The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-11-23
Fraud Charged in
Charleston Election
Fight Over Water Front Pur-
chase To Be Taken into the
Courts

We're made of fraudulent voting IN
the special election held November
s on the question of the city taking
over the port terminals and issuing
S2.500,000 in bonds to buy and
maintain the terminals. ,. F. Nc
Leod of Charleston wrote a letter
to Governor Cooper on the subject.
Mr.. Mcleod claims that between
400 and 500 persons voted in the
election on poll tax receipts which
he charges, were dated back by the
county treasurer in order that the
voters would apparently conform to
the law. These pre-dated poll tax
receipts bore the seven cents pen
atty. which did not go into effect
until May 15, according 70 the let
ter, and thereby show, he says, that
the holders of such receipts paid
their tax after the date for pay
ing had expired and that they were
dated back to March Is, in most
cases, by the county treasurer.
Mr.. Mcleod furnished the in
formation to the governor and the
chief executive turned the letter,
together with a number Of afida-
Wits regarding improper voting,
over to the comptroller general for
investigation. Walter E. Duncan,
comptroller general, said yesterday
that he would go to Charleston
Monday to investigate personally
the county treasurer's office in ref
erence to the alleged pre-dating Of
poll tax receipts and any other ir--
regularity in connection with the
voting in the special election. Mr..
Duncan will probably be accom-
panied by corps Of expert audi
tors and after the investigation viii
report to the governor. The chief
executive will then determine what
the charges by Mr.. Mcleod are
sustained by the comptroller gener-
ais investigation.
.AffidavitS from managers Of cleo
tions furnishing names and ad
dresses of persons who voted on the
poll tax receipts that We're dated
March Is, but had the seven cents
penalty, and many having March
Is" stamped over other dates, ac-
cording to the letter of Mr.. Nc
Leod, were also sent the governor.
It is further claimed that several
hundred voters procured poll tax
receipts after the comptroller gen.
eral had checked the books Of the
county treasurer, this being August
5.
Mr.. Mcleod is said to have OPP
posed the purchase of the termi-,
nails by the city and the difference
of the 100 or 500 votes might ma
terially affect the result Of the cleo
ton, which carried for the pur-
chase of the terminals and the is
suance of the bonds. The supreme
court has ruled several times that
no person is qualified to vote in
any election whatever prior to six
months after December 81, when
taxes are supposed to have been
paid, unless he can show that all
taxes, including poll, have been
paid on or before December 81. In
the recent Chester annexation case
the court declared the election void
because a number Of persons not
paying their poll tax prior to De-
cenlber 81 had been allowed to vote
The court opinion speaks of six
months after December 81" and it
is not know what effect voting in
November, more than six months
after December 81, would have
where taxes are paid after the date
prescribed by law.
The seven cents penalty did not
so into effect until May l5, it is
claimed, and managers of election
made records OF those presenting
the receipts for S1.07 and in at least
three instances men presented re-
ceipts received on the day Of the
election, Mr.. Mcleod alleges,
which were dated back to come
within the legal time for issuing
the receipts. On the first Monday
in October, when the registration
books were open, Mr.. Mcleod
claims a man was seen to emerge
from the direction Of the treas
urer's office with a large number Of
poll tax receipts which he diStribut-
ed to a line of men waiting to reg
ister Mr.. Mcleod indicates that
he may present his facts to the
grand jury and emphasize his be-
lief that some change must be
made to insure regular elections
in Charleston without fraud.
In his letter Mr.. Mcleod sends
afhdavits from managers Of elec-
tions giving the names of many
men who voted on the alleged IL
legal tax receipts. At one precinct,
where the clerk was checking up,
the voters presenting the S1.07 re-
ccipts, the managers stopped him
from taking the names, he claims,
after he had made notations for
about 25. Later this record of the
cltrK was stolen, Mr.. Mcleod says