The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-09-22
PRESENT STATUS Of
KNOTT-CATTS CONTEST
Mr.. Knott Has Been Declared
Nominee by State Canvas
sing Board.
While the Rev. Sidney Cats Seeks
to Become the Court Nominee"

The latest word from Tallahassee |
the status of the Knott
Cats gubernatorial contest is to the
effect that Mr.. Knott has been de-
clared to be the Democratic nominee
by the State Board of Canvassers with
a net majority of "a votes over Sid
ney j. Cats, and that Mr.. Cats is
now continuing the contest by secur-
ing from the supreme court an alter
native writ of mandamus to compel
the Alachua board of canvassers to
count the votes on governor from pre-
cinct No. 3 of that county, and which
were omitted because of failure of the
precinct inspectors to sign the re-
turns. In that precinct Mr.. Cats
had majority of So votes, and if
these be counted for him by order of
the Supreme Court, Cats will have
a majority of 35 votes and will be
entitled to the nomination-unless
Mr.. Knott further seek recount in
other counties which might wipe out
the Cats majority.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday
issued peremptory mandamus for
the State Canvassing Board to meet
on Thursday and re-canvass the vote.
On Wednesday although the court
granted petition of Sidney j. Cats
for alternative writ of mandamus re-
turnable September 25, to compel the
Alachua county canvassing board to
count siXty-nine votes in precinct No.
3 for Mr.. Cats as goveror, it denied
motion to stay the peremptory writ
against the state canvassing board to
canvass amended returns, consequent
ly W. V. Knott was on Thursday de-
clared the nominee of the Democratic
party for governor of Florida.
From these proceedings it appears
that the tables are now turned, Mr.
Knott being declared the nominee and
Mr.. Cats seeking the assistance of
the courts to correct alleged errors
and omissions of election officials, so
that a new declaration may be made
in his behalf
1t is evident that Mr.. Cats cannot
say much more about court nominee"
fer he himself is now seeking the aid
of the courts to get votes to which he
says he is entitled.
1t was on Tuesday that things be-
gan to happen in the Supreme Court
hearing.
Following a motion by Attorney
Adams council for Mr.. Knott to strike
Madison county returns from the man.
damus proceedings, the supreme court
handed down a peremptory writ to
the State canvassing board to convene
and recanvass the amended returns
in which Mr.. Knott brought proceed
ings for a recount. This writ was re-
turnable on Thursday.
In asking that Madison county be
omitted from the proceedings Mr..
Knott made the following request:
"Hon. T. R. Adams, w. J. Oven, A.
B. and C. C. Small, C. D. Blackwell:
"Gcntlcmen: l have heard part Of
the testimony with reference to the
testimony in Madison county and the
remainder you have reported to me
from time to time. In keeping with
the position l have at all times taken
in this matter, l wish to advise you
that | do not desire the benefit of any
ballots or votes that may have been
tampered with, or may be tainted by
fraud. Since there has been evidence
submitted by many substantial citl-
zens Of Madison county, which
may cast doubt upon the integrity of
the ballots as recounted from some of
the precincts in Madison county, l de-
sire that you, at the proper time, ask
awe of the court to amend my petl-
ton and the alternative writ issued
against the state canvassing board so
as to eliminate my claim to any bene-
fit of the recount, which was had IN
that county. l make this request
without casting any reflections upon
the officers who had the custody OF
the ballot boxes between the date of
the election and the date of the re-
count, all of whom have testified IN
this case to the effect that the ballot
boxes were carefully preserved and
were not tampered with.
"a possible doubt having now been
shown by competent evidence in a
court of competent jurisdiction against
the integrity of the ballots, as re.
counted from several precincts OF
I Madison county, l am unwilling to
base any further reliance therein, or
profit therefrom, as you know | have
been furnished with evidence and
could produce the witnesses to show
that | received more votes in Green
vile precinct than were credited to me
bv the original returns from that pre-
cinct. Whether the failure to credit
me with all that I was entitled to was
due to mistakes, or otherwise, |, OF
course, do not know. AS you also
know. have been furnished with oth'
err evidence showing that a proper
and correct count in other precincts
of Madison county would undoubted-
" have made gains in my favor. Not,
withstanding this, however, it is my
desire to relinouish in this proceeding
the actual and true gains which
should have had from Madison coun
tv rather than accept the benefit O.
anv ballots against which any suspl
ciou of fraudulent tampering exists
reserving the RIGHT to open up tn
original msndamus proceeding insti
tuted in that county so the question
Of fraudulent tampering with the bal
lots with reference to each precinc