The Punta Gorda herald. [volume] (Punta Gorda, Fla.) 1893-1958, 1916-07-13
The Knott Cats Contest

space and attention given to the
knottS-Catts contest. 1t is of more
interest to the people of Florida
than even the presidential contest,
the Mexican crisis or the war in
Europe. With this explanation,
we give a brief resume.
The recount ordered by the
courts in Madison, Hamilton and
Suwannee counties, made last
week, gives Knott twenty-eight
majority over Cats. Re-counts
are to be made in twenty-odd 9th
er counties this week, or as soon
as the necessary court orders are
be obtained.
Mr.. Cats charges, and supports
his charges with affidavits from
the managers, that the ballots of
Greenville precinct in Madison
county, re-counted July 9th, are
not the same ballots that they
counted on the evening of the pri-
mary, June 9th. If these afidav-
It's are true, then the county judge
and the supervisor of registration
OF Madison county who had the
ballot boxes in their keeping, are
responsible for any fraud, if there
has been any The Herald does
not believe there was any fraud.
but only unintentional mistakes
IN the original count. For exam
pie: the original count at Green
vile gave Mr.. Knott only five
tirst-choice votes; whereas, more
than five men have sworn that
they voted first choice for Knott.
The ballot box of the Water
town precinct in Columbia coun-
ty near Lake City has been stolen
from the courthouse and the sup
ervlsor of registration is unable
to explain its disappearance. Cats
partisans insinuate that it was
stolen by Knott supporters and
yet The Herald has good reason to
telieve that the Watertown pre-
clnct gave majority for Knott.
No investigation of the vote at
Flamingo in Monroe county has
been made; yet an open fraud was
perpetrated there. The registra-
tor hooks showed thirty qlaiiti-
ed voters and the poll lists and re-
turns of the election showed that
twenty nine voted and all veted
for the same candidates. Flaminoo
voters at Miami and other places
have sworn that they were not at
tlamlngo on election day and did
not vote anywhere. Apparently,
the managers at Flamingo did the
voting for all who were absent as
well as for those who were pres
ent.
Irregularities and illegal meth
DDS, as well as clerical errors in
the count, are known to have &C.
Cured In at least hundred vot-
ing precincts of the state. These
may have been as much against
Mr.. Cats as against Mr.. Knott.
Nevertheless, all the Cats or
CANS and partisans are crying out
that the proceedings inaugurated
by Mr., Knott are for the purpose
of counting out" Mr.. Cats and
they intimate, if they do not di-
rectly threaten that, if the courts
declare Mr.. Knott the legal nomi- |
nee, they the Cats adherents, will!
not accept the result, but will run
Mr.. Cats in the November cleo |
ton. This is a reflection upon the
integrity of the managers who
may be ordered by the courts to
make a recount ard upon the
courts themselves. 1t is equiva-
ent to saying that neither the
managers nor the courts are hon
EST.
On the other hand, Mr.. Knott
md his friends are making no
hreats; they declare that they
will abide by the decision of the
courts. Meantime, they believe
hat the recount, which is now
n progress, will give Mr.. Knott
he nomination by more than a
thousand majority.