairman for that
purpose.
and is hereby given power and au-
thority to employ at the expense Of
this committee such assistance as
may be deemed advisable to further
the said investigation and shall have
full power and authority to summons
witnesses, require the production Of
records and papers and do any and
all other acts necessary 10 the full
and complete investigation of the
conduct of said election, as has this
| committee as a whole.
The actual necessary expenses CT
the said committee shall be borne by
the treasury of this committe."
The following are the members Of
the subcommittee as named by joan
Gary Evans, the chairman: w. f.
Stevenson, Chesterfield, chairman: r.
B. Butler, Cherokee" j. b. Park,
Greenwood; w. B. Wilson, Jr., York;
j. ID. Bivens, Dorchester; j. M.
Greer, Union, and R. NJ. Jeffries,
Jasper.
The passage of the Manning resolu-
ton means that the second primary
for State Offices will not be held next
Tuesday. The matter of the second
in, hn
with the county executive commit
tees.
Attorneys representing Ira B. Jones
yesterday filed an amended protest
charging illegal voting and fraud in
every county in the State.
A resolution introduced by E. $.
Blease to provide a committee of five
TO assist the secretary of the COM
mittee in preparing and tabulating
the returns Of the primary election
was killed by a vote of 33 to 7. The
committee by vote of "a to 16 voted
down the resolution of Mr.. Blease to
have the chairman appoint three
Blease supporters and three Jones
supporters on the committee under
the Manning resolution. Chairman
Evans in discussing this resolution
said that he presumed that every man
on the committee was honest and
that he would make the appointments
REGARDLESS of whether they were
Jones or Blease supporters.
The protests of w. J. Talbert and
\. b. Dial, candidates for the United
states senate, against the election Of
Senator B. r Tillman on the grounds
that he had not properly filed his ex
pense account were read before tho
committee by the secretary 4 doci,