Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1919-11-14
Ritchie Wins {; Plurality 16s.
From The BALTIC. Sun of Sunday last.

From The BALTIC. Sun of Sunday last.
Attorney General Richie, Democrat, was
elected Governor of Maryland in last Tues
days election by 1855 plurality over States
Attorney Nice, the Republican candidate.
Mr.. Ritchie's vote in the whole State was
112. 240. and Mr.. Nice's. 1l2.075. In the
city Mr.. Ritchie's vote was 54.203 and
Mr.. Nice's 52.397.
The result in the fight. which has racked
the nerves of candidates and politicians of
both parties since the polls closed Tuesday.
was not known definitely until between 8
and A O'Clock yesterday afternoon, when the
official canvass in the city was completed
after the returns began coming in.
While Mr.. Richie felt that he was elect
ed. and has been reasonably confident since
the official canvass in the counties on
Thursday, his plurality at all times was so
slender that he could not be certain until
the last ward was canvassed. For the
same reason, Mr.. Nice had been unwilling
to concede defeat and hoped until the
very last
About o'clock Chairman TAFT. of the
Republican State Central Committee, gave
out statement that the Republicans would
ask for recount of the ballots. The Demo-
Gratis, who have considered the possibility
of this move, are not disturbed. They say
that fraud must be shown to warrant open
ing the ballot boxes, and that no fraud has
been brought to light anywhere in the
Gubernatorial fight.
The official canvass Of the city vote also
confirmed the election Of Alexander Arm
strong. Republican, for Attorney General
over Thomas j. Heating. The exact figures
had not been tabulated by the Election
Supervisors at the time of going to press.
Armstrong; plurality will be around 100.
The election of Major E. Brooke Lee Demo-
crat, to the Comptrolership, and of Caleb
C. Maeruder, to the Clerkship of the Court
of Appeals, was not in doubt.
Mr. Richie was in his Office in the State
Law Department, in the Title Building.
across the street from the Court House,
when the final and official plurality in his
favor was determined. He soon was sur
rounded by crowd of enthusiastic friends
and lieutenants, who enjoyed belated
celebration of victory Most Of them had
been hanging almost breathless over the
official checking Of each of the 383 pre-
cincts in the city since Thursday at noon.
When the excitement subsidized some
what, Mr.. Richie made the following state
ment:
Tonight after the hardest and closest
fight for Governor which. ! believe, has
ever taken place in Maryland, but two
thoughts are in my mind-gratitude to all
who have placed their trust in me and
determination to be as worthy Of their
trust as can.
Il am genuinely and sincerely grateful
to those who have worked so hard, so I'M
ceasingly and so unseIfshly for the success
of our ticket No one ever had such friends.
With all my heart, thank them. ] am
grateful, also. to all the people of this
State who, by their help and support, have
shown their confidence in us. And am
glad, too, that everyone on our side can
feel pride in the fact that our fight never
for moment departed from what was
clean and fair and above-bOard.
MY only regret at this moment is that
the figures seem to indicate the defeat Of
Mr.. Heating.
II can but repeat what | said at the
Lyric just before the campaign closed i
pledge myself to render as Governor to the
people of Maryland the best that is in me
this means service uncontrolled and I'M
tTammeled, and as high in efficiency and
in honor as within me lies.
Mr.. Richie lost II votes net in yester-
days canvass of the city's vote. He drop
ped 20 votes In the Fifth precinct in the
Fourteenth ward, and gained two in the
Thirteenth precinct of the Twenty seventh
ward and one in the Tenth precinct of the
Twentieth ward. Mr.. Heating gained five
votes in the Second precinct in the Six
tenth ward.
Mr.. Richie started out yesterday with
plurality of III votes. based upon the
official figures in the counties and in IL
wards. He had dropped 81 votes on Fri
day. his plurality Friday morning having
been 1873. There is a discrepancy Of II
votes between the final plurality given
Mr.. Richie in the official figures and the
plurality which he would have had, after
deductine his loss of II votes yesterday
from the III with which he started the day
That was due to an error in making the
unofficial calculations in the rush of We'd
nesday and Thursday.
When the official vote was announced.
the Richie people accepted II as settling
the fight and assuring Mr.. Richie Of four
years service in Annapolis as Governor.
were ready for an attempt from the Repub-
leans at a contest. The law had been
gone into thoroughly. 1t was stated that
the Constitution makes the House Of Dele
gates the body which shall pass upon claims
for a contest over the Governorship, and
the body which shall conduct the recount,
IL one is gained. The Richie people said
that there was no evidence Of fraud upon
which the Legislature could be asked by
the Republicans to open the ballot boxes.
Help The Ex-SerVice Men.