The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-14
Nobody Able to Explain Why 1t
Took So Long to Count
the Vote.

Nobody has yet been able to explain
long to count that ballot They did
not send in the last box until s:l5
o'clock yesterday morning, an hour and
half after an extra edition of The
Times Dispatch was on the street with
the official returns. 1t sounds impos
sible bnt it's a fact. Aside from the
delay in tabulating tho vote, the rea-
tire Of tho whole thing was tho ex-
citing battle for fifth place on the
legislative ticket So often did II
change that the result was not detii-
nitcly known until the figures came
from First Madison. the prize winner
this ?car in being late.
Ry midnight Thursday 1t was pretty
well known that Griggs had been de-
icatcd by Sattcrield for city Sergeant.
IL WAS known then. too. that Mercer
and ,Trosnon had won, SO all eyes
turned TO the fight in Lee Ward, be-
tween Martin and Ferrandini for the
city committee. and the tail place on
the legislative ticket Naturally, there
was n big desire to have nrst-hand
information rs 10 the exact Size OF
the Satterheld majority. for be II I'M
derstood that thousands of dollars had
been wagcred on the result and the
size OF the beating, and men who had
fort. II IL could be found. before they
went to bed. Few found IL
Never one So Late.
There never was such a late pri-
mary so far as 4 morning newspaper
WAS Concerned. When tho regular
mail edition OF The Times Dispatch
went to press the fact was evident
that Satterfield. Mercer and Tresnon
had been nominated. just as IL was
al oh MT
Mo liagua mad been elected 10 the
Legislature. At press tim" Toncy was
nfth man Tho mail edition CART,
his picture along with tn. statement
that at that hour IL was certain or
the honor although IL was plain that
later returns might change thu result.
With the mails gone +, was neces-
saty TO make new paper for the
city, ana figures were changing so
IDLY about 4 o'clock that II was
difficult to get heads and tails OF the
real situation iobson Cox, Mouta-
CUE and Myers. on the face of later
returns. were safely nominated. but
that old Attn place fob vas up in the
air.
rhe las, word printed put curtis
nfth but when the form was being
wheeled TO IN. stereotyping room
there came fash that Cannon had
jumped ahead OF Curtis. right behind
Montague. There was no time to
change tlSe. but the distinguished
face Of Captain curtis was lifted and
In It's plac" there was slapped the pic
turc Of Cannon. This explains why
IL puzzled you when YOU read the
paper Al breakfast time. but the fact
that you wanted IL little earlier
than usual made II impossible 10 wait.
Beating tho Committee.
Having looked after the city run. II
was simply a question then Of walt
ng for the final tabulation for an
extra. The Times Dispatch Ind every
thing except two precincts-t'irst Mad
ison and Second Jefferson. 1t should
be stated here that this earlier infor-
nation came long before II was re-
c"ircd nv the City Committee nj tho
city Auditorium. for the very ohvious
reason that rs soon as a precinct vote
was counted tho policeman on dutv
there called The Times - ispatch aAI
gaze the result over the telephone.
An hour later the election officials
drifted into the auditorium sut
nothing could be heard from the miss
ing two. reporter was hustled to
First Madison. at Ala North Eighth
street, only to find the doors ali
locked. Tho counters had gone-thet.
at least. was the eupposition Then
he shot over to the East End. got the
count from Second Jefferson ana
raced across town to tho auditorium
after telephoning tho vote. At the
auditorium there was another long
wait. Nobody could find the judges
and things from First Madison The
mystery got bigger and bigger: II soon
grew into scandal and a sensation.
into his taNicab the reporter hoped,
and when he got back 70 First AIadi-
son he kicked upon the door and
found them Inside. still counting.
They had counted down through SAT-
tcrfeld and Griggs.
Some Final Heturns.
From this precinct the reporter got
and telephoncd IN the total as far