Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1914-02-28
WHY HARRISON
WAS GIVEN SEAT
Election Committee Also Fully
EXOnerateS Worcester
County Officials

county OIl1CldlS
The following FULL Report the Senate conmttc. Eiec-
entitled to the scat m the Senate t Man land held rs ounce Ash
This composed OF the following honorable
ator Beck Of Kent County, Copper. of Caroline County Benson.
Baltimore County Watkins. Of Anne Nrtndc County Na.o>
Baltimore Ct Democrats: and Spechc Republicans OF Garrett
Mr. cck chairman Of the Committee handed n the report and
requested that the ccr Of the Senate read o~ and tnct}
Her, it is:
TO THE HONORABLE. THE SENATE OF MARYLAND:
Yor Committee Elections whom referred the
the contest Of Orlando Harrison contestant against the sitting
That the n this c,, submitted committee.
cast IN Worcester COUNT "n the lth da} q No'tntcr y p
1913 and that The presentation of the ballot bosses 81 said
tI 4rt 6l,rt ~ .j .t, ~ th, baI'f. tb+ vr .,r,od
the and upon examination of sand ballot boxes most
T. lar l. Comm ' WHINE N EXAcTS TIIE shME Go&D6%
whom delivered by the officials OF Woy5ter C3nlE to lhe Eec
MEANS 10 A5SoilE THE oFFIeiAiS or WoI;CESIER
COUNTY FROM ANY WRONG DOING WHATEVER IN THE
HANDLING AND KEEPING OF SAID BONES ANp BALLOTS
Your committee then proceeded e>aminc lhc taIot counted
and M the Election Officials 81 the First Election District Of
ballots in this District that Improperly marked and dccfu
folded As counsel for and concte had agreed the
beginning of the count that all ballots should m counted according
tohe strict construction the ia" laid down > the case Of Quc
reference the ballots that dcccitful folded
When they returned to he room o % r2mT,lef norncq he fo
counted tn ol uay same could done wa pon the agreement
of the contestant and con,tee that without regard 10 dtf
for the contestant hcrelon announced that under The ruling Of
the committee thc} would under protest to the counting OF
deceuI folded ballots and that therep@n your committee pro
cecdcd all ballots whether decttul folded but
k separate ay Of those that had been rejected because, Of de-
cetfu folding marking and proceeded with the count OF the bal
lots of the entire county and as result Of sand count found that
rejecting that rejected hl the Election Officials
elected by N0l but 10y counting those that
yor committee had no right to count because they were deceu
folded and could not be counted under the a" Ounce Ashhurn
ccivcd thirty t30) votes
As agreed the beginning Of the M both the
should adhere strictly the law Your committee was therefore
compelled follow the law in regard to deceu folded ballots
and refers this Honorable Body to l|a9bys Code Article % Sec
ton -, which Section states:
That the Election Officials small reject ballots which
dccetfuly folded etc
And committee was governed IN this matter by the above
the Code and the law laid down b jud Page in the
Of Duvall Miller. "a MARYLAND q in which opinion His
Honor Judge Page that dcceittuly folded ballots should
have been deposited in the ballot boxes and also if the
ballot therefore folded when returned h the 10 the
Judge IN the same manner as Was Wheh received ~ c voter
illegal and therefore deccttuA folded ballot and hl the
of the Statute should he rejected In view OF the Ia"
clearly laid down IN this state a To decetia> folded ballots Your
Committee has alternative in this matter except to refuse all
ballots that We're decctuly folded.
Your Committee therefore after argument and eargment by
for both parties and in vie" Of the law above stated has
reached the following conclusion
First That Orlando Harrison has clearly established that by the
Worcester County and rejected for decetu folding
he has shown that the Election Officials have made sufficient mis-
takes presumption that Ounce Ashbun emit
tied seated Senator from Worcester County the face
of the ballots counted by Election Officials Of Worcester County
That having the presumption in his favor this Com
the therefore and reports to the Senate of
Marylandthat Ounce Ashburn Improperly and awfuy
Maryland and that Orlando Harrison should have been
elected Senator from Worcester County by the Election
Officials of said county and therefore recommend the adoption o
the following resolution
RESOLVED That Orlando Harrison the 4th day Of Novcm
b A. d. 1913 was duly elected Senator from Worcester County
the of four from the first "Wednesday OF January
1914 and entitled 70 the seat IN the Senate OF NO" held