The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-08-27
Grace Faction By Controlling
Executive Committee Decided
Mayoralty primary
STATEMENT ISSUED BY
THE LOSING CANDIDATE
Contest VIII Be Taken Into the
Courts In Effort to Obtain
Justice


tram z. Hyde, whose majority in the
city primary election was reversed, on
consideration Of the challenged votes,
this action being taken behind clos
ed doors and no information Of the
proceedings being allowed to trickle
out..totfe public until final action was
s taken by the Grace majority on the
city Democratic executive committee,
announced yesterday that he would
ges into the courts Immediately for
the purpose Of having the whole pro-
s aeedxngs reviewed IN the confident be-
Hefof his final success. Major Hyde
last night issued the following adj
dress to the public:
To- sfhe Democratic Voters Of Char
leston:
s. address you because the matter
IS of deepest moment and circum-
stances have made me the represen-
tative OF your interest.
After campaign for the mayoral-
ty the most arduous and strenuous
ever held in our city, the official re-
turns declared by a hostile and ad-
nittedIy partisan body showed that
on the face of the returns I received
"a majority of the votes that were
cast There were number Of chal-
Ienged votes and votes the rejection
sOf which had been contested. The cir
cnmstances surrounding these chal-
slenged and rejected votes had been
carefully ascertained and were fully
known, to an extent at least enough
t6sbe more than decisive It was clear
that any TAR deter mination could only
add Stp the ma iority. A considerable
slEHnerc Hyde votes had been
thrown out by the managers under
an express ruling Of the chairman
.ce the executive committee under CIR
scuEnStanceS that could admit Of no
doubt eof sthesrS having, been properly
preserved for. consideration !, by
the 6fntnittes and ready to be
cdufitsH and added to the majority al
ready existing in my favor. There
Were strong and convincing reasons
fDr The belief that a recount Of the
nearly 1000 votes, with special at
stention to certain. wards where irregu-
larities were suspected, would show.
not scores, but hundreds as the true
majority in my favor.
- Under these circumstances every
thing depended upon a fair, impartial
and discriminating consideration by
the executive committee and an hon
est conclusion reached by it as de-
2fberative body charged with a trust
for the whole Democratic people of
charleston Under the rules of the
party hearing was set for the pur-
pose. The hour was fixed by the COM
m1ittee at 8.3o at night. The hearing
did not, in fact, begin until about
10. 80 and continued until about $50
The result of the hearing was declared
Just at the threat Of daylight.
* II is well understood that during
the whole campaign, the machinery
of the party controlled by the execu~
tive committee has been in the hands
OF a partisan body guided and in
Auenced by partisan interests. From
time to time we suffered from gross
sand fragrant evidence of this, as in
sfhe selection of places for registering
and voting, in the face of objection
and in violation of precedent: in ar
bitrary Withholding of copies Of the
printed rules, so that was forced to
have others printed at my own ex-
pense; in the arbitrary and high
. handed manner in which the purging
OF the rolls was conducted: in the
arbitrary refusal to graft further
time for submitting affidavits in con-
nection with this purging, in conse-
quence of which a considerable num-
ber were never presented; in the ar
bitrary refusal for days to take de-
cisiye action in this purging of the
rolls, as, result of which. duly quail
fed voters remained for days in
ignorance as to whether or not their
names would be stricken from the
rolls; and in innumerable other in
stances, all making against fair
election Under the circumstances OF
partisan control, these things had to
be suffered: and undoubtedly, in spite
of all that could be done, my ma
jority was largely reduced thereby
But they were overcome and in spite
Of all the majority was there. cast
and counted and the additional votes
were there, cast, preserved and ready
to be added. making it substantial
and convincing under any fair deter
nnination at the hearing set for the
purpose.
The hearing was unworthy Of the
name: unworthy of a place in any
civilized community. The stage was
set in advance for an arbitrary. high
handed and partisan perversion OF
Justice. In the rooms of the Hibern-
ian Hall were asse embled. or corralled
in advance, before the time Of the
meeting large numbers Of the sup
porters of my opponent, from whom
witnesses were drawn as their scr
vices were needed: on the portico ot
tf,e hall were Assem- b1ed as many
more. allowed to enter freely. break
ing out during evening into ribalt
songs and shouting. on the outside