Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-08-04
ATTEMPT TO MISUSE
ABSENT VOTERS! AW
Letters Said to Have Been Sent
With Marked Ballots
and Postage
"sLATE" FOR ORGANIZATION
Writer of Mimeograph Letter
Says "Wc" Are Voting
for Ellyson.
"sLATE" FOR ORGANIZATION

istcnce OF State slate in Southwest
Virginia and n desperate eleventh. hour
attempt to make use OF the absent
voters law to advance tho cause OF GER
tain candidates for State Offices to be
voted for by the Democrats OF Virginia
next Tuesday became public yesterday.
No statement as to whether not an
Official Investigation into the m.tter
would be instituted could be secured
last night although It was generally
believed that some inquiry would be
conducted>to determine whether the la W
had been violated Heavy penalties are
imposed for violation of the voters law.
It became known yesterday that from
Wytheville. over the signature RI n.
w. Williams" had gone forth n letter
TO absent voters suggesting the candi-
dates for which the votes should be
cast With this letter was inciosed a
Sample" ballot. on which the names OF
certain '.undeairable candidates had
been scratched
STATE COMMITTEE; NOT
BODY TO lSNESTIIATEs
]. ~. Brenaman. secretary OF the
State Democratic Committee. said last
night:
II know nothing whatever about the
matter. except wha, have seen in
tho afternoon paper II seems GER
tain. however. thai he state commit
there has b.tn cny criminal action. il
is a matter for the Commonweal;h's
attorney and grand iury TO act u;.on
as provided for in the new general
primary law.
I notice that the ballot, ar rri,;tct
In the News I.eaLer. docs not plrport
to be anything bit a sample ballot. or
8 guide to tha yoler--not fac-simile.
OF the scruine ballot.
II find cn .adinS thn absent voters
law which 1-ovid.s for voting by
mail. that ,nr rcsis,r:r is required to
post the n,r'cs at !rast seven days be
fore the primit" OF those who have
applied for ballu.s TO vote by rail
The list then becomes public property
and may be circuiari.ed by the friends
OF any candidate
when the State chairman declares
the party nominees without opposition
anybody in the state may know what
names will rnrr on the ticket. OF
course II j, .nlaNfu, tor the c!artr raj
board to y tt'!c's aat Out. but trerc
is nothing 20 prevent their showing
tie list of names OF candidates Is sent
them by the state chairman. II thn
secretary oil the electoral board or
any member showed the letter of tho
State chairman. the names may be
printed on the voters guide In tho or
der we sent them out The local boards
can do as they please about following
that order on the printed ballots.
NOT WORK or EXPERT OR
WITH CONCERT OF ACTION
The whole affair is a tempest in a
teapot 1t was evidently not goiter
uE by an expert or with any concert
OF action. as there Is the obvious er-
ror as to the II cents. The Williams
letter says. In your letter from the
registrar will be found IL cents for
you TO register the letter.
There is no law for that. TIE ap-
plicant must furnish the registry fee
when he applies Cor his ballot The
News Leader would indicate that Will
liams was furnishing the money, but
he doesn't say So lie should have said
that the voter must furnish the IL
cents for registry. This error knocks
the whole suggestion OF a concerted
scheme into cooked hat. There is
nothing in IT. He has right to write
to his friends. has right to set the
names from the list OF absent voters
posted. and his only mistake Is as to
-1e IL cents. He stated that wrong.
but there is nothing tc show ne in
tended to furnsh the money"
SENDS INSTRUCTIONS
HOW TO MARK BALLOT
The Williams letter. which is dated
July IS. is as follows:
There will be registered letter
for you at your post-ofiicc, inclosing a
ballot for you to mark and return in
the envelope addressed to the registrar,
wytheville, Va The ballot is in the
envelope marked ballot within After
you have marked 1t you put IL in the
envelope marked voucher and get the
postmaster to fill out the blank OH the
back Of tho envelope marked voucher
as well as get him to fiil out the paper
marked coupon.
"We arc voting for the par,ic rs
indicated In the sample ballot send
you. Mark 1t exactly as the sample
ballot Is marked and then put 1t I'm the
envelope as say. marked voucher and
put 1t in the envelope directed to the
registrar. In your letter frC m the reg
istrar will be found II cents for you
to register the letter and send 1t back
to the registrar.
Attend to this at once. as the cleo
ton is on Tuesday. tho 7th day OF Au-
1continued on Second PageD
BALTIMORE RY BOAT. ~