The De Soto County news. [volume] (Arcadia, Fla.) 1898-1924, 1916-08-03

the county officials at my expense to
the same effect. II Is easv TO make
charges Of fraud and then get OK par.
te atfidavits to support such charges
That, however, is not a proper method
OF establishing those charges, but II
there is any truth In such charges they
should be brought before the proper
tribunal, where a proper investigation
o. the charges may be made and legal
evidence thereof, If there is any, sub
mittcd.
ar advised that - '-orvi>O, cf
registration and county judge of Mad.
iSon county are ready to testify that
the ballot boxes were kept in the coun.
ty judges vault after being received
from the inspectors, and that they
were carefully safeguardcd between
the time Of the first count and the sec.
ond count.
If Mr.. Cats and his friends can SO.
cure any legal evidence that the ballot
boxes in Madison county were tam
pered with the burden is upon them To
produce it before some court Of com.
petent jurisdiction, where the entire
matter can be properly and orderly IN.
veStigatcd. The newspaper columns
are not the proper places for detcrmn-
ing such matters.
In justice, however. to the officials
Of Madison county. / think that the
public mind should remain open and
not jump at conclusions with refer.
cnce to the charges made by Mr.. Cats
until he has proved his charges in some
court In proper manner.
The recounts which have already
been made i'm the various counties
demonstrate the fact that l was nom
mated, irrespective of the recount
which was made in Madison county.
The gains by accurate and correct
count made in other places have al
most overcome the apparent lead II
Mr.. Cats, rs announced by the state
canvassing board, Of 2GO votes.
will now give synopsis Of the re-.
count as the situation stands in other
counties, where no fraud in the re-
cunt has been charged.
Duval County.
Last Saturday the ballots in FIVE
county precincts were rccounted. In
these five precincts the second choice
votes were not correctly tailed by the
inspectors. owing to their misunder-
standing the provisions Of the primary
law with reference to second choice
votes. A recount Of those five precincts
with the Sc cond choice votes properly
Tailed showed a net gain in my favor
Of IL votes.
In precinct No. 10 the first choice
votes on the recount we're the same for
each candidate as on the first count,
and on the recount Mr.. Cats received
/ second choice vote on a first choice
for Farrls. and received l second
choice vote from Farris and second
choice vote from Hudson. making a
net gain in my favor Of vote in that
precinct.
In precinct No. 81 the first choice
votes on the recount for all candidH cS
showed the same as on the first 'lunt.
Mr.. Cats received no Sec"nd choice
votes from either FarriI. Uudson or
Wood, while I received second chulr"
from Farris and 1 from Hudson, MAX
ing a gain Of . second choice votes in
my favor.
In precinct No. "a the first choice
votes on the recount were the same as
ON the first count. Mr.. Cats got l
second choice from Farris and l sec
ond choice from Wood. I received B
second choice votes from Farris and
l second choice from Wood, making a
gain in my favor Of . second choice
votes.
In precinct No. 81 only first choice
mcs were cast, all Of which wr1t Tor
Farrls. Mr.. Cats received second
choice vote ana I received 1 second
choice vote.
In precinct No. 80 the first choice
votes remained the same. Mr.. Cats
received l second choice vote from
Farris ana I received I second choice
votes from FarriS, giving me a net gain
Of G second choice votes.
Expect Fraud Charges
When the inspectors from precinct
no. 80 started to open the ballot poX
from that precinct they were asked II
the ballot box was sealed when they
delivered It to the supervisor of reg
istration. and they stated that they
locked it hut placed no seal on it. MT
Ironmonger. supervisor of registra'
ton. however, did place seal on the
box when he took charge of the boxes
Friends Of Mr.. Cats will Doubtless
claim that the integrity of this ballot
box was not preserved, hut the inSpec'