The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-10-16
WILLIAMS TRIES
TO S|DESTEP LAW
IN CITY CHARTER
Campaign Committee Quotes
Tennessee Court Decision in
Which Michigan Man Voted
in Ciuar Box Primary.

], j. Williams, through his campaign
committee, Is trying to sidestep the
real issue involved In the charge that
he is not eligible, under the city char
ter, to hold the office Of mayor Of
Memphis.
That issue Genes down to the simple
proposition whether the people of Mem
phis want to vote for a series OF poll
tlcal lawsuits, and the extension of
Mayor Monteverde's term, pending a
decision Of the courts as to Mr.. Will
liams' eligibility.
There'li be no long drawn out legal
battles, of course, II Rowlett Paine and
the other candidates on the Citizens
League ticket are elected. But just to
keep the record straight, the facts In
he present controversy should not be
forgotten,
MIR. Williams in taking the position
that he had a perfect right, while he
Tennessee, to register and vote in Mis-
sissippi, as a question for his own con-
science.
The matter that interests the voters
Of Memphis In this particular matter
is. what might happen II by an chance
Mr.. Williams should be elected.
He now admits that he registered in
Mississippi in 1915; that he signed the
oath required as one OF the qualifica-
lions of all voters in Mississippi, testi-
flying to his two years citizenship; and
that he voted in the legAliZed and Of
fetal primary election in DeSoto coun-
ty, in August, 1915, the record OF which
wat mutilated about the time he an
nounced for mayor in the present race,
In those acts, he violated the laws Of
Mississippi, II at the time he signed
the. oath and voted was in reality n
citizen of Memphis, as he now claims.
On the other hand, II he was then,
a. citizen of Mississippi, as he repre-.
scented himself to be, he is not now
eligible to hold the office OF mayor I'M
der the five-year residence clause OF
Comes now the williams campaign
committee in a newspaper advertise
ment quoting in his behalf a decision
Of the Tennessee courts IN the case OF
a gentleman from Michigan, named
Hascall. q,
The record shows that Mr.. Hascall
lived for several years in Lauderdaie
county Tennessee. That during ms
entire residence there he constantly
claimed to be a citizen of Michigan,
where his wife lived.
where his wife lived, he being engaged
M. Williams on the other hand.
lived in Mississippi for six years, bu
unlike Mr.. Hascall, claimed his resi-
| dence in that state, and registered. and
voted there in an official election;
Mr.. Hascall, the court record shows,
did once vote IN a cigar boz primary
held in Lauderdale county. 1t was not
a legalizel primary, but simply an eX'
preston If choice among neighbors
He was even so popular that .the
voters OF the town OF Gates elected MN
Therein again the record between Mr..
Hascall's case and Mr.. Williams Is al
variance
Mr.. Hascall, still claiming his citizen
sh'B in Michigan, declined to accept thc
office.
Wherein he proved himself unlike Mr.
williams who never declined a poll
teal Job in his life, unless II was be
cause he could grab a better one
There il no record in the court MES
| of the Hascall ease that Mr.. Hascal
ever represented himself to be q either
! Of Tennessee, or hat he voted In any
legal election.
Primaries In Tennessee, in those days
were mere community gatherings, with
| out any legal restrictions, a cigar DOB
| or tomato can serving as the ballot box
and the residents of the community
| Democrats and Republicans alike, usu'
| ally taking part In them. There Is nf
| record that Hascall voted IN the OIL
| cial election which followed the prl'
mary. ,o, A..
m Mississippi, where In 1915 Mr.
| Williams declared his citizenship BY
registering and signing the oath, test
| fying that he had been a citizen OF MS
s~issippi for two years, primary cleo
| lions are legalized and none may vote
in them except duly qualified and reg
n was in ,ich a legalized primary
that Mr.. WI Jams voted on Aug ~
1915, as sho, n by the. DeSoto county
records, In spite sof their mutilatIon'