The Green Forest tribune., 1913-07-04
Brundidge, Defeate' on Face of Returns,
 Charges Fraud and Contests the Election

regularities in all elections; as many on one side as on the other. If this committee certifies Judge Hays as the nominee, he'll get those 34,000 Democratic votes and if MT. Norwood says he won't, he doesn't speak by the cards.
 T do not believe the number of days provided by law for contests is appli- cable to this case. It is not the duty of this committee to deliver the ballot boxes. MT Norwood says the election officials in certain counties refused to surrender the ballot boxes to him. They might refuse to give them to this committee, also, and We have no authority to take them."
 This is a proposition of no little took the floor next. T believe this committee is a big enough tribunal to hear the contest fairly and impartially. If the members of the committee can not set aside their personal feeling, they are not worthy of the confidence reposed in them. We are dealing not only with 60,000 Democrats, but with the courts of Arkansas. If we fail to give MT. Brundidge fair hearing, we will break the mandate of the Chan cery court.
 Senator Going" William H. Rector asked, would you regard the adoption of the Coleman resolution a violation of the injunction?"
 Insists on Roll Call.
 "Yes, it would be the same as say ing to hell with the court I am go- ing to insist upon a roll call if this resolution is railroaded I want to be on record as obeying the courts man. date. If we lose this fight, we will ask the governor to postpone the date of the election. It is absurd to say this committee has not the authority to take the ballot boxes of the counties in question.
 MT. Coleman says this committee has authority to open the ballot box es." NIr. Going said. when order had been restored, "out how can we have authority to open the boxes without so,ng after them? If the election of ficials refuse to surrender them, we can enjoin the officials and compel them to deliver the boxes"
 Stayton Assumes Floor.
 Joseph M. Stayton, attorney for Mir. Brundidge next took the floor and de manded that the committee obey the injunction of the Chancery Court. He also demanded, in MT. Brundidge's be- half, that the poll books and ballot boxes in the counties where fraud is charged be brought before the commit, tee
 eff you will bring those boxes here" Mir. Stayton said, we will work night and day to finish the re- count before Thursday night, in time for the rightful nominee to be certi- fled to the secretary of state. We can not go get the boxes. It is up to this committee to get them. If you dare refuse, do it. We will not con- cede anything. We've made a proposi- tion reject it if you will," J. D. Head of Texarkana, C.. D. James of Eureka Springs, Troy Pace of Harrison and others spoke for the Coleman resolution while John T. Hicks of Little Rock, A. J. Witt of Pc cahontas and others spoke against it and in behalf of the Brundidge scheme to secure ample time to get the ballot boxes and poll books here and investi- gate the charges fully.
 The vote on the Coleman resolution was as follows:
 Ayes-C. R. Benson, w. F. Coleman, J. M Courtney, J. D. Head, John w. Howell, w. G. Hutton, Lehman Key, Ben E. McFerrin. Claude Mann, o. H. Wilson. J. H. Parker, w. c. Harkey, Troy Pace, J. S. Turner, H. s. Traylor, A J. Walls, c. P. Wilmington, R. w. Wilson and June P. Wooten-19.
 Nays-P. R. Andrews, Lewis Barton Sam Deener, John T. Hicks, F. F. Free man, L. & Going, William H. Rector and A. J. Witt-S.
 Senator Going immediately offered a resolution providing that the com the counties in which Mr Brundidge alleged fraud had been committed to obtain the poll books and certified lists of tax payers.
 Still insisting that the committee had no authority to demand the ballot boxes from county officials, MT. Cole man offered a substitute motion which brought on another fight between the Hays and Brundidge forces. The Cole man substitute requested the various committees to send in the ballot boxes and poll books and was adopted by practically the same vote as prevailed above on the first resolution.
 The Contest Petition.
 After the meeting had been called to order the mandatory decree of Chancellor Martineau was read and MT Stayton of Newport as attorney for Col Brundidge filed the contest petition, alleging frauds in Union, Phil lips, Ouachita, Bradley, Hampstead Clark, Dallas, Boone, Desha, Prairie and St. Francis counties. It was a lengthy petition.
 MT Coleman moved that a commit tee be appointed to canvass the off cial returns and after this was done the committee adjourned until o'clock when the proceedings reported
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