The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-14
Griggs People Claim 100.
Votes Were Changed
by Error.
NO FRAUD CHARGE
MADE, HOWEVER.
While Loss of Box Would Not
Affect Satterfeld, 1t Might
Change Fifth Man for House
of D ele G C s-Town
Settles Down After
Primary.

! ,harges or irregularities In the con-
uuct OF the Democratic primary on
thursday at the Second Precinct OF
Jeierson Ward may be brought before
| inc CITY Democratic Committee with
q request for recount OF the ballots
cast at that precinct. The GrieEs forces
claim discrepancy Of 100 votes. which
IL proved would not alter the general
result IN the GriEgs- -Satterfeld fight.
nut might have n material effect on tho
settlement of some of the wagers made
| as TO the result of the election re-
count Of tho precinct. Il made to apply
10 other sections Of the ballot than tho
scrgeantcy fight, might have very
aircct bearing on the fifth place in the
House of Delegates contest. and in the
election of justices of the peace and
! Ward.
The Griggs people as yet have made
no formal charge. but members of the
committee have been approached in re-
gard to the matter. and have stated
that IL any reasonable evidence of
fraud can be shown. that the commit
tee will make n thorough investiga-
ton; Some OF the GriEss people seem
TO think that the discrepancy claimed
was mere clerical error
Wns Late In Reporting.
On the face of the returns, Second
Jefferson, which was one of the last
precincts to report yesterday morning,
the total number of ballots cast being
5ts. ON the face OF tho general re-
| turns rs certified by the committees
Satterfield won by 730 votes, receiving
5o3l to Grlggs's 1901. AS there were
9,i66 ballots cast in the entire city
Il is evident that the judges must have
thrown out l34 as mismarked or i'm
properly voted in the sergeantcy race.
Previous to the election the Griggs
people had claimed this precinct by
nd iuti
| pointed when 1t gave them only SO ma
1ority. The precinct is located at 1905
East Leigh Street, the election officers
being o. l.. Alhertson, registrar. John
Wiley, Judge, and II. G.. Branch, clerk.
From statements made it does not ap-
pear. even IL fraud is charged, that an
attack will be made on the election
officers. There was either clerical
error. SO 1t Is charged or else some
thing slipped over on the election
officials by outside workers at the
polls. The precinct was In the lime
light year or two ago in a City Coun-
ell election, when Morgan r. Mills
charged that official ballots were in the
bands OF Theo. Folkes. janitor of the
First Regiment Armory, and Il worker
for certain candidates outside OF the
polling place. Folkes admitted having
the ballot. saying it was brought to
him from another precinct, and that he
was using IL as slate to guide voters
Would Not Affect Result.
Were the whole precinct thrown out
IL would have no effect on the winning
OF AIessrs. Satterfield, Tresnon or Mer-
Ger. In fact, any precinct in the city
might be eliminated without altering
their nomination in the slightest.
On the face of the returns Mr.. Toney
won fifth place for the House of Dele
gates with 4.773 votes. Captain Curtis
came sixth. with 4,721-just tifty-two
votes less. Mr.. Cannon was seventh,
with 46S4 votes. IL discrepancy of
100 ballots is proved. either man might
be forced into ffth place. On the face
OF the returns. Captain Curtis had 2S4
votes at this precinct against 275 for
Mr. Toney.
If the charge is brought only by the
Griggs people, and the recount asked
for only rs regards the office Of City
Sergeant. several members OF the city
committee stated last night that they
would oppose recount as no possible
changes at this precinct could alter
the result and IL was no part of the
duty of the City Democratic Commit
tee to protect betting men who had
made wagers on the results. Others
thought that IL the charge of fraud was
raised even though it had no practi-
cal bearing on the result, that 1t would
be thoroughly investigated and IL sus-
tanned. that the precinct should be
thrown out. Throwing the precinct out
entirely would leave the candidates for
the House OF Delegates just where
they stand on the face OF the general
returns.
Candidate Must File Application.
The practice of the committee has
been that n recount can be asked for
only by one of the candidates who al
leges some irregularity in some speci-
fic precinct. and the recount Is made
only as to that oft1re. II the charges
ere not sustained the cost falls on the
petitioner: IL sustained. the city COM
mittee bears the costs. Any charge of
fraud or application for recount must K
be filed with the committee within ten
days after the primary. Immediately
after the last precinct came i'll q; the
City Auditorium yesterday morning. a
trunk containing the ballots and poll
hooks of ali twenty-five precincts was
sealed and placed in the vaults OF the
Planters National Bank to await any
application that might be made for
recount
There was also talk of some lrregu-
lar voting in ono OF the Clay Ward
precincts but members of the commit
tee had not been advised last night of
the exact nature OF the charge. or
whether il would be of character to
Justify any investigation by the COM
mittee.
The Official Returns.
Official returns fcr the Democratic
city primary Thursday were announced
by the City De,nocratic Committee yes
terday morning at e:15 o'clock, after
waiting NIL night for belated precincts.
the judges OF which could give no cx~
planation OF the cause for such unrea-
sonable delay Tho total vote In the
city was 1906. by far exceeding all ex- 2
the Administrative Board primary by 81.
about 1900. That therO was no axcuea II