The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1916-06-26
SHERIFF GALLOWAY'S REPLY
TO MR.. ADAMS PROPOSITION

lays paper to the effect that Mr..
Adams wants another primary Tor
election) to determine whether he or
was elected to the office of sheriff,
and making a proposition as to costs.
I must decline any such nonsensical
for a number of reasons,
not that | believe Mr.. Adams has any
show in the world to be elected, be-
cause he got neither a majority of
first nor second choice votes in the
primary, and cannot see how he can
expect to get them now, If another
was called. ! have no doubt
that Mr.. Adams would be pleased to
have another election, because of the
of "chance" that always at
tends an election, and / am sure he
has had advice that he has no
chance" in the contest proceedings,
because he knows, and every one else
knows that has taken the trouble to
examine the facts, that the clerks and
of several of the precincts
failed to count second choice votes for
me that was legally entitled to have
counted, not because the clerks and
attempted to assist Mr..
Adams, but because of the complicated
primary law, that makes it almost inn
possible to keep things straight, and
for that reason / lost more than fifty
votes that should have been counted,
and Mr.. Adams lost none, because his
name being first on the list, all second
choice votes for him were properly
counted, and in numerous instances
not counted for me, because the Off
GERS in charge simply did not know
how to tally the votes. Therefore
received clear majority of at least
fifty votes, and / am confident re-
count will show this to be true. The
election is over, and feel confident
that / was elected, and therefore
would not be true to my friends il
did not insist on a proper count so n
to show this fact. If / was not elect
ed by a majority, | do not want the
office.
But | have number of reasons fol
declining a new election, and I submit
some of them herewith:
/. There is no law authorizing any
such course, and even if an election
was held, it would be nullity, ane
the canvassing board could not recog
nize it; hence Mr.. Adams name would
be certified regardless of the so-callet
primary.
2. When the canvassing board wa!
in session, and before they had pub
lished the result, it was pointed on
that there were numerous Irregular
ties in tallying the second choic,
votes, which would clearly change tn,
result, and it not being certain at tina
time who would be declared nominal
ed by the board, Mr.. Adams attorney
(Mr. Adams being present and con
senting) offered to have recount O
the second choice votes, and | consent
ed to it, stating that if Mr.. Adams
was elected all wanted to know wa
the true facts; his attorney then wen
to his office to draw up the papers
so that the canvassing board woult
have something to act on, it being un
derstood that they might publish TIL
result so arrived at on such recount
A few moments later the votes a.
they stood were totaled, and Mn
Adams had an apparent majority O
one vote; in less than an hour Mr.
Adams had changed attorneys, ant
advised the board that he would not
under any circumstances, consent to ;
recount. The board had no authority
unless the parties agreed, and henc'
no recount was had. have no as
surance that Mr.. Adams will no
crawfish if another election was held
which did not result in his favor. I
would be clearly beyond the pale O.
the law, and one only depending upol
a gentleman's agreement, the same a
we had before, which Mr.. Adams him
self violated when he found that h
had an apparent majority; he coult
mandamus the officials to put hi
name on the ticket at the Novembe.
election, even if he did not get bu
ten votes in the election he proposes
because his name has already beer
certified, and it is only in the pro
ceedings | have instituted it can b.
legally changed. The right to file /;
contest petition ceases after. twenty
five days; so what would become o.
my rights would depend absolutely OF
a gentleman's agreement, the same al
we had before, which Mr.. Adams vic
lated. / will not barter the people!
choice in any such foolish way.
3. The people of Marion county
have had six months of nothing but
politics, and I am sure need rest. L
an election was held, in my judgment
not more than one-third of the people
would vote. This would be remark.
able election to determine the choice
of the whole people.
A. | will not gamble the Office the
people have given me away, nor will
accept one they have not given me